Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Tajemna historia by Donna Tartt

53 reviews

elisabeth_with_an_ess's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

My first impulse when I started reading this book was to tell all the characters to drink some water and take a nap. That impulse strengthened all the way to the final page. Never have I been so irritated by a cast of characters, and also so compelled to see what they would do next. 

The Secret History is a story about murder, but the who and what are revealed right from the start. What remains is a fascinating, twisted exploration of the why and how. The writing is brilliant, at times making me feel as if I myself had committed the crime.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Suicide, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Drug abuse, Suicide attempt, Incest, Alcoholism, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Classism, and Bullying

Minor: Child abuse, Eating disorder, Car accident, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Forced institutionalization

laurajordensharris's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Racial slurs, Violence, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Murder, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Alcohol, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Animal death, Antisemitism, Blood, Incest, Mental illness, Classism, Cursing, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, and Homophobia

siennakt30's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Physical abuse, Sexism, Addiction, Bullying, Car accident, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Domestic abuse, Classism, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Self harm, Gun violence, Incest, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Drug abuse, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Blood, Cancer, Death, Drug use, Alcoholism, Cursing, Rape, Animal death, and Eating disorder

gheddi's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Suicide, Death of parent, Addiction, and Alcohol

idajoh's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

I've never once in my life wanted to analyze a book actively and in-debth before I read this book. I feel like I have to re-read to catch all the nuances

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Medical content, Suicide, Drug use, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Drug abuse, Incest, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide attempt, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Classism, Cursing, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Animal cruelty, Mental illness, Car accident, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Rape, Self harm, and Sexual content

nialiversuch's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Mental illness, Classism, Cursing, Drug use, Gun violence, Incest, Vomit, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Antisemitism, Blood, Bullying, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexism, Violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Xenophobia

Minor: Domestic abuse

ienbdri's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cursing, and Death

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Grief, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Violence, Emotional abuse, Vomit, Animal death, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Homophobia, Toxic friendship, Animal cruelty, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Sexism, Misogyny, and Suicidal thoughts

njesenicka26's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? No

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Islamophobia, Alcohol, Blood, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Racism, Violence, Toxic relationship, Gun violence, Alcoholism, Death, and Murder

Moderate: Incest, Suicide, and Murder

Minor: Chronic illness, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Animal cruelty, Car accident, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical trauma, and Grief

becreadsbooks_'s review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

5.0

So sick and twisted I wanna punch Donna Tartt.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Cursing, Drug abuse, Dysphoria, Infidelity, Medical content, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Incest, Medical trauma, Murder, Self harm, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Violence, Blood, Child death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Car accident, Classism, and Death

readinghavoc's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

I really enjoyed this book – it was dense at times and intimidatingly long, but the pay-off is well worth it. Kept me on the edge of my seat and continuously shocked me. The first hundred pages dragged and I almost put it down, but I'm so glad I didn't. The last 100 pages alone more than make up for it. The characters were hard for me to connect to because they were so pretentious but as you progress through the book it becomes clear that that serves its own purposes in the story. Super bizarre story, would recommend it to someone looking for a really thoroughly laid out thriller who doesn't mind making the investment for a big thrill. Interested to read some of Tartt's other work (after some easier, quicker reads lol).

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death, Violence, Addiction, Body horror, Incest, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Sexual content, Cursing, Suicide, Gore, Mental illness, Gun violence, Alcohol, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, Drug use, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Domestic abuse, Blood, Grief, Gaslighting, Classism, Suicide attempt, Animal death, Sexism, and Infidelity

Minor: Animal death, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Outing, Sexual harassment, Animal cruelty, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Toxic friendship