History Literature / TheGoldfinch

''The Goldfinch'' is a Pulitzer-winning 2013 novel by Donna Tartt, the author of ''Literature/TheSecretHistory''. When young Theo Decker's mother is killed by WesternTerrorists in an attack on a New York art museum, Theo finds himself moving between a variety of guardians, including his mother's wealthy friends and an AbusiveGuardian with a gambling compulsion. All the while Theo makes a number of quirky and unusual friends, including an elderly antiques dealer and an irreverent, globe-trotting druggie named Boris, and his true love Pippa. One overlying current defines his life: the stolen painting of a goldfinch that Theo carries with him from the museum where his mother was killed, and his fear of being caught.

''The Goldfinch'' is a 2013 novel by Donna Tartt, the author of ''Literature/TheSecretHistory''. When young Theo Decker's mother is killed by WesternTerrorists in an attack on a New York art museum, Theo finds himself moving between a variety of guardians, including his mother's wealthy friends and an AbusiveGuardian with a gambling compulsion. All the while Theo makes a number of quirky and unusual friends, including an elderly antiques dealer and an irreverent, globe-trotting druggie named Boris, and his true love Pippa. One overlying current defines his life: the stolen painting of a goldfinch that Theo carries with him from the museum where his mother was killed, and his fear of being caught.

** At Theo's engagement party to Kitsey, one of the guests hails from the Abernathy family. His name is [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Literature/TheSecretHistory Francis]].

* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Kitsey is in love with a deadbeat conman. Theo's father, an irresponsible gambler, is in a relationship with Xandra. Boris has a number of conquests to his name. Theo, some of a bad boy himself, also notes that he has no shortage of romantic opportunities.

* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Kitsey is in love with a crook and conman.

* AmbiguouslyGay: Theo and Boris wonder if Hogie is gay, since he seems to have no love life. Theo isn't sure whether Hogie is discreetly involved with a woman or just very close friends.

* RomanticFalseLead: Subverted with Pippa's boyfriend. Theo's biased perspective finds him very boring and he desperately wants to rip her away from him, but we never finds out if he really tries or is successful.

* WesternTerrorists: an attack by unnamed violent right-wing extremists is the impetus for the rest of the events in the novel. We never do find out much about who they are or what they want.

* GreenEyedMonster: Theo is intensely jealous of Pipp's boyfriend.

* EmotionlessGirl: Mrs Barbour is an adult example. She never seems to express any emotion and always has a detached and proper demeanor.

* NoEnding: In the end, the painting issue is resolved and Theo talks about the lessons he's learned about life, love and beauty, but most other plotlines are unresolved: [[spoiler:Does he end up with Kitsey or Pippa? Does he manage to smooth over the issue with the chimeras and Lucius Reeve?

''The Goldfinch'' is a 2013 novel by Donna Tartt, the author of TheSecretHistory. When young Theo Decker's mother is killed by WesternTerrorists in an attack on a New York art museum, Theo finds himself moving between a variety of guardians, including his mother's wealthy friends and an AbusiveGuardian with a gambling compulsion. All the while Theo makes a number of quirky and unusual friends, including an elderly antiques dealer and an irreverent, globe-trotting druggie named Boris. One overlying current defines his life: the stolen painting of a goldfinch that Theo carries with him from the museum where his mother was killed, and his fear of being caught.

''The Goldfinch'' is a 2013 novel by Donna Tartt, the author of TheSecretHistory. When young Theo Decker's mother is killed by WesternTerrorists in an attack on a New York art museum, Theo finds himself moving between a variety of guardians, including his mother's wealthy friends and an AbusiveGuardian with a gambling compulsion. All the while Theo makes a number of quirky and unusual friends, including an elderly antiques dealer and a young, loud-mouthed punk rocker named Boris. One overlying current defines his life: the stolen painting of a goldfinch that Theo carries with him from the museum where his mother was killed, and his fear of being caught.

* ShoutOut: Theo drops the names of a wide range of shows, books, authors, and films that he enjoys.

* TheUnfavorite: Andy barbour is the odd man out in his family.

* TheBeautifulElite: subverted. The wealthy characters are portrayed as cold and distant bores, in contrast to poor, playful and charming gutter-punk Boris.

* AmbiguouslyBi: Theo makes out with and may have had sex with Boris

* AbusiveGuardian: Theo's father, and Boris' family as well

* SmokingIsCool: Boris exemplifies this trope