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kylereads_'s review against another edition
5.0
“Does such a thing as ‘the fatal flaw,’ that showy dark crack running down the of a life, exist outside literature? I used to think it didn’t. Now I think it does. And I think that mine is this: a morbid longing for the picturesque at all costs.”
Finished the book yesterday and I needed to sleep on it before giving a review but here we go haha.
Physically i’m here, but mentally i’m part of a pretentious elitist friend group in Vermont, studying Latin and Greek haha. This book is an outstanding example of first-person narrative book, scene setting, character development, suspenseful pacing, and plot development that effectively convey the general complexity and uncertainty of relationships. Despite the narrator’s initially limited point of view, Donna Tartt’s well-developed character development makes the group come to life. It’s one of those books that you can read repeatedly (but it depends lol)... I remain utterly engrossed in the suspense and the mystery of it all.
Although this isn’t an exaggeration but there is basically 100-200 page section that is just the characters drinking, smoking, life issues, personal struggles, and side plots. It’s a little bit overwhelming but the last 100 pages was really genuinely good and fast paced. I have to slow down on some part because it was deeply heavy
Finished the book yesterday and I needed to sleep on it before giving a review but here we go haha.
Physically i’m here, but mentally i’m part of a pretentious elitist friend group in Vermont, studying Latin and Greek haha. This book is an outstanding example of first-person narrative book, scene setting, character development, suspenseful pacing, and plot development that effectively convey the general complexity and uncertainty of relationships. Despite the narrator’s initially limited point of view, Donna Tartt’s well-developed character development makes the group come to life. It’s one of those books that you can read repeatedly (but it depends lol)... I remain utterly engrossed in the suspense and the mystery of it all.
Although this isn’t an exaggeration but there is basically 100-200 page section that is just the characters drinking, smoking, life issues, personal struggles, and side plots. It’s a little bit overwhelming but the last 100 pages was really genuinely good and fast paced. I have to slow down on some part because it was deeply heavy
libbyinnes1607's review against another edition
3.75
would be brilliant if the chapters weren’t all 3 hours long lol
easyvisionary's review against another edition
4.0
This was really good. I loved the writing style and the drama.
There are many things I didn’t like. Any of the characters. The way queer people were written. There was so much unexplained.
What was the whole bit about Richard wanting to assault/hurt Camilla? Had to reread it several times and still was so shocked and confused. The way she was written and treated was just horrid? The sibling plot??? Huh??? That poor poor girl! I think it didn’t help that there was never enough about who she actually was. But i guess that’s because the book is from Richard’s perspective and he so heavily romanticized her.
Why the two parts just missed the death entirely it really went so we are standing over Bunny on the hill and then the next part opens with him being dead?? I would’ve loved to actually see it play out. Who did what? But anyway Bunny was an awful awful man rip I guess.
Early on I quite liked Henry as a character but god he is so so messed up. It really feels like he was at fault for all the deaths and everyone just always did what he said. I mean Charles even talks about it but no one actually does anything. There is a lot of talking but not much change.
More on how queer people were written I hate how it was just brushed off for so long how everyone treated Francis around him being gay. But also how Francis was written as that he almost took advantage of the other boys in the group. Was that necessary???
I guess it all kind of comes back to the unreliable narrator theory. This is all from Richard’s perspective, how he sees things what he’s actually told. What would be quite interesting would be a Camilla point of view but also I cannot imagine how dark that would be.
This book was crazy and dark but I am so glad I read it.
There are many things I didn’t like. Any of the characters. The way queer people were written. There was so much unexplained.
What was the whole bit about Richard wanting to assault/hurt Camilla? Had to reread it several times and still was so shocked and confused. The way she was written and treated was just horrid? The sibling plot??? Huh??? That poor poor girl! I think it didn’t help that there was never enough about who she actually was. But i guess that’s because the book is from Richard’s perspective and he so heavily romanticized her.
Why the two parts just missed the death entirely it really went so we are standing over Bunny on the hill and then the next part opens with him being dead?? I would’ve loved to actually see it play out. Who did what? But anyway Bunny was an awful awful man rip I guess.
Early on I quite liked Henry as a character but god he is so so messed up. It really feels like he was at fault for all the deaths and everyone just always did what he said. I mean Charles even talks about it but no one actually does anything. There is a lot of talking but not much change.
More on how queer people were written I hate how it was just brushed off for so long how everyone treated Francis around him being gay. But also how Francis was written as that he almost took advantage of the other boys in the group. Was that necessary???
I guess it all kind of comes back to the unreliable narrator theory. This is all from Richard’s perspective, how he sees things what he’s actually told. What would be quite interesting would be a Camilla point of view but also I cannot imagine how dark that would be.
This book was crazy and dark but I am so glad I read it.
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
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
corgilover1's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
sulemc's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
gradytree's review against another edition
3.0
I almost did not finish this book. The first 180 pages or so contains exhaustive tangents of Greek literature & context that frankly made me want to throw it in the trash. I thought it was going to be puesdointellectual nonsense about people I refuse to care about (and let’s be real, it kind of was.)
But, once you get past about 25% of the book, it’s pretty good. Page-turner for sure. I hated all the characters, and felt the only semi-complex ones were Henry & Bunny (despite how annoying he was to read about). Every book has got to have the psychopath, the annoying jock, the drunk, the gay, the odd professor, the manic pixie dream girl & the loser that just follows them around. Literally like the Breakfast Club, if they committed murder.
Did it live up to the hype? No. IT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN 550 PAGES MISS DONNA TARTT. IT COULDVE EASILY BEEN 300 PAGES.
But, once you get past about 25% of the book, it’s pretty good. Page-turner for sure. I hated all the characters, and felt the only semi-complex ones were Henry & Bunny (despite how annoying he was to read about). Every book has got to have the psychopath, the annoying jock, the drunk, the gay, the odd professor, the manic pixie dream girl & the loser that just follows them around. Literally like the Breakfast Club, if they committed murder.
Did it live up to the hype? No. IT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN 550 PAGES MISS DONNA TARTT. IT COULDVE EASILY BEEN 300 PAGES.
misfitmoxie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
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
2.25