Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

602 reviews

certifiedpizza's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-paced

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

4.0

This is a scattered review. 

I'll be honest with you. There is too much to stomach, and not everyone will be able to stomach it. The plot is scarring, and the characters have been despicable for most of the journey. They keep on indulging darkness — everything we know of as darkness.

But I couldn't put the book down.

I kept on turning the pages. It wasn't the greatness of the writing. It was the distinct displeasure that the events made me feel. I was seeking closure. 

I started reading this 72 hours ago. Here I am now, writing a review. 

I did not receive that closure. But frankly, in the process, I reached the epilogue, and found myself fond of everything I was so willing to hate. The end came, and it felt like walking out of a funeral.

This book is appalling. Irredeemably so. Perhaps that's what makes it brilliant.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Homophobia, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Vomit, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship

bookbabe0614's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I’m in complete shock. That was stunning and disturbing and beautiful and everything I expected from Donna Tartt 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Alcohol

bronzeageholly's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Antisemitism, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

v_neptune's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Gore

Minor: Fatphobia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

lunabruinsma's review against another edition

dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

emotional rollercoaster, i fucking loved it

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Incest, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Alcohol

earthtomanda's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

Honestly, still trying to figure out how I felt about this book. Very far from what I was expecting, but still intriguing and (at times) quite captivating.

The brilliant writing and general concept kept me engaged, but I actively disliked most of the characters. However, that may have been the point? 

The twist near the end of the book left me sick to my stomach, and I really had to convince myself to finish it afterwards. 

As a side note: if you’re looking for rounded and complex female characters, this isn’t the book for you. The few female characters are all portrayed through the narrator’s very skewed and limited lens of perception. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Blood, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, and Medical content

Minor: Rape and Vomit

gretag's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

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

michaelcoleallen's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-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

3.75

The Secret History by Donna Tartt has an incredibly developed main cast but its real strength is in how those personality traits and quirks manifest in such minor ways in the relaxed environment of a privileged east-coast liberal arts school, yet have the potential to slowly dominate a character when stress (i.e. murder) is applied.

The pacing was quite good. As the novel enters the last two hundred pages the main character, Richard, thinks less and reacts more in the face of consequences from the uh… thing that he must discuss in ancient greek when the gang is in public which builds a quicker finale of events.

I enjoyed my time with the novel and may even reread. I can recommend it on the basis of good prose, great character study, and a pretty gripping narrative even considering the opening spoiler. Just don’t expect it to be eye-opening, transcendent, etc. It’s a murder story told as a thoughtful page-turner and has allusions to things like Proust and The Iliad to boot.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Cursing, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Grief, and Classism

gracer0sew's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Drug use, Incest, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

brennach's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Suicide, Murder, and Alcohol

Moderate: Incest, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Violence, and Classism

Minor: Homophobia, Rape, and Sexual assault