You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Scan barcode
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
dabaucherry's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
all the greek mythology references were like a cherry on top for me.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Suicide, Murder, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Medical content, Religious bigotry, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Animal death and Blood
mirivii's review against another edition
- 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 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.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Racial slurs, Racism, and Blood
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Car accident, and Death of parent
laurataylor's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Blood, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
helenamichelle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
juliaaayyyy'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
nat_pinche's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
At each time you read it you end up catching new details and nuances about the events that happend.
During the reading, the purpuse of the critic against the Academia itself is almost lost as you and the narrator become enchanted with the surroundings of the university, and the eccentric greek club (which the history centers).
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Biphobia, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Islamophobia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism
May cause addicition. You will think about it for a long time. Good luck.avciera7'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: Alcoholism, Suicide, Murder, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Incest, and Xenophobia
hefftbundle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
It is an excruciatingly slow book, but hard to put down. You want to know how it will end, even when you can guess at some parts. If you can hang on until the second half, it picks up in interest, but it still moves just as slow. Until about the last 50 pages, when it picks you up, spins you around, slaps you for good measure, and then gently sits you down and bids you a pleasant evening.
It has all the academic atmosphere and intrigue of Dead Poet's Society, and all the self-absorption and drudgery of Catcher in the Rye. If you like Salinger, you'll probably like this.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Rape
nicoleme1212's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Blood, Antisemitism, and Gaslighting
Minor: Eating disorder and Death of parent