Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Die geheime Geschichte, by Donna Tartt

119 reviews

soswiin's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-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

you want me to make friends in college? the thing that killed bunny corcoran? 

reread because i just couldn't understand the point of this when i first read it three years ago. felt like reading a brand new book

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Gore, Murder, Suicide, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Incest, Sexual assault, and Domestic abuse

iyra's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder, Toxic friendship, and Suicide

Minor: Blood, Homophobia, Gaslighting, and Addiction

e_gracereads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

I actually really enjoyed this? It’s entirely outside of my usually high fantasy or horror genres — this whole dark academia thriller thing left me a little skeptical at first. One thing that’s important to note: all of the characters are completely fucking insufferable. They are all absolutely miserable human beings. If you like books for characters you’ll love, this is probably not the book for you. They are incredibly complex, and the plot is AMAZING, but likable characters they are not. I highly recommend this book if you’re stepping into the dark academia genre for the first time — it was a wild ride. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Classism, Murder, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Blood, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Drug use, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, and Emotional abuse

hannahlberg's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

• Loveable characters? No

4.0

I hated this book. I hated it so much I loved it. 

It took me 3 tries to actually start reading it, and even then I had to talk myself into finishing it, but also as soon as I got 30% in, there was no way I couldn’t not finish it. 

I'm very glad I did finish as I feel I have climbed up a very impressive mountain. 

The reason this book was so unbelievably difficult for me to sift through was because Richard and co are the most pretentious elitist d*ckwads I've ever willingly read about. and since he is the narrator, it's not like you ever escape the mindset for even a moment -

I think this rage I felt about the characters is both the reason why I kept wanting to dnf and had to force myself to finish and also the reason I HAD to finish, HAD to see it through. 

If you ever were a part of a cohort in school, especially one in the arts, read this- it will give you war flashbacks. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Homophobia, Gun violence, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Incest, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, Death, and Classism

abibliophobic_nerd's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Addiction, Drug abuse, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Medical content, Murder, Suicide, Death, Alcoholism, Blood, and Mental illness

Moderate: Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Body horror, Bullying, Incest, and Islamophobia

melliedm's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Incest, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Drug abuse, Self harm, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death, Religious bigotry, Addiction, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Animal death, Classism, Islamophobia, Sexual content, Racism, Animal cruelty, and Homophobia

Minor: Rape

ritugp01's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

4.75

This novel was lauded as a modern classic from Pulitzer-winning author Donna Tart. I wholeheartedly agree. The disdain that filled me for all the characters in various classics like The Great Gatsby, Giovanni's Room, etc, also permeated throughout the experience of reading The Secret History. I consider this further evidence that it is an exquisite piece of literature.

The novel has been described as "a murder mystery in reverse." While this is a perfect description, the book is also a deep look in how easily murder occurs, even in seemingly normal people, as long as one opens themselves to the possibility. 

Spoiler

In a tl;dr character analysis: Henry was utterly unhinged and I think I loved him regardless. Richard, the narrator was mediocre but served his purpose as a voyeur to multiple murders.  Charles and Camilla? WTF. But also, they both sucked and I cannot decide who was worse. Francis is the only valid character but he's on this ice too. Julian is just Henry but older and willing to fake social skills. Lowkey, Bunny sucked but damn I feel bad he was killed. Like, he was just freaking out that his friends committed MURDER, it's totally understandable he was on the edge of a psychotic break. This book was a lot, and Judy Poovey is the only good person in the whole story.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Death, Drug abuse, Sexism, Misogyny, Addiction, Cursing, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Car accident, Classism, Gaslighting, Excrement, Murder, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Ableism, Antisemitism, Self harm, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Suicide

queerloras's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder, Toxic relationship, Classism, Animal cruelty, Alcohol, Blood, Gaslighting, Death, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic friendship

em_gauts's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Alcoholism, Addiction, Classism, Homophobia, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Death, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Alcohol, Grief, Racial slurs, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Animal death, and Drug use

Moderate: Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Incest, and Outing

Minor: Sexual assault, Stalking, and Rape

cfoley's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Incest, Cursing, Violence, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Classism, Alcohol, Addiction, Drug use, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Death, Mental illness, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Suicide, Murder, Blood, Antisemitism, Animal death, and Gun violence