The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

The Goldfinch is Donna Tartt's third novel in twenty years. The title refers to Carel Fabritius' 17th-century painting, portraying a bird perched on top of its feeder with a leg chained to prevent flight. The story of the novel unfolds as a first person account by a young man, Theo Decker, who begins the tale when a terrorist bomb explodes in a New York museum.  He is thirteen at the time of the incident. He and his mother are visitors at the museum, and the mother is killed. With the explosion, the painting comes into Theo's possession. Remembering his mother's admiration of the painting, he hides the painting, reluctant to part with it. Over the next decade Theo and the painting journey from New York to Las Vegas to New York to Amsterdam. Will he be the hero of his story? Contemplating themes of fate and character, he seems to come to terms with his life so far.

The first impressions of this book may be of the writing, described by critics as "intoxicating," "elegant," and "breathtaking." Tartt's stories are always driven by her characters and each character is fully, richly developed. Her descriptions plant a vivid image of personality and manner of speaking. There are detours and distractions in the story but every detail matters, each fitting into what is a masterpiece of storytelling that deservedly won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2014.