I was comparing the book to what my husband and son remembered about the movie. Of course the movie changed a lot of things. I saw the movie in the 1960's, but I don't remember much of it.

The story was slow through a good half of the book. There is a long section on Bond's golf game with Goldfinger, and the play on each hole is described. Bond beats Goldfinger at a couple of things, which doesn't set well with him. Goldfinger wants to pay Bond back, and tortures him, in later encounters.

Later in the book, Goldfinger allows Bond to live, and has him and another young woman work for him, with the thought of killing both of them in the end. Goldfinger has a plot to rob the United States gold at Fort Knox. Bond has to find a way to notify the authorities. He keeps getting out of life threading situations.

Boredfinger! He’s the man, the man with the boring touch! A boring… zzz…

Auric Goldfinger, a man so obsessed with goooooold that Mike Myers’ caricature of the character was actually understated, wants to rob Fort Knox because it’s full of goooooold. Only one man can stop him: James Boooooond!

I’ve never read an Ian Fleming novel before and, after this, I’m not sure I ever will again! This book is so BORING - and it’s supposed to be an action spy thriller, which sounds exciting, until you read Fleming’s version of that here.

In the opening chapters, Bond is approached by a rich man he met in Casino Royale who tells him that he can’t beat this mysterious fellow, Goldfinger, at Canasta and asks Bond to sit in on the games to see what his trick is. I won’t say what the reason is but it’s a childishly simple explanation that sets the standard for the rest of the novel - and these opening chapters are the high point of the novel!

There’s an extensively tedious info dump on gold as it relates to world currency and a 40 page description of a golf game between Bond and Goldfinger. The golf game is easily the worst part of the novel, not least as I don’t care about the sport at all, a sport that is shockingly dull even when played at the highest level, but because it’s so irrelevant. All it reaffirms is that Goldfinger is a cheat, which was established by the preceding Canasta sequence. It doesn’t get much better after this unfortunately. Bond follows Goldfinger across the continent on a lengthy car ride where barely anything happens.

Alright, I’m gonna get into SPOILERS from here on out and get a bit Scott Evil-y too because he was so right about how Bond villains behaved back in the day - god, what a dummy Goldfinger is! Suffice it to say, I’m not recommending anyone bother with this novel - maybe I just read the crappiest Ian Fleming, maybe they’re all like this, but beware Boredfinger and try anything else instead.

So after Goldfinger discovers that Bond is a spy, he decides to NOT kill him, even though he’s a clear and present threat to his plan to rob Fort Knox, because he needs him to take the minutes of a meeting he’s having with mob bosses who are going to join him on the operation. Why the hell does Goldfinger need formal minutes - ie. evidence - of a major crime?!

But he also wants Bond to sit in on the meeting and let him know which mob bosses seem hesitant about joining him on the plan. Ok - except he’ll find this information out himself at the end of the meeting anyway when he asks each of them if they’ll join him. So what use is this information in hindsight? Especially as he immediately kills anyone who doesn’t throw in with him.

So then, once Bond’s singular purpose is completed, will Goldfinger kill him so that there’s no chance of Bond interfering with his masterplan? No. He keeps him alive, and involved in the operation - for no reason! This is the Scott Evil moment. The modern day reader looking back, baffled, as to why the villain just doesn’t simply shoot an unarmed, but obviously still dangerous, 007. Dumbfinger!

The plot in general is childishly simplistic. Based on nothing, Bond assumes Goldfinger is funding Soviet spies. It turns out he’s right but still it’s pure luck and you’d expect Bond to look for hard evidence rather than make flimsy assumptions before pursuing someone at great length. When Goldfinger’s flying a plane over Fort Knox and is challenged by the military air traffic control to explain himself, he tells them over the radio that he’s with Paramount Pictures location scouting for a movie, and they simply buy it without further questions or asking for evidence. Well that’s convenient! Not only are Goldfinger and Bond complete morons, so is everyone else in the book - it’s almost like the author is a moron too!

