Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

Tajemna historia by Donna Tartt

376 reviews

brennerson's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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

5.0

This book is actually haunting me, and it’s all I can think about. I loved learning about these characters from the POV of Richard (but I desperately need Camilla’s POV) because I also felt like I was trying to make it in the group as an outsider. Trying to figure out the subtle glances or dialogue between characters reminded me of meeting a group of very close people for the first time and not fully understanding their relationships but still being mesmerized by them.

But if you want loveable, sweet characters, and a reliable narrator, this is not the book! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Incest

Minor: Rape

faithemt's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad 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

3.5

full review can be found here: 
Highly literary; quite intellectual yet dark; very slow paced.  Characters drove me nuts. I mean come on already!!

https://goldintheclouds-faith.blogspot.com/2024/07/2024-book-review-30the-secret-history.html

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Racism, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Toxic friendship

fkshg8465's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

I loved The Goldfinch and was expecting to love this one too, but instead, I’m unclear why this book was such a big deal. The whole time, I keep wondering if this book inspired Shonda Rhimes into How to Get Away with Murder, and like that TV show, I hated the premise of the plot and still watched every episode and read every page, and in the end, all I am left is to wonder why I did.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

brivie's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

This book has become one of my favorites!!! I love the found family trope but this was done in such a unique way. I love how Richard (the narrator) isn't as involved in the secrets of the story and this reminded me of Nick from The Great Gatsby. The end made me close the book shut and reflect before I left myself move on to the epilogue. The dark academia vibes in this book are unmatched!!! The exposition and descriptions of the characters always created such a vivid image in my mind. Such a stunningly dark story that I fell in love with!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment

csmoke85's review against another edition

dark sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Murder

Moderate: Gun violence, Incest, and Grief

amandag's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Alcohol

Moderate: Addiction, Self harm, Suicide, and Murder

Minor: Alcoholism, Homophobia, Violence, and Toxic friendship

jenpurlteach's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, and Alcohol

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Murder

Minor: Incest, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship

bookishfabledfiction's review against another edition

challenging dark funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Antisemitism, Medical content, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism

itsbumley's review against another edition

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicide, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Classism

Minor: Rape

coralynski's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism