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kassholla's review against another edition
4.0
4/5 stars: only docking a star for writing style/chapter length (a person preference; the sentences and chapters are too long for my liking)
This is one of the most highlightable/quotable books I’ve ever read. I was entranced from the beginning, and have to say that the Prologue and Epilogue are my favorite parts in retrospect. The story beginning with Bunny and ending with Henry is disturbingly poetic.
I did have many mixed emotions reading this. I knew Bunny would die, and I knew it would be at the hands of those he called “friends”, but I still struggled to empathize with him. I actually made a note on my kindle asking when he would die, (he had been making awful remarks about Camilla), and was on my last nerve. I did empathize with him though, after he died. When the details emerged about his neck, shoe, and glasses. When I saw his family mourning. I think the author did an excellent job making me dislike, but still appreciate his character.
I marked Richard as an unreliable narrator from very early on. Richard’s insomnia, drug habit, and excessive drinking make him unreliable even to the events he self-witnessed. I adore this flaw though, because now my mind can run with theories and unanswered questions.
-Did Henry poison Charles?
-What did Henry whisper to Camilla?
-How, exactly, did the farmer die?
-Was Henry plotting from the moment he met Richard, or just the moment the farmer died?
-Did Charles actually hurt Camilla, or did Henry?
The reality this book has left with me is simple: I don’t like anyone by the end. There is no justice, and they don’t deserve peace. They’re all bad people. In some ways the same, and in others different.
I also have to applaud the author for her descriptions of insomnia, depression, and anxiety. As someone who has struggled with all of the above, it’s rare that I find myself able to describe the feeling in words as beautifully and devastatingly as she did. I’ve included some of my favorite quotes in this review.
This is one of the most highlightable/quotable books I’ve ever read. I was entranced from the beginning, and have to say that the Prologue and Epilogue are my favorite parts in retrospect. The story beginning with Bunny and ending with Henry is disturbingly poetic.
I did have many mixed emotions reading this. I knew Bunny would die, and I knew it would be at the hands of those he called “friends”, but I still struggled to empathize with him. I actually made a note on my kindle asking when he would die, (he had been making awful remarks about Camilla), and was on my last nerve. I did empathize with him though, after he died. When the details emerged about his neck, shoe, and glasses. When I saw his family mourning. I think the author did an excellent job making me dislike, but still appreciate his character.
I marked Richard as an unreliable narrator from very early on. Richard’s insomnia, drug habit, and excessive drinking make him unreliable even to the events he self-witnessed. I adore this flaw though, because now my mind can run with theories and unanswered questions.
-Did Henry poison Charles?
-What did Henry whisper to Camilla?
-How, exactly, did the farmer die?
-Was Henry plotting from the moment he met Richard, or just the moment the farmer died?
-Did Charles actually hurt Camilla, or did Henry?
The reality this book has left with me is simple: I don’t like anyone by the end. There is no justice, and they don’t deserve peace. They’re all bad people. In some ways the same, and in others different.
I also have to applaud the author for her descriptions of insomnia, depression, and anxiety. As someone who has struggled with all of the above, it’s rare that I find myself able to describe the feeling in words as beautifully and devastatingly as she did. I’ve included some of my favorite quotes in this review.
saraprice's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- 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
aprildawnnc's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
snoopy_8's review against another edition
dark
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
cr1ppl3d's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.75
sweetsunbleached's review against another edition
5.0
i will be thinking about this book for the rest of my life
i_need_new_books's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
sailinginthetea's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- 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? Yes
5.0
whatkatisreading's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-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? Yes
4.0
‘A Secret History’ by Donna Tartt, published in 1992, is credited with birthing dark academia. As a fan of the genre, experiencing this tale of eccentricism, class, charisma, ancient languages, divinity and warped morality was long overdue! I listened to the audiobook which was read by the author.
The good:
- The characters were all unique, distinctive and intriguing. I found Julian captivating, Richard relatable and Bunny excruciating
- The vibes were so dark and strong throughout
- The New England setting was beautiful, intensely described and impactful to the story
- Having read this so late, I saw the inspiration for so many parts of some of the tremendous books that live rent-free in my head… from recent read ‘The Four’ by Ellie Keel to one of my all-time faves ‘The Likeness’ by Tana French
The “meh”:
- This book was LONG… finishing it definitely felt like a marathon; the slow burning mystery was not suspenseful enough to have me sprinting through
- The narration on the audiobook could have been improved - I found some of Tartt’s interpretations of the characters’ vocals very distracting and wish I had read on kindle instead
The conclusion:
The influential nature of this book and the lyrical, transcendent writing style mean it was ultimately a four star read for me!
The good:
- The characters were all unique, distinctive and intriguing. I found Julian captivating, Richard relatable and Bunny excruciating
- The vibes were so dark and strong throughout
- The New England setting was beautiful, intensely described and impactful to the story
- Having read this so late, I saw the inspiration for so many parts of some of the tremendous books that live rent-free in my head… from recent read ‘The Four’ by Ellie Keel to one of my all-time faves ‘The Likeness’ by Tana French
The “meh”:
- This book was LONG… finishing it definitely felt like a marathon; the slow burning mystery was not suspenseful enough to have me sprinting through
- The narration on the audiobook could have been improved - I found some of Tartt’s interpretations of the characters’ vocals very distracting and wish I had read on kindle instead
The conclusion:
The influential nature of this book and the lyrical, transcendent writing style mean it was ultimately a four star read for me!