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midnightstory's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
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, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Homophobia, Incest, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Animal death, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Medical content, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, and Antisemitism
egglanor's review against another edition
4.0
I am left speechless. This book began haunting my dreams. The descriptive writing is beautifully done, and the plot complex, captivating, and harrowing. The opening mystery is mostly revealed by about halfway through the book, and I wondered what could possibly develop from then onwards (since that mystery had been til then sustaining the fast pace of the book), but things sure do develop, and you start to wonder how you ever thought any of it could be reasonable, or how you didn't see certain things before. I was so immersed in this story that I genuinely forgot you can't smoke indoors anymore because so many of the characters constantly have cigarette in hand. Anyway, what the fuck, and, go read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Homophobia, Incest, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Suicide, Violence, and Toxic friendship
sullivan_reader's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Oddly enough, this feels more like a character study, but where all of the characters are unlikable. And yet, I was still intrigued to see what happens next. Honestly, my favorite character was the cat that shit in the car cause ya they all deserved it. Idk how people like them. For example, they're all murderers. Richard really doesn't care until it's slapping him in the face with the fact that someone's death affects other people, too. Oh and that paragraph where he wanted to rape Camilla, like what a bustard.
Henry was a cold hearted, manipulative, son of a bitch. Charles wasabusive .
Camilla couldn't handle being friends with other girls.
Bunny was racist, homophobic, classist (though they all were), and sexist, to name a few. And there's the theory that Richard exaggerated his bad traits, but personally, I think it shows that people can be terrible, but they still don't deserve to die.
I disliked Francis least of all cause his biggest faults were not being independent enough to voice his own opinions and literally go along with double homicide cause everyone else is too.
Then there's Julian. In my opinion, Julian created and fostered the environment where actions like these were acceptable, and their excuses were justified because of class and intellectualism. But when the consequences of his actions were staring him in the face, he fled cause he didn't want to be associated with it. Which explains why they felt so betrayed. It's like when an adult tells a kid if they tell the truth they won't get mad, then they get mad when they hear it.
Anyway, love the aesthetic, hate the classism and characters. They hated each other too, they’r preverse sense of superiority is the onlt thing tying them together. And I'm not mad Henry did what he did cause I feel like he fancied himself a hero in a Greek tragedy and that's how their story would end.
Oh and the writing was absolutely gorgeous! But it took a long time to be able to sink my teeth into it like other novels. That's not a bad thing though, it made me sit with the book and digest it longer which was most beneficial.
Henry was a cold hearted, manipulative, son of a bitch. Charles was
Camilla couldn't handle being friends with other girls.
Bunny was racist, homophobic, classist (though they all were), and sexist, to name a few. And there's the theory that Richard exaggerated his bad traits, but personally, I think it shows that people can be terrible, but they still don't deserve to die.
I disliked Francis least of all cause his biggest faults were not being independent enough to voice his own opinions and literally go along with double homicide cause everyone else is too.
Then there's Julian. In my opinion, Julian created and fostered the environment where actions like these were acceptable, and their excuses were justified because of class and intellectualism. But when the consequences of his actions were staring him in the face, he fled cause he didn't want to be associated with it. Which explains why they felt so betrayed. It's like when an adult tells a kid if they tell the truth they won't get mad, then they get mad when they hear it.
Anyway, love the aesthetic, hate the classism and characters. They hated each other too, they’r preverse sense of superiority is the onlt thing tying them together. And I'm not mad Henry did what he did cause I feel like he fancied himself a hero in a Greek tragedy and that's how their story would end.
Oh and the writing was absolutely gorgeous! But it took a long time to be able to sink my teeth into it like other novels. That's not a bad thing though, it made me sit with the book and digest it longer which was most beneficial.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Incest, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Suicide
st4rryn1ght's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
i don’t even know how to rate this
it was so good yet made me contemplate about my life decisions
even though i read it in my native language i still didn’t know a few words and i loved looking them up
i’m so gonna reread this
it kinda left my heart shattered
WHY DID HENRY HAVE TO DIE AND WHY WOULD RICHARD WANT TO MAVE BACK TO CALIFORNIA???? AND THE ENDING WAS BRUTAL
it was so good yet made me contemplate about my life decisions
even though i read it in my native language i still didn’t know a few words and i loved looking them up
i’m so gonna reread this
it kinda left my heart shattered
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug use, and Suicide
Moderate: Incest
serenafj's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism and Drug abuse
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Islamophobia, and Murder
Minor: Incest, Rape, and Antisemitism
pam_'s review against another edition
dark
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
One of the best books I’ve read in years. I’m late to the party, but this book was fantastic.