And then there’s the key plot point: how Bond foils Goldfinger’s plan. He manages to write a small note asking anyone who finds it to contact Felix Leiter in New York, for a reward of $5k, and tapes it to the underside of the plane’s toilet seat. So he’s hoping that someone who isn’t Goldfinger or one of his goons sees this note, contacts Felix for the reward money, and who will somehow be able to scupper Goldfinger’s plan in the nick of time.

WHICH ACTUALLY HAPPENS! A note on the underside of a toilet seat. Childishly simplistic. I couldn’t believe that this was the solution.

So Fleming’s Bond is an idiot. He goes off half-cocked on base assumptions, stumbles into the inner circle of a supervillain, and manages to save the day with the most absurd plan that only works because it has to - he’s James Bond. He’s also got some quite loathsome homophobic views. This stuff doesn’t really bother me - I take into account the era (this was written and published in the 1950s) - and it makes me laugh more than anything, especially as it’s so indefensible and makes Bond look so bad. This is Bond’s take on a girl he fancies but who won’t have sex with him: she’s obviously gay!

“Bond came to the conclusion that Tilly Masterton was one of those girls whose hormones had got mixed up. He knew the type well and thought they and their male counterparts were a direct consequence of giving votes to women and ‘sex equality’. As a result of fifty years of emancipation, feminine qualities were dying out or being transferred to the males. Pansies of both sexes were everywhere, not yet completely homosexual, but confused, not knowing what they were. The result was a herd of unhappy sexual misfits - barren and full of frustrations, the women wanting to dominate and the men to be nannied. He was sorry for them, but he had no time for them.” p.313-14

Dismissive and condescending, not to mention pig ignorant, enough for ya? This is also the novel where the classic characters Oddjob and Pussy Galore are introduced. Oddjob is Korean and he’s described in a casually racist way, often as an “ape”, who’s inarticulate, making sounds rather than words. Pussy, like Tilly Masterton, is a lesbian (you’d never guess from the name, eh? So subtle, Mr Fleming!) but only because she hasn’t met the right man. That’s right, Bond turns Pussy Galore straight because he’s such a real man and sexuality is clearly a choice. Take a bow, 1950s society! What a horrible “hero” Fleming’s Bond is.

Homophobia/racism aside, Goldfinger was still an awful novel. Thoroughly uninteresting, full of dull, unending chapters featuring a cast of dolts enacting an even stupider plot - I can only surmise that the Bond legacy is entirely thanks to the movies rather than Ian Fleming’s bottom-rung storytelling inability. Like I said earlier, maybe I was unlucky and somehow selected to read the worst Bond novel of the bunch, but I’m certainly not rushing (with love) to pick up another Fleming novel to see if I was wrong.

Avoid this turd-standard novel!

Goldfinger opens interestingly enough with a nod to the first book in the series, Casino Royale, as someone (DuPont) recognizes Bond from that fiendish card duel. And, enlists Bond’s aid in deciphering why Goldfinger keeps winning at cards. Bond figures it out rather quickly, noting that Goldfinger, who is allegedly hard of hearing, must be wearing a wire and that DuPont has been maneuvered into sitting with his back to the hotel balconies. Bond uses a passkey to enter Goldfinger’s hotel room where a scantily clad Jill Masterson sits with binoculars and a microphone. Bond busts that game open and makes a fool of Auric Goldfinger. He also borrows Jill from Goldfinger, not realizing to his later regret that this would spell her death from gold paint (covering all her pores and poisoning her to death).

Bond returns to England where he is engaged in mundane duties on the night desk, but as luck would have it Goldfinger has come to the Crown’s attention for possibly smuggling massive amounts of gold out where it coincided with be funneled to SMERSH activities. This smuggling also has an effect on destabilizing world currencies which are all backed by gold deposits, minute amounts of which Goldfinger has been shaving off.

Bond has a second encounter with Goldfinger as they gamble high stakes on an exclusive golf course. And then follows Goldfinger across Europe to expose the smuggling operation, but is captured by Goldfinger’s henchman, Oddjob, a Korean judo expert whose powers have been enhanced by metal implants and who wears a deadly bowler hat.

