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star_oats's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Murder, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Violence, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Classism, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Antisemitism, Misogyny, Outing, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Homophobia, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, and Xenophobia
jomamma'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: Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, Homophobia, Murder, Violence, Outing, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, Animal death, and Animal cruelty
lavendar_fr0g's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Suicide, Addiction, Cursing, Death, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Incest, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Drug use, Antisemitism, Homophobia, and Drug abuse
Minor: Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Religious bigotry, Gun violence, Mental illness, Classism, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Outing, Medical content, and Medical trauma
ambdocksey22's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Classism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Drug use, Homophobia, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Death, Misogyny, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Sexism, Alcoholism, Animal death, Antisemitism, Biphobia, Blood, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Suicide, Car accident, Gun violence, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, and Rape
safgetou's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Homophobia, Antisemitism, Bullying, Death, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Racism, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Animal cruelty, Incest, Misogyny, and Outing
clevermird's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Eager to get away from his boring, tense home life in California, Richard Papen gets a scholarship to Hampden College and moves to Virginia. There, he joins the Classical Studies program and gets to know the tiny, insular department: charismatic, old-fashioned professor Julian; eccentric genius Henry; anxious, dissolute Francis; friendly, alcoholic Charles; his sister, the cool, enigmatic Camilla; and extroverted freeloader Bunny. But by the very first chapter, we know this story can only end badly as Bunny is murdered by the rest of the students for reasons unknown. The rest of the book elaborates on the situation - what led five seemingly normal college students to commit cold-blooded murder? What other secrets are they hiding? And how will they live with themselves afterword?
There's a lot this book does right. The characters are complex, interesting, and full of very human contradictions. The prose is well-done and enjoyable to read and Tartt makes several jabs at academia that I found amusing as a former member of that subculture myself. However, the book isn't perfect, either. The writing, while overall well done, does feel a bit full of itself at times. Some of that is the narrator's personality, but it does get grating at times. Additionally, the book drags at points, even for a slow-paced character study.
Overall, however, a fascinating look at the dark side of academia, the facades that people put up, and what can drive seemingly normal people to desperate ends.
Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Classism, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Incest, Outing, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Physical abuse, Racism, and Sexism
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: Racism, Alcoholism, Addiction, Classism, Homophobia, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Death, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Alcohol, Grief, Racial slurs, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Animal death, and Drug use
Moderate: Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Incest, and Outing
Minor: Sexual assault, Stalking, and Rape
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: Gun violence, Homophobia, Murder, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Antisemitism, Vomit, Addiction, Death, Drug use, Racial slurs, Racism, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Violence, Alcoholism, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Outing, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Incest, Grief, Domestic abuse, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, and Cultural appropriation
thefigtree's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide, Addiction, Murder, Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Incest, Car accident, Rape, and Self harm
Minor: Blood, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, and Classism
standerson's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug use, Alcohol, Cursing, Gun violence, Incest, Suicide attempt, Blood, Death, Medical content, Suicide, Self harm, Toxic friendship, and Murder
Moderate: Homophobia, Outing, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Rape