Scan barcode
mel_s_bookshelf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Gun violence, Incest, and Panic attacks/disorders
hannahlberg's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism
stierwood'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
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
vnfhcxksiw's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Drug use, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
clevermird's review against another edition
- 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
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.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Blood, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Incest, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Outing, and Classism
melliedm'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
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual content, Islamophobia, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
Minor: Rape
bleepbloop's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Suicide, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Blood, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Classism
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, and Dementia
em_gauts'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: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Outing, and Gaslighting
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Stalking
maryamgo9909's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Bullying, Chronic illness, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Gaslighting, and Classism
Minor: Abandonment
andreadelo'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
4.75
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Violence, Vomit, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, and Murder
Moderate: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Grief, Medical trauma, Outing, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail