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hannahlberg's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
4.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Homophobia, Gun violence, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Incest, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, Death, and Classism
abibliophobic_nerd's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
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
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: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Incest, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Drug abuse, Self harm, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death, Religious bigotry, Addiction, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Animal death, Classism, Islamophobia, Sexual content, Racism, Animal cruelty, and Homophobia
Minor: Rape
ritugp01'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
4.75
The novel has been described as "a murder mystery in reverse." While this is a perfect description, the book is also a deep look in how easily murder occurs, even in seemingly normal people, as long as one opens themselves to the possibility.
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Death, Drug abuse, Sexism, Misogyny, Addiction, Cursing, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Car accident, Classism, Gaslighting, Excrement, Murder, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Ableism, Antisemitism, Self harm, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Suicide
queerloras's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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: Murder, Toxic relationship, Classism, Animal cruelty, Alcohol, Blood, Gaslighting, Death, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic friendship
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: Racism, Alcoholism, Addiction, Classism, Homophobia, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Death, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Alcohol, Grief, Racial slurs, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Animal death, and Drug use
Moderate: Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Incest, and Outing
Minor: Sexual assault, Stalking, and Rape
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: Emotional abuse, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Gaslighting, Racial slurs, Bullying, Chronic illness, Drug use, and Homophobia
Minor: Abandonment
lotoblanco'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
5.0
Graphic: Drug use, Animal cruelty, Blood, Bullying, Gaslighting, Incest, Murder, Suicide, and Alcoholism
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: Alcoholism, Drug use, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Addiction, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Incest, Murder, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Death, Suicide attempt, Gore, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, and Medical content
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: 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