Six Degrees of Separation: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

I’m trying a new meme today, Six Degrees of Separation. I’ve seen this one on GirlXOXO’s blog a couple of times and it looks like fun, but it’s a little harder than it looks! The meme is a monthly meme, hosted by Annabel Smith and Emma Chapman, which normally runs on the first Saturday of the month. I’m a little late on this one, since I just realized it is a monthly meme! The main idea of this meme is to form a chain of books by linking something they have in common, kind of like forming a word ladder. Other than that, there are no real rules; each blogger can make her own rules! The meme appears on the first Saturday of the month, and everyone begins with the same book. This month, the starting book is The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt.

I’ve never The Goldfinch, and probably won’t. It gets a lot of hype and was on my list of possible reads at one point, but I recently found out it is over 700 pages long! I’m not sure I’m ready to commit to something that long!

These have similar covers!

I’m not sure why, but I always confuse The Goldfinch with Conversion by Katherine Howe. I guess it is because the covers are somewhat similar. Both are kind of white covers with kind of yellow birds on them, but they really aren’t all that similar! Whatever, I do get them confused.  

These both talk about the Salem witch trials!

Conversion is another on my ‘to read’ list and is loosely based on the Salem witch trials; a sort of retelling of The Crucible by Arthur Miller. Several girls in a Danvers, Massachusetts, high school are afflicted with unexplained seizures as they study The Crucible. One retelling of the Salem witch trials that I have read is Wicked Girls by Stephanie Hemphill.

These are both YA paranormal stories!

Wicked Girls is a young adult paranormal story that tells the story of the Salem witch trials in verse. I have to admit, I am not fond of this style of writing. But I do like young adult paranormal stories. One I particularly liked is The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges.

These both are historical fantasy with Russian history ties!

The Gathering Storm is a paranormal story full of vampires, faeries, and necromancers. This is historical fiction set in Russia during the days of the Tsar. Another historical fiction book I’ve read and enjoyed that tells of fairy tales and Russian nobility is Winter Garden by Karen Hannah.

These both are written by Kristin Hannah!

Winter Garden was the first book I’d read by Kristin Hannah, but it won’t be the last. I enjoy her writing and she knows how to tell a good story. I’ve read several of her books, but one that I haven’t yet read, but have on my ‘to read’ list, is Firefly Lane.

These both have animals in their titles!

This bring me right back to the beginning. The Goldfinch and Firefly Lane both have animals in the title! My Six Degrees of Separation is complete! (Technically, I’m not sure circling back to the first book is required in this meme. I’ve seen it done both ways. But since I get to make the rules on my blog, this week I am making the connection to complete the circle. I may not always, though. My house, my rules!)

Want to play along? Just post your chain and then post a link on either Annabel’s or Emma’s monthly post. And if you post your link here, I’ll be sure to take a look!