Picked 'The Goldfinch' for my book club and 3 people quit

I suggested that 771 page monster thinking everyone would love the Pulitzer winner. Nope. Three members said it was too long and dropped out before chapter 5. One lady said she felt like she was reading a furniture catalog for 200 pages. Should I just stick to shorter books from now on or do I need a different crowd?

3 comments

3 Comments

sandra7151mo ago

Blame the whole culture of shorter attention spans honestly... people get uncomfortable when a book doesn't wrap up in a neat two hour movie. I've noticed it everywhere, like how everyone wants quick answers instead of sitting with a complex story that takes its time. The furniture catalog complaint is pretty funny though, maybe she had a point about some of those descriptions. But you shouldn't have to dumb down your picks just because some folks can't handle a real commitment. Keep the longer books for yourself and find a separate group that actually enjoys sinking into a big story.

parker_bell1mo ago

@sandra715 wait the furniture catalog thing was actually real? i thought that was just an exaggeration lol

wren_smith4429d ago

Actually someone I follow on BookTube was JUST talking about this and how The Goldfinch is basically a "vibes only" book that requires you to trust the author. She said the furniture catalog stuff is actually setting up themes about beauty and loss but it takes patience to get there. Maybe your book club just isn't ready for that kind of commitment.

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