Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

Die geheime Geschichte, by Donna Tartt

93 reviews

avciera7's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Toxic friendship, Suicide, and Murder

Moderate: Drug use, Xenophobia, Incest, Emotional abuse, and Homophobia

_sarahramadan's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Racism, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Suicide, Xenophobia, Murder, and Drug use

Moderate: Murder and Incest

rae_diant's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Suicide, Racial slurs, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Xenophobia, Addiction, Islamophobia, Injury/injury detail, Mental illness, Homophobia, Misogyny, Infidelity, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Gaslighting

livermorium's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Alcoholism and Drug abuse

Minor: Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Classism, Incest, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Antisemitism, Xenophobia, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Homophobia, and Suicide

cgm42's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.5

I get why people reference this book and it is funny in its bananas and arrogance but its not life changing. This is one of those books that inspired a lot so you've seen its influence in others writing, as well as tv & movies. Because of that, it might have lost its shine on me and didn't grip me as it has many others, since I personally feel that people have built on the dark academia in dare I say, better ways. I think if I read this in high school or college it would have been mind blowing but I was knee deep in Anne Rice & whatever political thriller my dad sent my way during the 90s so my attention was elsewhere. 

Also that funeral scene dragged for what felt was soooo long that even the absurdity of it all wasn't compelling, could have done without it but alas small gripe.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide

Moderate: Racism, Racial slurs, Sexism, Xenophobia, and Murder

freyaboobac's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.5

It is wonderfully ironic that this book has become a staple of dark academia when it is itself a critique of the culture and aesthetic of dark academia. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexism, Religious bigotry, Alcoholism, Drug use, Death, Classism, Incest, Xenophobia, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Racism, Homophobia, and Grief

taleofabibliophile's review against another edition

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

3.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Homophobia, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Racism, Incest, Mental illness, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Gaslighting, Xenophobia, Racial slurs, Gun violence, Death, Bullying, Injury/injury detail, Misogyny, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Drug use, Murder, Classism, Physical abuse, Blood, Violence, Gore, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Confinement

Moderate: Eating disorder and Medical content

Minor: Ableism, Antisemitism, Vomit, Death of parent, Infidelity, Car accident, Cancer, and Sexual content

peach_pie's review against another edition

I really wanted to like this book, but man it was so depressing and anxious. And I know it’s probably the point, but the characters really aren’t likeable. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Alcoholism, Cursing, Drug use, Homophobia, Suicide, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, Drug abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Violence, Murder, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Death, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Animal death, Addiction, Blood, and Incest

angstifies's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective 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

5.0

enjoyed this way more than i expected! 

this book is very dark and twisted, and the characters are so complex it was always so hard to understand everything they did or said.

and i personally love when a book makes me THINK, and develop theories on why the characters in the story are acting the way that they are and stuff like that, i literally could not stop writing my thoughts on the margins of the book. loved it.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Suicide, and Murder

Moderate: Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Misogyny, Racism, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Incest, Racial slurs, and Addiction

Minor: Cancer, Car accident, Classism, Xenophobia, Ableism, Cursing, Murder, Rape, Animal death, Antisemitism, Blood, Grief, Physical abuse, Self harm, and Violence

lindseyhall44's review against another edition

dark slow-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

5.0

“Even more terrible, as we grow older, to learn that no person, no matter how beloved, can ever truly understand us. Our own selves make us most unhappy, and that’s why we’re so anxious to loose them.”
The Secret History follows Richard, a poor transfer student from California, who joins an elite classics curriculum on a whim, only to be pulled into the eccentrics and depravity of his six fellow classics students and their encouraging teacher.

As modern classic and inspiration for many of the writing minds of today, I expected to enjoy this novel greatly. However, I could have never predicted the hold it would have on me, even months after reading.

Richard was such an interesting choice as a narrator, since he emulated the “Nick Carroway effect” from the Great Gastby, navigating the line between accomplice and complicit, outsider versus infiltrator.

One aspect of the novel that gets lost in translation is its satirical premise. While it may be easy to romanticize the aspects of the novel Tartt creates, especially the setting, recognizing the privilege, racism, and elitism in higher institutions is an important part of the story.

Overall, for fans of literary fiction with a blend of thriller, I would suggest The Secret History as your next read! But as always, check trigger warnings before reading!!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Drug use, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Classism, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Incest, Mental illness, Animal death, Murder, Violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death, Drug abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Xenophobia, Misogyny, and Toxic friendship