Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

602 reviews

nuii's review against another edition

challenging dark funny mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.25

Im on the fence between 4.25 and 4.5. I like Book 1 a bit better, Book 2 felt like it dragged on a bit too slow sometimes. However, it's still worth the read. 
The pacing is quite slow but I enjoyed the details and how most things would eventually fall into places to make a bigger picture. Although the ending almost felt too abrupt to me (there isnt really a climax, or maybe it's just too slowpaced), I could understand it. 
Character-wise, it's a love-hate relationship. I like and dislike them, at times even despise their actions or the lack thereof. Still, they are believable (though somewhat exaggerated but that serves the commentary purpose) and that's enough for me. 
I dont think the book glorifies the snobbish dark academia too much, if anything, it has the opposite affect on me as I really dont want to be like them. However, it might not be the case for younger readers. The narrator has some self-awareness, which I applause, but it has virtually no effects.
The book smells like smoke and booze though. That's all i would say to it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Suicide, and Murder

Moderate: Homophobia and Incest

777reagan's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, and Death

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual content, Vomit, Religious bigotry, and Murder

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, and Suicide attempt

nicoleanthony's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism

marrocke's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Self harm, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Grief, Alcohol, and Classism

c410berry's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, and Murder

Moderate: Gun violence, Blood, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Eating disorder, Homophobia, and Xenophobia

hippejulia's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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

Graphic: Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Murder

Moderate: Gun violence, Incest, Sexual violence, and Vomit

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Drug use, Car accident, and Classism

stvalentine's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

i have been implored for years by my friends to read this book, and i knew why only a few pages. donna tartt's writing style is magnetic - the way that she tells the narrative draws you in, just as richard is drawn into the cult-like friend group (classics students are exactly like that). there are times when the text is indistinguishable between narrative and poetry, and is all the more beautiful for it. i see now why this book is such a legend, has a comfortable, gilded seat on so many essential reading lists, and is endlessly described as having a cult following. creepy, enthralling, intimate, poisonous, life-changing. go read it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Confinement, Racism, and Classism

dystopian's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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

5.0

Fantastically written book. It was captivating and I couldn't put it down until I finished; I just needed to know what happened next! I really love the reverse murder mystery aspect this was written in. The characters are very well written but unlikable, so keep that in mind. It was intentional of course, the story wouldn't work with likable characters. Likewise, the story is incredibly put together and artfully written, but oh so disturbing.
I've lived in California my whole life, like Richard, and like Richard I've dreamed of and  romanticized  a life at a small New England university. Throughout the novel Richard adds insight to the realities of that, and while through a fictitious story, I thought that it fit very well with my own thoughts. The characters are so very human, which makes it all the more terrifying.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Gun violence, Homophobia, and Suicide

Minor: Incest and Suicide attempt

cnpierce08's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

smiley_ari's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

To quote Peter Griffin: “it insists upon itself”

It was a pretty good book but I would have had more fun reading a greek tragedy or like, Hamlet. The reason being: i could not stand the characters so when the plot focused on something like romance i absolutely could not bring myself to care about it, and it fell flat. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Addiction, Domestic abuse, and Alcohol