Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

127 reviews

alexiconic's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Nailed the dark academia atmosphere, with great nods to casual Greek or Latin but also to the mythological heritage of the classics, the epic and divine, a study on arrogance and feeling superior, and of course, a murder. Don’t entirely enjoy the characters and I also don’t find them very interesting so that part fell rather flat. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Suicide, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Antisemitism, Classism, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Death, Drug use, Toxic friendship, and Bullying

madelinequinne's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

although this took me almost a month to read (damn you terrible attention span!), i absolutely loved this book! I spent so much of the story not knowing which character to trust and trying to work out if Bunny was truly the ‘bad guy’ or maybe just someone who was scared of his friends and what they were capable of? The descriptions and writing in this book is absolutely beautiful and i highly recommend it!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Classism, Cursing, Grief, Homophobia, Incest, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Sexism

cnpierce08's review against another edition

dark 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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Murder, Racial slurs, Mental illness, Self harm, Alcoholism, Bullying, Addiction, Drug use, Gun violence, Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Racism, Death, and Drug abuse

vnfhcxksiw's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Classism, Drug use, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Physical abuse

Minor: Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Blood, Bullying, Car accident, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Violence, Alcoholism, Animal death, Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, Gun violence, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Incest, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Rape, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts

clevermird's review against another edition

dark 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

4.25

The latest entry in my quest to read the great classics of Western literature, The Secret History was billed to me as a "modern classic", which often sets me worried - I often do not like "modern classics". But to my surprise, not only was this book not a drag, but I was sucked into the world and found myself really enjoying it. 

Eager to get away from his boring, tense home life in California, Richard Papen gets a scholarship to Hampden College and moves to Virginia. There, he joins the Classical Studies program and gets to know the tiny, insular department: charismatic, old-fashioned professor Julian; eccentric genius  Henry; anxious, dissolute Francis; friendly, alcoholic Charles; his sister, the cool, enigmatic Camilla; and extroverted freeloader Bunny. But by the very first chapter, we know this story can only end badly as Bunny is murdered by the rest of the students for reasons unknown. The rest of the book elaborates on the situation - what led five seemingly normal college students to commit cold-blooded murder? What other secrets are they hiding? And how will they live with themselves afterword?

There's a lot this book does right. The characters are complex, interesting, and full of very human contradictions. The prose is well-done and enjoyable to read and Tartt makes several jabs at academia that I found amusing as a former member of that subculture myself. However, the book isn't perfect, either. The writing, while overall well done, does feel a bit full of itself at times. Some of that is the narrator's personality, but it does get grating at times. Additionally, the book drags at points, even for a slow-paced character study. 

Overall, however, a fascinating look at the dark side of academia, the facades that people put up, and what can drive seemingly normal people to desperate ends. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Classism, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Incest, Outing, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Physical abuse, Racism, and Sexism

abibliophobic_nerd's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Addiction, Drug abuse, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Medical content, Murder, Suicide, Death, Alcoholism, Blood, and Mental illness

Moderate: Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Body horror, Bullying, Incest, and Islamophobia

james1star's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

The Secret History is undoubtedly a very well written and theorised book, Tartt gifts us, in my opinion, the perfect balance of plot and character analysis alongside some truly exquisite passages. Without including many spoilers, all I can say for the plot is we follow the student Richard Papen as he tells the story of his time at Hampden College in Vermont. Not wanting to neglect the Greek he had previously studied, he joins the cohort headed by the odd teacher that is Julian, becoming close to him and his fellow classmates: Henry, Francis, Edmund (Bunny) and the twins Charles and Camilla. This group who I called ‘the Greeks’ in my notes lead fairly strange lives from fellow students at the college but one that certainly intrigues Richard. And then things happen… 

This is for sure a Big Brain Energy book: there’s untranslated Ancient Greek, Latin and French in it, multi-syntaxes sentences containing ‘()’s ‘-‘s and lists within, parts inferred and much more. So whilst it’s not the most accessible and definitely makes you think, it’s still an enjoyable reading experience. Some parts went over my head but I did feel a bit intelligent I guess reading it. This may put some people off and I get that but personally I could follow well enough and enjoyed the engagement of my brain at times. The way Tartt pulls it all together with a multilayered plot and very nuanced characters shows her BBE off, she clearly knows her stuff and I guess wanted to show this off - however, the story and flow isn’t negatively impacted in doing so. I absolutely loved how parts were pieced together and everything just clicks in place, so so good! 

