Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

285 reviews

phantomeyer's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective 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

2.5

I kept waiting for this book to impress me. It never delivered. It did a good job of sustaining a vague tension, but it was also sufficiently hazy that the (likely intentional) feeling of unreality meant that I was unmoved by the plot. Plus, I had very little interest in the characters: a bunch of pretentious caricatures the lot of them. If I’m going to be told a murder story in first person, it needs to be a hell of a lot more gripping. And no, I don’t mean fast-paced. I mean more thought-provoking/eerie/evocative…. Basically somehow more interesting and entertaining. I don’t know what it says about me that many reviewers found this book to be “crazy” and really dark, whereas I mostly felt underwhelmed?

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Classism, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Homophobia, Murder, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Antisemitism, Sexual assault, Blood, Cultural appropriation, Gore, Incest, Death, Drug use, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, and Suicide attempt

catievalentino's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Drug use, Death, Incest, Cursing, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Classism, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death

Minor: Emotional abuse, Chronic illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug abuse, Vomit, Car accident, Child death, Gun violence, Medical content, Violence, and Blood

emie_27's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-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

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Blood, Murder, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Incest, Homophobia, Alcohol, and Toxic friendship

faeblxde's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

It's been 4 months since I've finished this book and I'm still thinking about it. Incredible.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Murder, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Violence, Sexual content, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, and Grief

Moderate: Addiction

Minor: Incest

norabeideineroma's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Misogyny, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Grief, Blood, Animal death, Biphobia, Car accident, Drug use, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Murder, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Classism, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Cursing, Mental illness, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Homophobia, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship

ilsabelle's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Classism, Violence, Suicide attempt, Drug use, Murder, Mental illness, Addiction, and Gun violence

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Xenophobia, Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Incest, Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, and Homophobia

olorin85's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad 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? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexism, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Murder, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Transphobia

Minor: Islamophobia, Violence, Racial slurs, and Vomit

emimcmanis's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Homophobia, Toxic friendship, Classism, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Antisemitism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Incest, Mental illness, Murder, Xenophobia, Violence, and Suicide

Moderate: Sexual content

martieb's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Homophobia, Incest, Violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Murder, and Mental illness

tashiface's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Grief, Incest, Racial slurs, Homophobia, Racism, Murder, Death, Drug use, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Alcoholism