Reading, Lately

This past week I finished reading The Goldfinch. I had been hearing a lot about it, so I had to buy it and see what the hype was about. (Also, I just really love the cover. I am a total sucker for a good cover on a book, and this one got me.)

First, let me say that this is a long book! But there's something so cozy about snuggling in and committing to a good, long book in the winter. I like longer books that I can read over several weeks and really get into them and savor them, rather than shorter books that I finish in two nights. So, if you're going to pick this up, get ready to settle in.

Whenever I share about books I've read, I hesitate to say too much. I hate book reviews and recommendations that completely ruin the story. So! I will share my thoughts and what I loved about the book without discussing to much of the plot and ruining it for anyone who's interested in reading it.

I really, really loved the beginning of this book. The writing is just so poignant, and I love that in a book. Theo, the main character, experiences the death of someone close to him, and several sections in the beginning resonated so deeply with me regarding loss and grief. This is how the author describes Theo's struggle with remembering the date of death:

"Even my hand balks at the date; I had to push to write it down, just to keep the 

pen moving on the paper. It used to be a perfectly ordinary day but now it sticks 

up on the calendar like a rusty nail." 

And as the book continues, the author crafts the most fitting description of how grief leaves you feeling so raw:

"And maybe I was coping awfully well, I don't know. Certainly I wasn't 

howling aloud or punching my fist through windows or doing any of the things 

I imagined people might do who felt as I did. But sometimes, unexpectedly, grief 

pounded over me in waves that left me gasping..."

I mean you can just feel exactly what Theo is feeling, and I loved that about the entire first section of the book. The other thing that I really loved about this book was the way that the plot connected characters throughout the book in unexpected ways. That happens so well in long books, yet I always seem to be surprised by it. Even though it is a long book, the story held my attention, and I was eager to see how things would conclude. 

All in all, I would recommend this book. There is a section in the middle that I found to be a little dark and depressing, but beyond that I really enjoyed the book. The writing was just so good! If you've read it already or if you end up reading it, I'd love to know your thoughts! 

(image from my instagram feed)