The characters are primarily unlikable but you get to know them so well and in such depth that at times you do root for them, in essence wanting the baddies to get away with it. But they are jarringgggggggg. Like wow did they annoy me and it does get quite repetitive at points too. I think Bunny was the character I liked least and Francis most but there is nuance for days in this book. The developments, analysis and interactions between the characters is all done very well and intelligently so. 

The things I didn’t particularly like all that much was how about the page 400 mark I felt it was at a great ending point but then it kept on going… and going… and going. I still enjoyed these parts in terms of writing style but the actual events weren’t to my taste in all honestly with certain plot points, a major plot twist I didn’t see coming, didn’t really add up all that well. Therefore, the messages the book portrays weren’t the best specifically in terms of suicide and reasons why people are led to it - a bit too much was left to the imagination. I also felt in this final third that I had spent too long with these characters (I’m not accustomed to long books btw) and their annoying qualities shone out a bit too much. I’d say an enhanced epilogue might have been a better solution or thinning out this part of the book I’d have preferred. 

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book but look into the trigger warnings first as there are quite a few and know it’s written in a BBE pretentious way that might not appeal to everyone. I’m glad I read it and would be one I’d be interested in revisiting in a few years to see if I could get more out it. I’ve also just written this after finishing the book so I might add to this review in the coming days or possibly make a video for my YouTube channel. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Alcohol, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Classism, Drug use, Murder, and Drug abuse

Minor: Toxic friendship, Cursing, Sexism, Suicide, Racial slurs, Suicide attempt, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Homophobia, Incest, Racism, Blood, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts

maryamgo9909's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny informative mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Gaslighting, Racial slurs, Bullying, Chronic illness, Drug use, and Homophobia

Minor: Abandonment

lotoblanco's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Animal cruelty, Blood, Bullying, Gaslighting, Incest, Murder, Suicide, and Alcoholism

mirivii's review against another edition

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

4.25

I seldom engage in 300+ pages books, as I tend to be stuck with them even if I am not enjoying it –  just for the sake of finishing the story. So deciding to start The Secret History was a leap of hope.

I don't know what Donna Tartt laced these pages with ... probably cocaine? I could not put this book down. Had me reading at night, which has not happened since I was a teenager 🥴

The plot was beautifully built and her way of writing it's so captivating. Her views on how to build suspense are refreshing, and the fact that this is a 1992 novel speaks for itself.

Much like the main character Richard, the first half of the book is set up on adoring this clique of literary and elitist students. You want to (want to) be them, with them, as erudite as them. As their flaws come to light they are viewed as whimsical and exciting, just to add to the mystic aura that they project.

What I really liked: the disenchantment of Richard in the second part of the book – the way the spell was broken and just like an addict that stopped being elated by their presence, he sees the mess all around and within them. The god-adjacent portrait of the chosen humans; the analogies to classical myths; how Bunny flew too close to the sun and his fall.

What I wish we saw more of: The twins' psychology – they were both lambs until one of them turned wolf almost inexplicably. What really happened during the bacchanal and what is up with Julian.

For what concerns the bacchanal, I could even live without knowing what went down. As Richard says in the book, when he reads biographies of serial killers, they tend to fixate on the most mundane things instead of the villainous acts and desires. It could be kind of the same here – I admit that the whole bacchanal ordeal was far more fascinating to me than the murder.

Something that I cannot get over is Julian Morrow, described as this wise whisperer that fascinates the smarts and eludes the mundanes. And yet we see that he is merely a human too. How could Henry be so violently attached to such a haughty person? He could have surely seen beyond Julian's most superficial attitude and his pride. Is Julian supposed to be seen as the Christians' almighty God? Above everything, interested in nothing, incapable (or unwilling) of aid.

Anyway, glad that I stumbled upon the BBC's Donna Tartt interview as hearing her speak was what made be grab the book from my to-be-read shelf. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Mental illness, Murder, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Drug use, Death, Gaslighting, Incest, Suicide, Classism, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Homophobia, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Blood, Racism, and Racial slurs

Minor: Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, and Car accident