A review by miamckell
The Secret History by Donna Tartt

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

I was sure I would love this book after reading Tartt's "The Little Friend", but I found myself surprised that this remains the more popular of the two novels. I take no issue with her Dickensian writing style, and have certainly fallen in love with her voice, but I felt much less connected to the characters by the end of this book than when I started. I felt it took on a more impersonal tone in the last 200 pages or so, thus I had trouble remaining immersed in the world and its players. I chalked it up to Richard (the protagonist) being an intentional "bystander" character; and chose to view it as a stylistic choice to get through it; but typically if I'm committing to this long of a story I want to feel I'm growing more attached to it rather than pushed out of it. I still think it's worth the read. She truly is a brilliant storyteller, but perhaps (being from the South and not raised in the 1990's) I had more trouble connecting to this gloomy, North East winter of a tale as opposed to "The Little Friend", and was confused to why it is so well-reviewed in comparison. 
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