Chance is a wonderful thing - Donna Tartt claims she did not know the Goldfinch painting would be in New York at the Frick Museum; the Dutch masters exhibition opened on the same day as her book was to be published in the US.
Frickin' genius on behalf of God I say.
Tartt does write very well and I hope to re-visit her writing in the form of "The Secret History" at some point. Reviews of her book have ranged from highly acclaimed to sentiments of disappointment. But for me, it stands out "visually". The worlds she creates are outstanding. And the characters are fucked-up, just as you might expect real people to be sometimes. She encapsulates the idea of life being an adventure; the tragedy and comedy of it all - she is a very human writer and someone who would be quite good honest company at a dinner party. So basically the opposite of Emile Zola who would probably not stop talking in his decidedly naturalist and caviar gauche manner.
In any case, Tartt should be commended for her anonymity - it would be quite hard to write fiction of her level without anonymously researching many small details about antique furniture, Dutch art, Las Vegas etc. The antithesis of celebrity, i.e. celebrity deadens the senses in its mass-market consumerist public relations fudge.
My life has been enriched by reading this book. And so should yours.
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