The best part about that summary is that it doesn't even begin to cover what happens in this book.
I had no idea what to expect when I picked this up. To be honest, one of my favorite authors, Maggie Stiefvater, mentioned this book on a Tumblr post when someone asked if she had read the book. Apparently, she had, and she mentions it alongside her books, The Raven Cycle (which are all so good, go buy the first three right now, seriously). So I picked this up, because Stiefvater told me it was good and because I have The Goldfinch on my Kindle right now, so I was interested in what Donna Tartt was all about.
Okay. Let me see if I can make that summary into something.
Richard Papen, a California kid that wants to do something with his life, decides to apply to a small college in Vermont. Once there, he wants to study Greek, but the only Greek teacher is very snobbish about his students and does not accept everyone. When Julian Morrow, the professor, finally accepts Richard, that's the beginning of the end for him. Richard meets the other students: quiet, studious Henry; man-about town Bunny; dramatic Francis; and the fraternal twins Charles and Camilla. While they accept him into the group nicely enough, it takes a few months before they realize they can truly trust Richard. But, by that time, Richard is in too deep to wonder if he can trust them.
This book. My god, this book. When I started reading it, I had a clear sense of who was good and who was bad, and, really, I didn't think my ideas could change. By the time *SPOILERY THING* occurs, I had no idea who I was rooting for and who I wanted to throw off a cliff (ba dum tsss). Richard appears to be a reliable narrator, but there were moments where I couldn't believe anything that was happening and wondered if he was just rambling because of everything he had gone through (this is written years after *SPOILERY THING* occurs). Maybe it was because so many fantastical things kept throwing themselves at me and I couldn't believe that one person had experienced all these events. It seems impossible, but Richard told his story with such emotion that it had to be true. It was too amazing not to be. Everyone else in this novel is a big mess and no one is as they seem. Honestly. By the end, I felt like I had gone through five hundred something pages with these people that were total strangers.
It's terrifying and romantic and dizzying all at once. Tartt does a superb job helping us traverse through this narrative, since we already know the who, but not the why. Usually I spend a big chunk of my time trying to figure out the mystery, but in this book, no way. I just read. I was so absorbed by everything that these characters were doing, by everything that was happening around them, that I was shocked when Tartt finally stepped aside for the big reveal. The whole world turned on its head, and I wanted to go back and read it all over again. Watching the characters deteriorate and spiral into whatever black hole they had found was like riding a rollercoaster: I wanted to shut my eyes, but I couldn't stop myself from soaking everything in.
I know I'm going to break down and eventually buy this book (I got my copy from the library), because it was so damn good. Now more than ever, I am so excited to read The Goldfinch, not because it's similar in material, but because Tartt's writing was so lush and picturesque. I wanted to be there with the characters, even when they were tripping down the path best left alone. She made everything seem to real and so relevant. I can honestly say that I've never read another book like this one. And that's such a good thing.
This is one of those that I'm saying go get it any means possible (but not stealing, because, obviously). It's over five hundred pages, but it's so worth it, trust me.
No comments:
Post a Comment