Okay, confession time - I bought this because the movie trailer looked cool. But wow, the book? SO much better. Donna Tartt's writing is like being wrapped in a velvet painting while someone whispers art history in your ear.

The story follows Theo, this messed-up kid who survives a museum explosion (dark start, I know) and ends up with a priceless painting. What follows is part coming-of-age, part art heist, and 100% addictive.

What surprised me most was how much I cared about these flawed characters. Hobie the furniture restorer? Would adopt him as my uncle. Boris the sketchy Russian friend? Should not be likable but totally is. Even Theo's terrible decisions somehow make sense when you're in his head.

Warning: This isn't a quick beach read. There are whole sections (looking at you, Las Vegas chapters) that feel like Tartt fell in love with her own descriptions. But when she's on fire? The prose about grief and art will punch you right in the feelings.

Pro tip: Keep your phone nearby to Google the paintings mentioned - turns out that little goldfinch is a real masterpiece with its own wild backstory!