Review: The Goldfinch by Donna Tart

For those of you still to go on holiday, (lucky things) there is always the question of which book to take. On my recent trip to Spain, I devoured The Goldfinch and here's my mini review...

The book opens with a sweaty palm chapter of adult Theodore Decker in hiding in an Amsterdam hotel room, scanning newspapers in search of his name in connection with a mysterious serious crime.

The novel speeds back 14 years and Theo, aged thirteen is lulling the reader into his close relationship with his beautiful loved-by-everyone Mother. The bond is made more precious with the sporadic invasion of his abusive, alcoholic father, who he is about to see a lot more of following a harrowing disaster when on a visit to The Metropolitan Museum of Art with his Mother.

The novel swerves through Theo’s now chaotic life, where he is tossed through tenuous circumstances and told continuous bad news. He meets unsavoury and loveable characters, who Tartt develops with insatiable detail as Theo confronts the consequences of stealing from Las Vegas Casinos whilst his drug use unhinges him from an ever present secret he knows he must face.

The Goldfinch is impossible to put down. That is until the biceps give way under the weight of the 800 hundred page-turner. When finished, fear not as the story has been picked up by the producers of The Hunger Games.

When I got back from holiday, I carried on reading my book instead of just switching on the telly or zoning out on my lap top. I was unbelievable how much it gave me the holiday feeling, so here's a list of a few more books I intend to read before next year.

The Secret History, Donna Tartt

The Secret History

The Secret History is Donna Tartt's first novel, which follows six calssics students and an incident that led to a murder. Friends have said they prefer this one to The Goldfinch so I can't wait to read it.

Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn

Gone Girl

The Tenderness of Wolves

Another thriller, Gone Girl is about the disappearance of a woman. All eyes focus on her long term husband and whether he is to blame.

The Tenderness of Wolves

Set in Canada in the 1860s, the book begins with a murder. As various people try to solve it, more events happen, making it a pretty tense read. I'm a third of the way through this one and I can't put it down.