This 2013 novel generated a cantankerous debate in the world of literary criticism over the quality of fiction and how we define it. We look at Tartt's writing process and themes to try to understand whether this book deserved the praise and awards it received.

Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store:

• The Goldfinch

Additional Resources:

• It’s Tartt—But Is It Art?
• The Goldfinch is a bad movie because it is based on a deeply flawed book
• Donna Tartt on The Goldfinch, Inspiration, and the Perils of Literary Fame
• Why the backlash against Donna Tartt's 'The Goldfinch' was so extreme (2014 Year in Review)
• I HEART DONNA TARTT: 10 FACTS ABOUT MYSTERIOUS AUTHOR OF ‘THE GOLDFINCH’
• Pulitzer Prize–Winner Donna Tartt on Writing The Goldfinch
• Donna Tartt shares The Goldfinch’s secret history
• Donna Tartt's multicultural fantasy: How "The Goldfinch" got away with its disgraceful racial politics
• https://newrepublic.com/article/156282/not-write-book-review