Tartt’s third novel begins in New York City when 13 year-old Theo and his mother are at a museum. A bomb goes off, the mother is killed, and Theo leaves the museum with a small, valuable painting. As Theo wanders through the museum’s rooms looking for his mother, he meets a man dying in the rubble who gives him a ring before he dies. Because Theo’s father is absent he ends up living with a wealthy school friend’s family on the Upper East Side until his wayward father returns to reclaim him. He is whisked off to Vegas still with the stolen painting. In Vegas, he makes a friend in school, Boris, of Russian/Ukrainian descent. The two become fast friends. Eventually, Theo returns to NYC and the story contiues through Theo’s twenties (I have a few more chapters to go). He meets the family of the owner of the ring he was given and develops a relationship with them. It is very entertaining, rich with character development and description (especially the father’s girlfriend, ‘Xandra’). As Theo transports the painting with him as he moves different places, eventually he must face the consequences. I am listening to the audio version which is great.
