A review by aslanjade
The Secret History by Donna Tartt

dark tense medium-paced

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

2.0

The underdeveloped plot and characters are not-so-cleverly concealed under the guise of a pretentious writing style laced with passages in ancient languages that the average reader is unequipped to understand. Tartt should stop trying to flex her fancy degree when she can't even use it to create a well-written token female character to become the "not-like-other-girls" love interest, lest her readers assume the main male character is gay. Oh, wait...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Incest, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Violence, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Alcohol

Moderate: Animal death, Confinement, Cursing, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, and Car accident

Minor: Rape, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, and Outing

I apologize if I missed any! I used "graphic" to categorize the ones that appear most frequently, but the "moderate" group is still considerably present in the novel. Please exercise caution before reading this book.