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james1star'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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, and Alcohol
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Murder, and Classism
Minor: Bullying, Cursing, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
em_gauts's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Outing, and Gaslighting
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Stalking
itsocchiolism's review against another edition
- 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
2.75
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Racism, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual violence
Minor: Rape
codecat'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Homophobia and Sexism
andreadelo'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
4.75
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Violence, Vomit, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, and Murder
Moderate: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Grief, Medical trauma, Outing, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
apulsoni's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Drug use, Gun violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Classism
iinasomnia's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
shadesofdivine'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Homophobia, Incest, Self harm, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Gun violence, and Alcohol
Minor: Cursing
mirivii's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
I don't know what Donna Tartt laced these pages with ... probably cocaine? I could not put this book down. Had me reading at night, which has not happened since I was a teenager 🥴
The plot was beautifully built and her way of writing it's so captivating. Her views on how to build suspense are refreshing, and the fact that this is a 1992 novel speaks for itself.
Much like the main character Richard, the first half of the book is set up on adoring this clique of literary and elitist students. You want to (want to) be them, with them, as erudite as them. As their flaws come to light they are viewed as whimsical and exciting, just to add to the mystic aura that they project.
What I really liked: the disenchantment of Richard in the second part of the book – the way the spell was broken and just like an addict that stopped being elated by their presence, he sees the mess all around and within them. The god-adjacent portrait of the chosen humans; the analogies to classical myths; how Bunny flew too close to the sun and his fall.
What I wish we saw more of: The twins' psychology – they were both lambs until one of them turned wolf almost inexplicably. What really happened during the bacchanal and what is up with Julian.
For what concerns the bacchanal, I could even live without knowing what went down. As Richard says in the book, when he reads biographies of serial killers, they tend to fixate on the most mundane things instead of the villainous acts and desires. It could be kind of the same here – I admit that the whole bacchanal ordeal was far more fascinating to me than the murder.
Something that I cannot get over is Julian Morrow, described as this wise whisperer that fascinates the smarts and eludes the mundanes. And yet we see that he is merely a human too. How could Henry be so violently attached to such a haughty person? He could have surely seen beyond Julian's most superficial attitude and his pride. Is Julian supposed to be seen as the Christians' almighty God? Above everything, interested in nothing, incapable (or unwilling) of aid.
Anyway, glad that I stumbled upon the BBC's Donna Tartt interview as hearing her speak was what made be grab the book from my to-be-read shelf.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Racial slurs, Racism, and Blood
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Car accident, and Death of parent
laurataylor's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Blood, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism