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Original poster

Shall I persevere with The Goldfinch?

48 replies

anothergilmore · 26/02/2017 22:40

I'm about half way through and I loved it at first but God I can't read any more boring over detailed shite about his drug use! Is the rest of the book going to be like this or does it get better again?

If I should just throw in the towel does anyone have any good recommendations?

Books I love include - wool trilogy, life after life, time travellers wife, outlander series, I capture the castle and also Marian Keyes.

OP posts:
StormZelda · 26/02/2017 22:43

I loved it! But I love that kind of Updike, Franzen vibe. I've read most of MK's as well! The writing is beautiful, but I lacked momentum moving forward with it so I had a few other books on the go as well.

Bellaposy · 26/02/2017 22:45

It's absolutely fantastic. I have it on my list of favourite books alongside the Time Travellers Wife so we must have similar taste. Persevere!

ThornyBird · 26/02/2017 22:46

I would give up. I wished I had.

Original poster
anothergilmore · 26/02/2017 22:49

So far I'm leaning towards giving up but only because I have so little time to read at the moment and I really don't want to waste it. I'll be so annoyed if I get to the end of the book and think 'well that was a waste of time'. But equally I really did enjoy the book at first, it's just got a bit bogged down in the middle.

OP posts:
NotTheBelleoftheBall · 26/02/2017 22:53

The drug fuelled middle bit is a bore! But the 'third third' is much better. It really is a book of three parts, start is great, middle drags, end of good.

NotTheBelleoftheBall · 26/02/2017 22:53

end is good

AWhistlingWoman · 26/02/2017 22:54

I loved it. But will also confess to being of the Updike, Franzen vibe, much like storm. And I listened to it on audiobook which may have helped!

AdaColeman · 26/02/2017 22:58

I loved it, why not speed read a chapter or two till it grabs you again.

TheCrowFromBelow · 26/02/2017 23:04

The end is better but I have to say I didn't love it.
It was worth finishing though.
I left it for a while and went back th it.

southeastdweller · 27/02/2017 08:40

It's my all-time favourite novel and though I usually say to people to abandon books they're not enjoying, in this case I'd advise the same as some other posters and try to push through the drug section.

namechanging1 · 27/02/2017 14:44

I love this book, agreed I didn't enjoy the middle section..but it gets better again!

Newtssuitcase · 27/02/2017 14:47

Persist, it is worth it. I enjoyed The Secret History more though. I'm currently halfway through the Little Friend

humanfemale · 27/02/2017 14:47

I would give up

ThereAreNoGhostsHere · 27/02/2017 15:20

Having enjoyed Donna Tartt's previous two novels, I thought I would love this one. I didn't. It isn't a bad novel at all. I just didn't like it.

oneofthegiantsisme · 27/02/2017 15:22

I'd say push through if you can. I agree with others that the end is better than the middle section, and actually, the ending is quite satisfying, so it is worth it. I hated all the drug-use stuff though (and wanted to slap him!).

I won't be re-reading it (ever) though.

flirtygertiefromnumber30 · 27/02/2017 15:26

I would say carry on - I loved it and I also love all the other books you say you like too (though I haven't read the Wool trilogy so I'm now off to look that up!). His drug use/abuse does get a bit tedious I agree but it's worth sticking with.

If you like Kate Atkinson then Behind the Scenes at the Museum and A God in Ruins are also excellent. I just read The Essex Serpent too and thought it was fantastic. All of Mhairi McFarlane's books are very good if you like Marian Keyes...she has a similar sense of humour I think and her books are all hilarious.

spidey66 · 27/02/2017 15:54

i hated it and thought it was highly over rated. A load of pretentious drivel IMHO.

Hated TTTW as well.

Poudrenez · 27/02/2017 15:56

I loved it personally, so I say perservere. Mind you, if you don't like a novel after 100 pages there's no chance, in my book.

IvankaTrudeau · 27/02/2017 15:58

Definitely persevere.

paulapantsdown · 27/02/2017 16:08

That was two weeks of my life I'll never get back. Boring load of old shite! Loved the first third and which I had stopped there.

PossumInAPearTree · 27/02/2017 16:12

It gets better again. Stick with it, it's great.

123rd · 27/02/2017 16:15

I have read up to half way... And keep trying to go back to it...but keep giving up again.

Frouby · 27/02/2017 16:20

I was going to start the same thread OP.

I am on about 80%. I speed read a few chapters last night and am just getting back into it slowly.

If it doesn't pick up quickly again tonight though I am going forwards to the last 90% and finishing it off.

Life and reading time is too short.

sugarmonster64 · 27/02/2017 16:20

I loved it too. Took me an age to read, probably 6 months of picking it up and reading a few pages but I was so engrossed by the end. I found the same with secret history - slow burners but very good stories.

GreenGinger2 · 27/02/2017 16:33

I hated it too,though it hugely over rated.

Finished it- eventually. It's ok but I did wonder if it was worth the effort. Not exactly earth shattering .

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