Reviews

The Secret History, by Donna Tartt

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blakew321's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.75

I wish I could give 5 stars, but it's not in my heart. IT DESERVES IT THOUGH! But lordy lord this book! It is a masterwork. Donna Tartt is so talented. I have watched interviews with her and she is such an interesting person. Her views on life and art are so fascinating. Her voice alone is so nice to listen to. The cultivated Southern accent! How is she able to write so beautifully about a topic so dark while keeping the pace going relentlessly? I guess that's why it took 9 years to write this book. I keep thinking about how reading this book feels like listening to a siren song and then being dragged into the depths. You know it's dangerous but you just can't stop yourself. First thing I would like to note is the setting. So gorgeous you guys I'm picking up and moving to Vermont. Each season was described in delicious detail and just the descriptors she would use like "foamy wind through the leaves" I was so here for it. I felt so cold in the winter section (Richard omg!) and the spring melt was so tangible. The dark academia and the studying Greek and the deep knowledge of these timeless stories which are the classics and the multilingualism was so aesthetic. The way that they could talk in their own secret language of ancient Greek was so cool. I in particular loved the only full lesson that we got with our enigmatic professor Julian (I wish she had included more!) where he talked about how all beauty can only be harsh and dangerous. I disagree but so fascinating. I loved the fashion that they were wearing since they were all so 90s dark academia. Tweed suits! This book made me long for a time before mobile phones. They actually did so many things as friends and by themselves because there was no internet. It also made everyone so much more unreachable, quite literally. But then, setting and aesthetic aside, the real meat of the book, what made it so compelling, was that it revolved around sin. These five friends murdered their classmate in cold blood. (Revealed in prologue). There were so many times in this book where I recoiled because I couldn't believe how callous they were being to their own friend. It makes the book quite dark, but in an obsessive, almost sexy way. Every character seemed so cool on the surface but all were deeply unlikeable. I have to read Crime and Punishment now because I loved this and I also loved the Picture of Dorian Gray which are all about festering sin. I could not believe how engrossed I was, especially at the start of this book. The leadup to the murder is so good. One thing I would say is know that it takes place halfway through the book so that you have the right expectations. Hmmm actually maybe I will give it 5 stars. Writing this review has made me realise just how good it was. Currently sitting on 4.75... we will see what my heart says in a couple days' time. It deserves the title of modern classic. This book was objectively and subjectively one of the best I've ever read. Read the Secret History PLEASE!

Spoiler

The ending was pretty darn dark just like I expected it to be, and I was happy that they were all moderately unhappy with their lives afterwards mostly as a direct result of murdering Bunny. I still don't know how to feel about Henry killing himself. It felt out of the blue but also not really? I feel like he would romanticise doing that. Is it good riddance? Or did he scar the rest of them too badly. He saved them, but did he really? And I'm mad because I don't get the last part of the epilogue with the crumbling and modern city and the technological machine. I like how Henry left for the appointment and I understand this dream is a metaphor for how he views the world. I feel like surely this section has to be a metaphor about their crimes but I can't figure out how. Need to discuss with someone.

toomuchtime592's review against another edition

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3.0

never again

keishajwong's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

ricconijhof's review against another edition

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slow-paced

4.75

josefinessen's review against another edition

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mysterious tense slow-paced

Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No

3.75

En fascinerande blandning av over the top-drama och vardagstristess. Stundvis omskakande och fängslande så att jag dras in, nästans snärjs, av den lite lågmält bisarra berättelsen och framför allt av hur den är berättad, av språket. Jag gillar framför allt början och slutet av boken, inte nödvändigtvis för att det är mest handlingstätt där även om jag uppskattar det, utan för att jag under dessa delar verkligen hamnar i den nära känslan med berättelsen och har svårt att slita mig från boken. I mittenbiten av boken som är många hundra sidor lång blir jag inte uttråkad, men vissa stunder var det nära. Det är ganska mycket ältande och går runt runt i samma känslor och skeenden, framför allt hade de bitarna gärna fått vara lite mer kortfattade för mig.

Jag läste denna bok som read along vilket passar mig jättebra när det gäller tjocka böcker jag vill läsa men oftast inte lyckas hitta tillräcklig motivation för att ta mig an och igenom på egen hand.