The strange thing is all this is a prelude to the real escapade where Goldfinger gathers together six organized crime leaders, including one named Pussy Galore, who is a leader of a crack team of lesbians. Their goal with Goldfinger being the mastermind is robbing Fort Knox and delivering the proceeds to the Soviets. It is a meticulously planned caper on par with any caper that Westlake’s Parker planned.

As with a number of other Bond novels, Bond basically stumbles in a giant plot while investigating a suspicious activity or possible source of funding for SMERSH, not necessarily realizing what he is getting into.

The movie follows much of the plot in general, only differing in some particulars such as the ultimate role Pussy Galore plays and what kind of deal Goldfinger makes with the mafiosos.

I’ve only read three Ian Fleming’s James Bond books prior to this one, but damn, was this a thrill ride! An incredibly racist, mysogynistic thrill ride, but a thrill ride nonetheless! (1959 wasn’t a terribly enlightened time).

Rating: 4.8* of five

The 1964 film gets almost five stars. I doubt very seriously the book would get more than one.

So, first let's talk about the song. *swoon* If you don't like the song, don't ever tell me. I will unfriend you and make a voodoo dolly to do awful, awful things to you. Ever read The Wasp Factory? Yeah, that'll sound like Sunday school. K? Clear enough? Good.

Then there's Connery beefcakin' around in a skimpy swimsuit. There's a passel of cool cars, including the iconic Aston Martin DB5 *swoon* and a 1964 Thunderbird and a 1964-1/2 Mustang convertible *gasp* and...I'd better stop, things could get messy.

The real over-the-top-putter moment is the fight sequence in Fort Knox, with all that lovely (fake) gold. Odd Job, the villain with the lethal hat, comes to a shocking (heh) end, after a balletic slugfest. And of course the nuclear bomb inside the truckbed tool case is disarmed at...007 seconds to go!

I feel sure there was a plot in there somewhere, but frankly if you're watching Bond films for plot you're a sad creature. It's got verve and gusto and style. Watch it to bathe in the unrepentant sexism and piggery and racism of a bygone day, served up without malice. It's all there, it's all appalling by today's lights, but it wasn't put there to shock or edify as it would be today. That's just how it was, so that's what they show.

If they remake this one in the Craig reboot, I will be on tenterhooks waiting to see what they come up with to call Pussy Galore the pilot.

I loved every ridiculous frame of it.

2.5 stars

n  ***2018 Summer of Spies***n

I spent part of the Labour Day weekend finishing up my Summer of Spies and finishing up Goldfinger. I’ve had fun with earlier installments of Bond, but found this book a bit of a grind. It started, Goddess aid me, with card games yet again and then continued on with one of the only subjects that I consider more boring than cards, golf! There was much eye rolling and boredom on my part, but I realize that these subjects excite other people, and certainly were passions of Mr. Fleming.

Add to that statements like Koreans being “the cruelest, most ruthless people in the world” and a criminal organization consisting of lesbians under the direction of Pussy Galore, and well, this one went way off the charts of the stereotype-meter. I’ll take the TV show “Kim’s Convenience” over Oddjob any day for an example of Koreans in our society. Next time I’m feeling down about the role of women and minorities in our society and feeling like change is taking for-bloody-ever, I’ll pick up the next Bond book for a reminder of exactly how far we have come.

I will reiterate what I said in my review of Casino Royale, that I am surprised and pleased at the caliber of Fleming’s writing. I shouldn’t be so surprised, I guess, as he read a lot and spent a fair amount of time with literary people, including one of my favourites, Raymond Chandler. I guess that I’ve unfairly absorbed the literary judgements of his wife’s literary circle, who looked down their noses at Fleming’s work. I’m glad to have read several of the books that have created their own enduring niche in popular culture.

In my opinion, "Goldfinger" is the best Bond movie (tie with "From Russia with Love.") The book is pretty good, but not as good as the movie.

