Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

748 reviews

yilliun's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

4.5

This book invented dark academia. 

Camilla, my girl, I am so sorry.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Homophobia, Incest, and Classism

skiwi_'s review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

nevaehmaendel's review against another edition

dark emotional informative tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I can't stop thinking about it. Read it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Incest, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

emilyvelle's review against another edition

dark reflective sad 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? Yes

4.25

The first ~25% was very slow and I was considering giving up, but then Ms. Donna got my attention & I was hooked and engaged! This was such a fascinating story that I want to write an essay about this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Gore, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Toxic relationship, Antisemitism, Toxic friendship, and Classism

Minor: Incest, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, and Medical content

vabraham's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

as a student of the Classics— SHES RIGHT

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Toxic friendship

kaylareads06's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug use, Homophobia, Racial slurs, and Murder

Moderate: Incest, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship

caitiebarton's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Racial slurs, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Incest and Rape

tessmcn's review against another edition

dark mysterious relaxing 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

3.75

Okay, I’m sorry but why do you make the main character the most BORING character. He seems to miss everything and you just get recounts of what happened in dialogue - which isn’t bad by any means, but it’s not the most thrilling to hear second hand stories all the way through. Loved the first 300ish pages but then it dragged on.

did we really need to walk through the entirety of Bunny’s funeral?? absolutely not.

Judy Poovey is the protagonist, queen, and saving grace for the Boring Richard and I will die on this hill. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Self harm, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment

knmo1's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gore, Incest, Suicide, Blood, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Violence

Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death

sophiaxscherm's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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

4.0

There were times I was so entirely hooked but unfortunately also times that bored me. I really didn't like all the police and FBI stuff and couldn't wait till that part of the book was over. Everything before this part had me in such a grip, the way this exclusive group of students is depicted, their relationship to one another and to their teacher Julian and how Richard becomes part of the group and is woven into it is just great. What I think is fascinating about this book is how you not just see how the story unfolds through Richard's eyes but you also get to be a part of how he learns more about his friends and looses his fascination for them. It is unbelievable how much I thought I loved all of those characters in the beginning but realised how flawed all of them were, flawed being an immense underestimation here bc somehow all of them are really terrible people; how the complexity of their group is portrayed and they have no reason to trust anyone of each other though them being so exclusive and separated from most their peers. 

Henry killing himself in the end is so fitting and a good ending, however, I was a bit underhelmed. What I hated most about the end is how Richard still tries to win Camilla over, not just because the way he is being humiliated by Camilla when she tells him that she still loves Henry, but also because I felt like something clicked in Richard when he learned about this disgusting Camilla and Charles stuff and also that she kind of played with Richard all the time, I expected more of him and this really frustrates me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol