A novel whose plot I knew little about when I began reading; I enjoyed the shock of what happens in the first part and how it triggers everything that happens to the main character, Theo, afterwards. So: I will not disclose what happens in this review, though it's included in most synopses.

Tartt has an excellent ability to let you sink into the character's surroundings. The fact that some of the book's major settings I see everyday on my way to work notwithstanding, I felt immersed in her world. As well as immersed in her characters - they are all such a great, interesting cast from the itinerant Boris to the lovable Hobie to the chilly Kitsey...I could go on. There are surprises in each, too.

The titular painting is real, and on show in NYC currently, so I've bought tickets to the exhibition. I liked the way the painting figured into the story, into the life of Theo. It became a little more far-fetched near the end, but I still loved the love-of-art theme and how it affects us, as human beings across time.

I enjoyed the book and how much time elapsed - to see from the beginning to the end. There were some things about the ending that rang odd, and perhaps weren't as fulfilling as I'd wished, but I was satisfied nonetheless. A good-sized novel that read quickly, without dragging.

(4.5 stars if I could award half-stars...)

A couple of weeks after finishing the book, I had to mark it 5 stars because the characters haven't left me yet, and I'm still thinking of that little bird!!