When I pulled this book off my shelf and turned to the first page, I described it to my friends as "finally conquering the behemoth that is The Goldfinch", and that is certainly what it felt like.

Don't get me wrong, this wasn't a difficult or unpleasant read, but it was time-consuming. The daunting page count (nearly 800) likely scares away many potential readers, but I would like it to be known that despite the time commitment, there is never a point that this book feels like it's too slow or dragging. Notably, this is despite very little action taking place throughout the novel. I credit this to Donna Tartt and her mastery of the craft. Her prose is eloquent and beautiful, and she embodies the character of Theo through her writing in a way that you cannot help but be drawn in by. The complexity of the character and his experiences, his feelings and faults, are what make this book so good.

It's not just Theo that feels so real as a character. Hobie, Boris, Pippa, Mrs. Barbour all feel so complex and interesting, even if we're only seeing and understanding them through Theo's lens of the world.

It is a beautiful book and I understand why it has earned so many awards and notoriety.

Note: Around 600 pages in, I realized that the book would probably be about 300 pages shorter if Boris didn't ramble and talk so much. But also I would miss Boris rambling and talking so much, so I'll accept those 300 pages.