My sixth completed read for my 25-book pledge was The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. The Goldfinch is the story of thirteen year old Theo who after being abandoned by his father and losing his mother in a tragic accident, begins a life of crime and moving through dangerous circles. I was intimidated by this book. Though friends have told me how great it is, and I've read so many rave reviews online, this book made me nervous. First of all it was 800 pages long - not exactly a quick weekend read, and second the cover is so boring. Okay yes I know, those are two very superficial judgements but I don't care, I always judge a book by it's cover - this one didn't do it for me.
That being said, I finished this book over a week ago and I only now feel (mostly) settled with it. Though I was racing to finish it before due back at the library, it was so dense and detailed that I needed to give my full attention and soak up every word on every page. What resulted when I turned the last page and closed the cover, was a feeling I have never felt from a book before. So much was said and had happened that I needed to take the time to let it all soak in before I could fully express my thoughts on it. Needless to say, I love The Goldfinch. It is unlike any book I have read before. What initially seems like a relatively simple storyline unfolds into a series of unexpected characters and events. My feelings towards the characters changed with every chapter. There was not a single character that I consistently loved or hated, not even the protagonist! The Goldfinch is not a book to read lightly. It is a heavy, whirlwind of emotions - and probably my favourite book of 2015 thus far.
