The Goldfinch

I really, really enjoyed The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. In a nutshell it is the story of a boy who loses his mother to a bomb blast at a museum. For some strange, unfathomable reason he steals a painting 'The Goldfinch' and the rest of the story is about his uprooted life, his obsession with the painting, love for a girl who was also at the same museum, his abiding friendship with Boris, an almost orphan and his work in the field of art. I love the way Donna Tartt uses words to create imagery; this was also the reason why I loved The Secret by her. Her use of language and themes is what kept me engrossed. The story has a missing memory that changes everything. It is unexpected and yet once this secret comes to light, everything changes. The characters including the protagonist, his friend Andy, his love Pippa, his unexpected savior Hobie, his friend and yet not quite Boris are well-etched out. The story feel surreal and yet believable. It is set in our world, the world of flights and bomb blasts, of online lives and the constant scavenger hunt for culture. It is his madness, his obsessiveness that makes him both easy and difficult to love. Towards the end he even says it himself, that perhaps he is incapable of living a normal, good life. This book taught me the phrase 'three sheets to the wind'. This is hardly a review but more of a strong endorsement. I find stories about people's lives, with all their details and imperfections and irrational traits, enthralling and if you do as well, then this is a great book to read.