The novel is divided into three sections: the first is the classic "Bond catches Goldfinger cheating at cards" scene (which is done perfectly in the book.)

The second section is "Bond beats Goldfinger at golf" which is a bit of a snooze, TBH. The third part ("Goldfinger trys to knock over Fort Knox") comes pretty late in the book (71% according to my Kindle.)

It's an okay novel, but Fleming inserts a famous Bond Girl, Pussy Galore, into the story. She supposedly leads a lesbian gang of criminals.

By the end, Bond 'cures' her of her homosexuality. (Where's that 'roll eyes' emoji?) Besides some clearly homophobic passages, Fleming also describes Goldfinger's Korean servant, Oddjob, as a demonic animal.

Basically, for Fleming to get more than three stars, he's going to have to lay off the sexism, racism, and homophobia. I'm not holding my breath.

Another Bond adventure made world famous by the film treatment. Bond investigates the mysterious Goldfinger, a very rich man with bad-ties worldwide but as yet no real documented criminal presence. Features the delightfully named Pussy Galore. Dated, but still a interesting, if for anything to see how well the screenplay adapted the book! 4 out of 12

It's a very entertaining story, can't deny that but it wasn't that great either. But I definitely prefer the books over the movies, still has a lot of things I don't love but a great deal of fun and entertaining time if you can look past it. There is only one more book available in my book app, which is number 13 I think. might read that as well but not that happy there was a big jump from each book

Heinous crimes are described in ‘Goldfinger’, number 7 in Ian Fleming’s James Bond series! Goldfinger is pure evil! He not only kills a lot of people through torture, HE KILLS CATS!

The horror.

I need a moment.

I’m sorry. I can’t in all conscience give this book a decent review. I won’t give this fiend a platform. Omg. I’ll never recover from this. Never. I’m SO shaken, not just stirred.

James Bond, you are my hero, sort of, sometimes. Asshole. Gentle reader, Bond makes it right, anyway. Of course, if you have seen the movie, you know this, my friends. The book is almost like the movie, but more awful. An innocent feline, who was doing nothing except being a nice kitty....

*sob*

You go, Bond, instrument of Justice! Even if Bond is the most prejudiced fictional character and culturally ignorant idiot I have ever come across, he only kills murderers and torturers, right?


Warning: do not be expecting a White British World War II survivor and ex-intelligence agent writing in the 1950’s about a tough upperclass spy to be politically correct on any level.

This was fine enough I suppose. I just think that reading it now, it is quite dated and doesn’t have the same level of thrill as more modern novels have for me. Also like, there was a lot of long winding dialogue and golf scenes that weren’t the most engaging for me.

Additionally as a comment, the constant levels of racism, sexism and homophobia was kinda ridiculous. It did bother me a sizeable amount. I understand that for the time of publication, these were the views of the average white person for which this novel targeted. I think reading it from a modern perspective firstly shows how much we’ve come and secondly significantly reduced my personal enjoyment of the novel.

5/10

Despite having seen many of the films, this was my first exposure to one of Ian Fleming's Bond novels. The plot, basically, involves Bond having to stop the dastardly Auric Goldfinger from stealing all of the bullion in Fort Knox and using the money to finance anti-American spy interests. [return]The book is an amazing document of its time - in addition to the Red Menace of Communist influence over Western politics, there are also discussions of the inherent genetic cruelty of Korean people, and how lesbianism is an unfortunate but predictable outcome of allowing women to vote. In these regards it's so ludicrous you almost can't get offended (I mean, seriously, how does one come out against SUFFRAGE?!?), but I'm sure some would be prevented from enjoying the book on those grounds. Overall, though, it's a fairly interesting but straightforward spy story. Fleming's Bond is an interest character, because he shows absolutely no hesitation when required to kill, but at the same time, he feels guilty about it afterwards. That's an interesting quirk that you don't see in enough modern action heroes, and it was nice to find it in what was otherwise a constant stream of stiff-upper-lippism.