Reviews

3.5

I think the rating would be higher if I hadn't read The Secret History. Its hard to compete with Tartt. For the most part, everyone was pretty decent. Except for Richard. Richard was a massive egomaniac and dickhead. I probably shouldn't have read it in one go because now I have a raging headache and my eyes hurt. Overall, would still recommend. Its a fun book. #bl

ctlucas16's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad fast-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

3.5

An engrossing book, but also kinda a Secret History knock off and I could see the ending coming. I both liked and disliked the structure. If I had friends who constantly quoted Shakespeare, I would think they were insufferable. Definitely skipped past the actual Shakespeare quotes. Everyone needed therapy.

jesssicaweil's review against another edition

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4.0

One of my resolutions this year is to try to write some reviews! So here we go:

4.5 stars (spoilers ahead)

Based on the back cover copy, I went into this book thinking it was a thriller, only to find that it is actually a slower-paced dark academia. It’s not what I expected, but that’s not a bad thing! The pacing and atmosphere slowly draw you into this world to convince you that the characters’ deeply emotional responses to the events around them are, to them, the only possible responses. I mean…these students have been steeped in Shakespeare for 4+ years and live isolated on the campus of a cult-like arts college in the middle of the woods. (Been there, lol)

The first half is rather slow, but it picks up at 3.1 (for obvious reasons). I wish I had brushed up on my Shakespeare a little before reading—I sometimes got lost in the layering of texts and was reaching back to my HS education to follow. The book could do without so many Shakespeare quotes in place of dialogue, imo, and the long scenes re-enacting Shakespeare plays felt tedious, except when it really sounded like the characters talking instead of just reciting lines. For example, I loved how James and Oliver would communicate through subtle shifts in dialogue during the R+J and Lear scenes. (Those scenes broke my heart, but I loved them all the same!!)

As for plot: while I found the “murder mystery” rather predictable, the story maintained its intrigue by showing the characters, in true Shakespearean fashion, slowly dissolving into madness. The book is more about the characters’ reactions to

Spoiler

Richard’s death

rather than the act of murder itself. It is about the resulting guilt, grief, martyrdom, revenge, love…again, it is very Shakespeare.

“But that is how a tragedy like ours or King Lear breaks your heart—by making you believe that the ending might still be happy, until the very last minute.” (335)

Those last 15 pages were a roller coaster of emotions (predictable or not, the reveal of

Spoiler

James’ death

still made me cry), but I’m satisfied with the sliver of hope at the end. It’s giving Shawshank

Spoiler

(i.e. James is totally alive and I imagine him and Oliver ALSO meeting again at long last on a faraway beach, ofc).

The only thing I really disliked about this book was how terrible Oliver was to his sisters, but perhaps it’s meant to show his rejection of real life outside of a Shakespearean tragedy? Still mulling this one over.

Giving this 4.5 stars for the well-done emulation of a Shakespearean tragedy, the successful dark academia atmosphere, and its ability to bring me to tears despite being predictable (perhaps the most Shakespearean thing about this book!).

swyant42's review against another edition

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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? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

arosef1's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious 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? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

sarahamymcneil's review against another edition

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2.0

every person in this book sucks, in a way i didn't even know it was possible to make all of your characters suck

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