The Goldfinch

In my last blogpost regarding the books I was reading, I alluded to the fact that the next book I was going to read was the 770+ tome by Donna Tartt called The Goldfinch. It had won a Pulitzer (I think) and I had actually purchased the hardback meaning I had high hopes for this book...

IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT!

I can easily say, though, this is not a book for everyone. It is not a terribly easy read and it is a book that makes you think. I would end up having dreams about it afterwards. And now I will ruin the book for you.



The book's main character is Theo Decker and it starts when he is 12 or 13 years old. Theo and his mother live in New York City. His father has ran off and has not been heard from but it doesn't matter since Theo has always been closer to his mother. (His dad was an alcoholic.)
Theo has been suspended from school and he and his mother have a meeting with the school on the morning that changes his life. It was a rainy spring day and in the spare time they have before the meeting, they decide to run into a museum to stay dry.
Then the bomb goes off. When Theo comes to, he is disoriented and alone. All is still and quiet. He wonders around the ruined halls looking for his mother when he comes across an old man, Welty, who is dying. Theo had seen Welty and a young girl (Pippa) earlier. As he kneels near Welty, Theo is handed his ring, a painting (The Goldfinch) and the message of where to go with the ring.
Theo wonders home and falls asleep waiting for his mother who never returns as she was killed in the explosion. Eventually, Theo is taken to his friend, Andy's house, where he stays. Theo ends up taking the ring from Welty to Hobie who was Welty's partner in an antique's business. There he sees Pippa and this strengthens a strange longing he has for her. As Andy's family prepares to take Theo in, his father resurfaces with his girlfriend, Xandra. Theo and his mother's apartment is packed up but he takes the painting and realizing its value takes it with him for safekeeping. Theo goes out to Las Vegas with his father and Xandra.
Despite what he says about not drinking, Theo's father is into even worse things-gambling, living beyond his means, still drinking and pain pills. Xandra and the father pretty much ignore Theo which leaves him to find a friend in the nearly deserted neighborhood. Boris is the same age as Theo and is the son of a Russian mining official. Boris has lived alone and has had to grow up quick which unfortunately leads the pair into stealing and escalating drug and alcohol abuse.
Then one night, Theo's father is killed. Which isn't the worse thing since he owed some bookies large amounts of money and was trying to tap into Theo's trustfund. Theo decides that he needs to get out of there so he gets on a bus and heads back to NYC. (Of course, taking the painting with him. At this point, the painting is the one constant in his life. He realizes that he should not have it or keep it but is at a loss as to how to return it. Returning it may mean jail. Selling it means jail. Leaving it anonymously someplace may mean the painting's destruction.)
Back in NYC, Theo goes to live with Hobie who teaches Theo the art of refinishing antique furniture. Pippa remains just out of Theo's grasp having gone to live with a sister (?), then overseas to a boarding school. As Theo gets older, Theo takes over Welty's part of the business-selling. Theo is a natural despite his drug problem (prescription pills) and unfortunately has made many dodgy business deals by selling some of Hobie's pieced together furniture as something they are not. On particular client threatens to make waves about the piece he bought and despite Theo's attempts to buy back the piece and make peace, he is rebuffed. This client also ends up insinuating that he knows about the painting, which Theo has to deny.
Theo eventually returns to Andy's family as an adult. Andy and his father (mentally unstable) have met a tragic end in a boating accident which has left the family unstable. Theo will eventually become engaged to Kitsy, Andy's younger sister. Theo runs into Boris and it is a joyous coke fueled reunion.
Then the truth comes out. The package that Theo has taken some much care over and worried so very much over, the package that he thought contained his precious painting is nothing more than a school workbook. Boris has had the painting this whole time. ACTUALLY, he's used it as a pawn in his drug dealing (?) schemes to get further ahead. Now the painting is MIA.
Boris decides that he will get the painting back for Theo and the pair go off to Amsterdam at Christmas. Their plot to steal the painting back goes better than planned and as they are preparing to celebrate the two are ambushed. The painting is stolen and the two people that ambushed them are dead. Theo sits for several days in his hotel room until Boris reappears. Boris gives Theo a large amount of money which Theo is instantly suspicious of. Boris explains that he decided to just turn in the robbers. The painting as well as many others are found and Boris and his crew reap the rewards!
Theo comes back to the US and explains all to Hobie.

The last few pages of the book got really preachy and was sore of a let down. Overall, I would grade The Goldfinch as a B. Initially, I would have given it higher but the ending was confusing and too metaphorical/philosophical for my liking. It's worth the read though.