My one complaint: the second act of this book was underwhelming. The story lost steam and started to feel needlessly drawn out. I’m pretty sure we could have cut 100 pages (at least) and still have included all the necessary plot points to bring about the conclusion of the story.
Other than that, I absolutely loved it.
My one complaint: the second act of this book was underwhelming. The story lost steam and started to feel needlessly drawn out. I’m pretty sure we could have cut 100 pages (at least) and still have included all the necessary plot points to bring about the conclusion of the story.
Other than that, I absolutely loved it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Murder, and Classism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, Drug use, Homophobia, Incest, Grief, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
feodora's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
slow-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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug use, Gun violence, Incest, Sexual assault, Blood, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Alcohol
gaby13's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Incest, Physical abuse, and Self harm
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt
emmakhend's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
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
I have put off reading this book for years. Donna Tartt is one of the quintessential authors of the campus novel. The Secret History is one of those books that can either take you weeks to finish or just a few days. I, luckily, fell into the second category. The prose itself is immersive—decadent, even. Tartt writes with a dark, lyrical quality that makes you feel as if you’re right there in the small, suffocating world of Hampden College.
The characters are genuinely awful human beings—terrible in almost every way. Genuinely. But that doesn’t make them any less enjoyable to read about. What makes this book digestible, despite the characters’ flaws, is that they’re all grounded in reality. If you’ve ever been to a small liberal arts college, you’ve probably encountered a Richard, Henry, Bunny, Francis, Camilla, or Charles.
This is nothing new: coked-out academics and wealthy, apathetic young adults. These are the students you despise when they raise their hands in socratic seminars. They’re the ones who casually quote Greek philosophers in everyday conversation, like it’s normal to wax poetic about Plato over brunch. You know the type—drenched in privilege, floating through life with a kind of ironic detachment, as if they’re above the mundane concerns of the rest of us. But that’s the charm, isn’t it?
So, what happens when these familiar archetypes commit murder? The answer: a complete dissolution of mind and body; self-destruction in its most romantic form.
It’s hard to even say if these friends particularly liked each other. Their friendships seem less like bonds of genuine affection and more like conveniences that teeter on the edge of disdain, held together by a shared pretense of intellectualism and a sense of superiority over the "common people." This is not a book about likable characters or redeeming qualities; it's about what happens when people with far too much privilege and not enough conscience are pushed to the brink.
By the end of this, you realize you’ve been justifying murder for 500 pages. It’s insane but so good.
The characters are genuinely awful human beings—terrible in almost every way. Genuinely. But that doesn’t make them any less enjoyable to read about. What makes this book digestible, despite the characters’ flaws, is that they’re all grounded in reality. If you’ve ever been to a small liberal arts college, you’ve probably encountered a Richard, Henry, Bunny, Francis, Camilla, or Charles.
This is nothing new: coked-out academics and wealthy, apathetic young adults. These are the students you despise when they raise their hands in socratic seminars. They’re the ones who casually quote Greek philosophers in everyday conversation, like it’s normal to wax poetic about Plato over brunch. You know the type—drenched in privilege, floating through life with a kind of ironic detachment, as if they’re above the mundane concerns of the rest of us. But that’s the charm, isn’t it?
So, what happens when these familiar archetypes commit murder? The answer: a complete dissolution of mind and body; self-destruction in its most romantic form.
It’s hard to even say if these friends particularly liked each other. Their friendships seem less like bonds of genuine affection and more like conveniences that teeter on the edge of disdain, held together by a shared pretense of intellectualism and a sense of superiority over the "common people." This is not a book about likable characters or redeeming qualities; it's about what happens when people with far too much privilege and not enough conscience are pushed to the brink.
By the end of this, you realize you’ve been justifying murder for 500 pages. It’s insane but so good.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Animal death, Drug use, Gun violence, Incest, Blood, and Antisemitism
Minor: Eating disorder and Rape
This book is DARK. But, the narrator's apathy makes it digestible. Richard's blasé attitude towards the events in this book make it easier to read.cassjsmith's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I tried to find reasons to not rate this a 5 star book and didn’t have any that would stand up to scrutiny. This book took me months to read because it’s so dense and emotionally heavy, but in the best ways possible. The writing is exquisite. I found myself wanting to highlight every sentence. The plot is gripping. The characters are perfectly miserable and it felt like I was reading some mixture of Macbeth, Catcher in the Rye, and Dead Poets Society. Absolutely perfect. I’m reading it again immediately so I can go deeper.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Incest and Self harm