We’ve selected 12 groups to shadow the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction. Here we look at one of the shortlisted titles, The Goldfinch, which will be reviewed by Devonport High School for Boys and the Nubian Reading Group in more detail.
About the book
Aged thirteen, Theo Decker, son of a devoted mother and a reckless, largely absent father, survives an accident that otherwise tears his life apart. Alone and rudderless in New York, he is taken in by the family of a wealthy friend. He is tormented by an unbearable longing for his mother, and down the years clings to the thing that most reminds him of her: a small, strangely captivating painting that ultimately draws him into the criminal underworld. As he grows up, Theo learns to glide between the drawing rooms of the rich and the dusty antiques store where he works. He is alienated and in love – and his talisman, the painting, places him at the centre of a narrowing, ever more dangerous circle.
Our staff member Sue Jones had this to say: “Overall this is a compelling read which covers some big themes…love, loss and grief and the relationship between life and art as well as introducing characters on a Dickensian scale.”
About the author
Donna Tartt is an American writer and author of the novels The Secret History, The Little Friend, and The Goldfinch. Tartt won the WH Smith Literary Award for The Little Friend in 2003 and the Pulitzer Prize for The Goldfinch in 2014.
Get involved
Have you read The Goldfinch? Let us know what you thought by leaving a comment below.
You can also read about the other titles shortlisted for the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction and join the conversation on Twitter and Facebook.
