Reviews tagging 'Gore'

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

155 reviews

rachelnoel's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Blood, Antisemitism, and Alcohol

Minor: Gore, Incest, and Car accident

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. 

---

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

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

---

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

kimveach's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.5

This book is hard to review and equally hard to rate.  I both liked it and was annoyed by it.  It was slowly paced, but the further I got into the book, the more I wanted to finish it.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Outing, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

beckyg1016's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

2.0

The book description seems, to me, incredibly misleading. "Under the influence of their charismatic classics professor" - you mean the one who barely shows up at all, has minimal lines, and doesn't seem to influence anyone but Henry.  Henry is the driving force of this story and all of its actors. "...discover a way of thinking and living that is a world away from the humdrum existence of their contemporaries." - You mean that one time? While that event is the catalyst for all others, it is not the point of the story - these characters don't "find a new way of thinking and living" - they spend a semester trying to avoid getting caught for a crime they are only somewhat remorseful about and then move on with their lives in much the same way as all of their "humdrum" classmates. 
Additionally, as noted in the Content Warnings section, Bunny is a difficult character to read. I get that you aren't supposed to like him, he is typical for the time, etc. but I was uncomfortable nearly every time he opened his mouth and that, at least, puts you on the side of the other characters. I surely did not miss him once he was gone.
To be fair, Tartt has a lovely writing voice. If she didn't, this would absolutely be my first DNF of the year. The story was captivating for maybe 250/550 pages - the rest was just a push to finish so I could move on to the next book in my TBR pile.
Every book has its reader - and I've seen plenty of people giving this book high ratings - so maybe that reader is you, and you will love it. I hope so. It certainly wasn't for me.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Gore, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Self harm, Suicide, Islamophobia, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Incest, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Toxic friendship, and Classism

valmoony's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Antisemitism, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism

faithstuff's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Classism

justaddwater's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Body horror, Sexual content, Torture, Blood, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Sexual harassment

mmeschi's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Self harm, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Cursing and Gore

Minor: Incest

readwithsophsx's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail