A review by ralufv
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book, and Donna Tartt's writing in general, are such testaments to the craft of writing. I have seen somewhere online someone giving her as a counter example to the fast, sometimes superficial publishing trends nowadays in the BookTok era. And I can wholeheartedly agree. To write such a novel takes time, dedication and a lot of research on top of talent.
I am the biggest fan of complex, contradictory, flawed characters and Theo Decker (but also Boris) are extremely well executed in this sense. Did I find myself thinking "get to the point, Theo" a hundred times while reading? Yes. But I wouldn't have it any other way. Because this is who Theo is. Too much in his head, introspective. The writing style is so beautiful that I did my best to read every line, enjoy every sentence despite dying to know what happens next. And to bring to life such a character but also have a page turning plot, that's the mastery of Donna's writing. 
On a last note, if you have a big book fear like me, this one is worth it!