Reviews with content warning for Homophobia - Die geheime Geschichte

Reviews tagging 'Homophobia'

Die geheime Geschichte by Donna Tartt

1389 reviews

uhhjeepers's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This book is a gift to people who like literature and value pretentiousness in controlled environments, such as a novel.

I’ve had this book on my list since I entered college, and I graduated this May. There’s almost some magic to reading it once I’ve gotten my degree, as I’m not too close but not that far removed. It’s the perfect in-between that I think this book dabbles in itself, in its own ways.

Unreliable narrators are my bread and butter, and Richard feels like their forefather — the one who came before. The first person immediately introduces doubt but makes me so close to him that I always want to take his word as truth. But despite my inclination to trust him, I still feel doubt even as the covers are closed. And that is beautiful, that lingering.

The other characters are equally, if not more, captivating than our first-person guide through the world. I’m very partial to Henry and Francis, I was endeared to them early on and stuck with that feeling even when Richard implored me to feel otherwise, even against my own better judgment. None of them were trustworthy or even necessarily good, but I loved them all the same.

The plot in this book is just as lively as the characters. I loved it in the exciting and the mundane equally, and that comes from Donna Tartt’s expert navigation of the perspective. Richard’s purposeful omissions and emphases make the pacing feel alive, literally, like the ebb and flow of life. The rush and dawdle of day-to-day. I loved it.

I’m generally an emotional person, but I really had to fight back tears finishing this in public. I felt sad for events, for characters, and for the simple act of being done. And that is such a testament to the greatness of a book — an unwillingness to leave it. I’ll certainly return in due time.

Apologies for such a wordy and gushy review. I feel like I always talk more and have a greater appreciation for word play after I read something that hits me the way this did. This book is dark academia magic in its purest form, so if you’re looking for that, look at this. But beware that every other dark academia book experience will be informed by this one, past and present.

Content Warnings

ellagrady's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I found it slow to start and questionable in the way certain topics were handled in the first part, almost DNFing because of it, not sure if it was a product of its time or making a point. I’m glad I stuck it out as about halfway through I was gripped, flying through it, fascinated by the moral fights the characters were balancing as the story progressed and the greatness of the spaces they navigated. It’s a tough read, so definitely one to be careful about, but something I couldn’t put down was I was invested. This isn’t a trope I typically gravitate towards, but I felt like I had to know what the hype was the book, maybe I fell into a similar hive mind the book follows. I will say I found the characters fascinating, though they were all deeply unlikable, but I think that’s what makes them so fascinating, they seemed very human and real even if they were often terrible. It felt a little long at times, some of the chapters went on unnecessarily, but Tarty’s writing kept me hooked and enthralled, feeling like I was right there alongside the characters, so she clearly knew what she was doing.

I think the story did everything it was meant to, giving a satirical look at the wealthy academics at the liberal arts New England colleges, understanding the dynamics of the group, and turning the situation on its head to show how ridiculous these types of students can be. I wish it had more views than just Richard’s to get a better idea of what was really going on, but I do see the point of limiting it to just his rose-tinted, unreliable, and romanticized telling.

Content Warnings

marieos's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Content Warnings

theycallmerash's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This book begins quite slow but has a very exciting second half and a bit of a twist at the end that made my jaw drop. I was super impressed with the writing style, and although it was slow, I never felt like it droned on and on. The themes of morality, isolation, appearance, and manipulation were super interesting! Would definitely recommend it, but not for everyone.

Content Warnings

sksrenninger's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I’ve never read Lord of the Flies, and now I feel like I might be missing some allusions. They both kill a guy with an animal name. Luckily, I *have read Gatsby. The American dream, everyone! It always ends in someone being in love with someone they can’t be with, and dead people. And apparently it doesn’t pay to be rich.
I really love when I’m reading a book I enjoy and I look up after reading for a while to discover I still have 200 pages to go. That is… sort of this book. I enjoyed it, but at about the halfway point I skimmed the rest of the book because I lost patience. I still finished it for real, but it’s slow. It’s not the murder mystery / psychological thriller it sometimes gets billed as.
I really enjoyed the voice in this book, because it’s very authentic; it doesn’t waver. There were tons of words I didn’t know, which 1) I love in general and 2) I especially enjoyed since apparently Richard earns a phd in English by the time he starts writing.
Why does it feel like secret code every time someone addresses the narrator directly as Richard? It’s like they’re breaking the fourth wall.
“Do not fear. It is the mother. She is concerned with the dishonor of the son having to do with wine.” Did she try to translate this into Ancient Greek first? There is talk among the citizens!

Content Warnings

zahliajayne's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

i have never been so hooked to a book from the beginning.

it was only within the first 70 pages where i discovered that this was possibly going to be my favourite book of all time- and this still holds true after completion.

the effortless descriptions are like turning back time and recognising the simplicity of youth. all the while, comparing to the most intricate of classic literature and greek ingenious.

the story eventuates different to how i expected, which kept me intrigued and infatuated. it is surprising, this, because there were hardly any truely good qualities about any of the characters. however, you still are coerced into loving them.

i will return to this story, and annotate it to the brink. i cannot wait return.

Content Warnings

lovemeuntililovemyself_3's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I think it's incredibly well-written and has amazing character detail, however, it's definitely the kind of book to read twice for full understanding. I ended up hating the characters, especially Bunny and Henry but I also feel somewhat intrigued and sympathetic. Reading it quickly and sometimes in short clumps made it hard to grasp and feel the emotions and plot fully, there are tons of subtle details that need extra attention. It's fast-paced, which is helpful for me as it's been hard to get back into reading, but that pace makes it hard to comprehend everything written. I think my opinion may change on how I feel but for now, I think there's a lot more to this book than what you may read initially and that it is definitely worth reading. I enjoyed the message of the book and keep learning more from the discussion and analyses.

Content Warnings