It’s taken me awhile to be able to write after reading The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. I think it’s because there was so much to take in. When you follow a character through so many different stages of life and there are so many heartbreaking experiences that happened to him, you are almost left speechless by the time you conclude that journey with him.
One of the aspects of the book that I love so much is that it’s centered around a piece of artwork that so transforms Theo’s life that he can’t get away from it. To be certain there are books and pieces of art that have influenced my life and maybe that’s Tartt’s point. In an interview about her book, she mentions being taken by the story of the artist of The Goldfinch. And when you read her book, you can tell that elements of that story have made their way into her story.
For me, as a publisher, this is one of the most beautiful ascertains by an author: that he or she is inspired by another story.