Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

603 reviews

anathoresh'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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Gun violence, Incest, Suicide, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Drug use, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Homophobia

bootsmom3's review against another edition

challenging dark funny mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, Homophobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Outing, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Gun violence, Incest, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Classism

mollykat3b621's review against another edition

challenging dark sad slow-paced

• 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Murder

cedarwaxwing's review against another edition

challenging mysterious 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

4.0

When I first began this book I was pretty sure I would not finish it. The beginning was slow going and I know very little about ancient Greece or the classics. I read some of the negative reviews here on Goodreads and agreed with them.

I asked my daughter, who is studying ancient Greek and works in a bookstore, if she'd heard of this book and she said she loved it and that I should stick with it. I'm glad I took her advice, although it was a very long read and took me about two weeks to finish.

This is the first book I have read by Donna Tartt -- it was a book group read before I joined our book group and I'm trying to read all the book group books I've not read. The group also read another Tartt book that I was uncomfortable reading at the time because of the subject matter (The Little Friend).  I'll likely read that at some point. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Murder

Moderate: Gun violence and Incest

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Physical abuse

aquakerwitch's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Murder

Moderate: Incest and Panic attacks/disorders

caitasoflate's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

5.0

What a masterpiece of literature

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Gore, Gun violence, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Murder

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Homophobia, Incest, and Sexism

Minor: Rape

emberysing's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, and Murder

Moderate: Incest, Misogyny, and Sexism

beca125's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, and Murder

sarahv's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-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

2.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Physical abuse, Violence, Car accident, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Vomit, Grief, and Suicide attempt

eve_reads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• 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

4.0

Overall Thoughts:
 ⁕ The beginning of this book contains everything I dislike about classic literature (pre-modern lit references, heavy usage of dead languages, etc). This stuff eventually tapered off, but it was a lot of work to understand the first 2 chapters.

⁕ I HATED the characters until I didn’t. At first they were all elitist brats. Eventually, I learned that they were still elitist brats, but with complexities and development that were worth investing attention in.

⁕ This book is a sloooow build. It’s worth it if you can hang on until page 150ish. After that, it’s hard to put down.

To read my full review, visit: https://evereads.online/
For regular book-related content, follow my Instagram account: @eve_reads 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Suicide, Violence, Murder, and Alcohol

Moderate: Incest and Sexual content