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mrs_elliott19's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.25
Blurb:
Under the influence of their charismatic classics professor, a group of clever, eccentric misfits at an elite New England college discover a way of thinking and living that is a world away from the humdrum existence of their contemporaries. But when they go beyond the boundaries of morality, their lives are changed profoundly and for ever.
The Secret History is a story of two parts; the chain of events that led to the death of a classmate—and what happened next.
Thoughts:
Let me start off my review my saying I simple picked up this book due to seeing people gush about it over and over on instagram, and the fact that it was first published the year I was born.
I’m not gonna lie, it took me a longggg time to read it, simply because the first half was almost so boring I almost didn’t finish it.
But, in the end, I am glad I did. It is incredible slow at the beginning I will admit, but in the end, I am glad I stuck threw and finished its.
Content Warnings: Murder, Alcoholism, Suicide, Incest, Racist Slurs, Toxic Relationships, Drugs, Addiction, Animal Death, Bullying, A Little Sexual Contact, Hate Crime, Toxic Friendships – to list a few, you can find more on StoryGraph.
Graphic: Self harm, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gun violence, Grief, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Drug abuse, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Stalking, Sexual content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Racism, Racial slurs, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Incest, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Death
elizabeth_lepore's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Bullying, Drug use, Sexism, Alcoholism, Classism, Death, Drug abuse, Addiction, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Homophobia, and Murder
Moderate: Gun violence, Incest, Ableism, Gaslighting, Racial slurs, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Rape, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail
hunnybeemarie's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
It also discusses death and fate, isolation and knowledge, control and obsession, class and wealth. The way that Donna Tartt is able to weave so many themes into one book is phenomenal to see. There is never a point in which this book feels scattered or like it's doing too much. It keeps you enthralled from beginning to end.
This book is a masterclass in writing and intrigue. The fact that the "main event" doesn't happen until halfway through the book, but you are interested for all of the pages beforehand and all of the pages afterward, is quite a unique feat.
I finally feel complete in my dark academic dreams having finally read this book all the way through. I started it once before when I was 13. I got about halfway through and I actually annotated it back then! They are the ugliest annotations I've ever seen and it was pretty funny to be able to see them. I think I thought I was pretty clever lol 😂 I don't know where I got half of the things that I wrote down back then from! The most random, kind of pretentious annotations 💀
All in all, I loved reading and annotating this book, and it absolutely lives up to the hype. There are a few things that felt a little odd or unnecessary to me that are keeping me from giving it a full five stars, therefore I'm giving the secret history a still VERY good 4.75 ⭐
(Please look up the trigger warnings before reading this book)
Graphic: Alcohol, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Suicide, Racism, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Classism, Death, Drug use, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Antisemitism, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Incest, Animal death, Gun violence, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, Medical content, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
_gabi_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Gun violence, Racism, Homophobia, Murder, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Addiction, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Incest
capricornrisingbby's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Classism, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Racial slurs, Incest, Murder, Antisemitism, Homophobia, Racism, Islamophobia, and Blood
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Rape
bronzeageholly's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Infidelity, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Classism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Incest, Addiction, Blood, Grief, and Mental illness
Moderate: Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Antisemitism, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Mental illness, Medical content, Sexual content, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Racial slurs, and Gun violence
gretag's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Antisemitism, Bullying, Car accident, Classism, Drug abuse, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Outing, Homophobia, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Medical content and Vomit
alite428's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Alcoholism, Classism, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Violence, Addiction, Antisemitism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, and Toxic relationship
nialiversuch's review against another edition
- 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
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
megwesley's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Addiction, Alcohol, and Gun violence
Moderate: Classism