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elisabeth_with_an_ess's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The Secret History is a story about murder, but the who and what are revealed right from the start. What remains is a fascinating, twisted exploration of the why and how. The writing is brilliant, at times making me feel as if I myself had committed the crime.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Drug abuse, Incest, Suicide attempt, and Classism
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Car accident, and Death of parent
rory_john14's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Classism
Minor: Biphobia, Cancer, Child death, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Vomit, Antisemitism, Kidnapping, Stalking, Car accident, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Gaslighting
mrs_elliott19's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Blurb:
Under the influence of their charismatic classics professor, a group of clever, eccentric misfits at an elite New England college discover a way of thinking and living that is a world away from the humdrum existence of their contemporaries. But when they go beyond the boundaries of morality, their lives are changed profoundly and for ever.
The Secret History is a story of two parts; the chain of events that led to the death of a classmate—and what happened next.
Thoughts:
Let me start off my review my saying I simple picked up this book due to seeing people gush about it over and over on instagram, and the fact that it was first published the year I was born.
I’m not gonna lie, it took me a longggg time to read it, simply because the first half was almost so boring I almost didn’t finish it.
But, in the end, I am glad I did. It is incredible slow at the beginning I will admit, but in the end, I am glad I stuck threw and finished its.
Content Warnings: Murder, Alcoholism, Suicide, Incest, Racist Slurs, Toxic Relationships, Drugs, Addiction, Animal Death, Bullying, A Little Sexual Contact, Hate Crime, Toxic Friendships – to list a few, you can find more on StoryGraph.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Lesbophobia, and Alcohol
starryybella's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Imagine if "Lord of the Flies" met dark academia, a classical tragedy, and Greek antiquity at a New England college.
I ate this book UP. I don't necessarily get intimidated by larger novels but I never have the time to read them, so I put them off. When I was in treatment, I finally had time to read this book after it sat on my shelf for a month at home.
One, the cover was aesthetically pleasing to me, because I strived for a dark academia aesthetic more around sophomore/beginning of junior year and I still admire the aesthetic. Studying antiquity at a small liberal arts college in Vermont? Say less.
Two, I'm a SUCKER for psychological novels. I'm not really into mysteries. I never really have been, I hate to say it. "Nancy Drew" wasn't my thing as a kid, I read a few "A to Z Mysteries", but nothing too special, and didn't really ever latch on to what my peers liked about it. I just didn't have the sustained interest in it, and it was probably because of my ADHD.
But something about this book is so captivating and special. Words can't begin to describe it.
This was my first Donna Tartt novel, and I'm definitely going to read "The Goldfinch" or "The Little Friend" now after so many years of people recommending me to her. I fell in love with her writing style - it reinvented English for me and the diction this book has is impeccable. I never had this much admiration for the lexicon in any book until this novel.
The reviews about it were outstanding, and I like reading the reviews, as a reviewer. How many times did I say a word that began with an R?
Back to talking about reviews though. The reviews give me some idea on what to expect from the novel, especially if I know the author or publication that's writing the review.
If I were to ever write a book, I'd want the reviews that "The Secret History" got. Like, helloooo? Are you there, God? It's me, Izzy.
If my comment about "Lord of the Flies" intimidates you, don't let it. I hated that book too. I thought it was so absolute in its judgment of a person's innate capability for evil and savagery, as if that's our ultimate nature, which I disagree with. I had a lot of moral objections to that book and I consider myself the president of the "Lord of the Flies" Hate Club. My least favorite book I've had to read, to say the least.
No offense to those who liked it or took meaning out of it - go enjoy your 12-year-olds killing each other on an island.
But I'll explain my reasoning for my comparison later, without giving away too much about the book.
The book follows the perspective of Richard Papen, a transfer student from California to the elite Hampden College in Vermont. He describes the very exclusive class of classics Professor Julian Morrow, and the eventual fall from grace of the students. He's writing this from years in retrospect, looking back at events leading up to the murder of Bunny, one of the classmates in Morrow's class, and the blurry, unbearable days following the murder.
The common theme in my recommendations: Did it catch me from the first page? Answer: YES. This book absolutely caught my attention from the first page.
It was slightly haunting to read the prologue, and I immediately fell in love with the book with the prologue's last poetic parts: "...Though I only remember too well the long terrible night that lay ahead and the long terrible days and nights that followed, I have only to glance over my shoulder for all those years to drop away and I see it behind me again, the ravine, rising all green and black through the saplings, a picture that will never leave me. I suppose at one time in my life I might have had any number of stories, but now there is no other. This is the only story I will be ever able to tell" (4).
The reason I absolutely devoured this book is because of the inverted murder mystery model and the ominous tone the book sets right in the prologue. It's sustained throughout the book through the characterization of the six students and their professor.
The epilogue after the main story sent me for a loop after the ups and downs of the main story, and after I finished the book, I felt empty. To say I was in awe is a grievous understatement. I would read it again and again and never get bored of it. I went to the length of looking up if there was a movie adaptation of it so I could devour it again.
I've known people who read parts of books in the middle or the end. I'm guilty as charged sometimes. I try not to do it all the time, but that's what always ruins mysteries for me on top of reasons I stated earlier.
However, I didn't with this book because I was so invested in the story. It takes a LOT of self-restraint but when you dive into a story and absorb yourself in it, you forget that it's ever going to end. That's how this book made me feel. It was at a good pace and was both lyrical and suspenseful. Erudite is often the word reviewers used and I have to agree - there was a level of sophistication to this book that doesn't make it unreadable. It adds this flare that no book I've ever read has.
At times, I couldn't put this book down. I just loved reading it, sipping on a warm cup of coffee with a little bit of sweet cream. Dimmer lighting might be a better match to the vibe of this book - this is definitely a book to read by candlelight. The vibes, needless to say, are immaculate.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Murder, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
gretag's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Car accident, Murder, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Vomit and Medical content
idajoh's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Incest, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Car accident, and Death of parent
e_hng's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Incest, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Child abuse, Deadnaming, Homophobia, Incest, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Addiction, Body horror, Sexual content, Blood, and Vomit
navayiota's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, and Classism
Minor: Animal cruelty
sourryebread's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
- 0.25 because of the incest and idiocy of the main characters lol
Graphic: Alcoholism, Homophobia, Suicide, Murder, and Classism
Moderate: Drug use, Incest, Sexism, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Child abuse and Panic attacks/disorders
liaandersson's review
- 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
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Alcohol