Audiobook Review: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

Published: October 22nd, 2013 

By: Hachette Audio

Narrated By: David Pittu (32 hours, 29 minutes)

Genres: Literary-Fiction, Contemporary, Coming-of-Age

Format: Audio CD Source: Purchased 

My Rating: 4 Stars 

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Theo Decker, a thirteen-year-old New Yorker, miraculously survives an accident that kills his mother. Abandoned by his father, Theo is taken in by the family of a wealthy friend. Bewildered by his strange new home on Park Avenue, disturbed by schoolmates who don’t know how to talk to him, and tormented above all by his unbearable longing for his mother, he clings to one thing that reminds him of her: a small, mysteriously captivating painting that ultimately draws Theo into the underworld of art.

As an adult, Theo moves silkily between the drawing rooms of the rich and the dusty labyrinth of an antiques store where he works. He is alienated and in love-and at the center of a narrowing, ever more dangerous circle.

The Goldfinch is a mesmerizing, stay-up-all-night and tell-all-your-friends triumph, an old-fashioned story of loss and obsession, survival and self-invention, and the ruthless machinations of fate.

My Thoughts

When I first purchased this CD set, back in 2013, I was really looking forward to listening to it. However, other books got in the way, and I really wasn’t feeling audio-anything for a while. I think after listening to A Game of Thrones, it wore me out and I couldn’t listen to another long audio book for months. It’s really funny, because I love music.

 The Goldfinch is one that I really love, yet I was annoyed for the last half of the story. Why? Because, this is a story where you have to pay attention to the time jumps. Back and forth, on and on it went. I’m pretty sure there was a mention of Blue Ivy – Beyonce’s daughter. If not, then some other celeb’s child with the name Blue. It took me 10 days to get all of this in. If I would have known ahead of time that the story would be sporadic, I would have listened to some of this in the car. I was too caught up with finishing the disk that I was currently listening to, instead of just grabbing the next one to take with me to work. If anything, I should have just gotten the hardcover, and been done with it in half the time.

The Goldfinch is about Theo Decker’s life – past and present. From his brush with death at a museum explosion – that killed his mother, we get to see where Theo’s life headed and, ultimately, where it began. The most interesting aspect of this story would have to be the art. Yes, it’s quite shocking to say because I’m no artist. Theo’s need to protect and preserve such a famous painting made me remember just what he’s been through. I hate it when someone goes through something horrific, and they turn around and still have a s****y life. We go through the highs and lows of his life with him, and one can’t help but feel his pain, loss, love, and fears.

I’m one to always remember my parents, especially my mother. But, I was sometimes thinking to myself that Theo should have taken that painting to another museum so that he wouldn’t have to relive that devastating moment when terror struck and took his mom from him. And then I’d rearrange my thoughts, because no matter if he had the painting or not, his memories of that day will always be there. He went through all the things that a lost person goes through. He even experimented with drugs. He loved, but was afraid to let it show. My heart broke for him. He got into trouble, but he was never truly alone. 

One of my main reasons for not listening to a lot of audiobooks, is because I have a problem with narrators. David Pittu, for the most part, rocked this story. I was really enjoying his narration, and the accents were spot on. Around the 60% mark, I started to get really irritated with his voice. Thinking back now, I really think that it’s the drawn out story that irked me, and not his voice. So, sorry Mr. Pittu, for doubting your mad skills with this monster book! 

I wouldn’t say that this is a young-adult nor adult book. I’m always a little lost when a protagonist starts off as a child, but the story ends with adulthood. I think this is one for the masses; like so many other literary coming-of-age stories. Highly recommend!