Reviews with content warning for Rape - Le Maître des illusions

This was an amazing read. Tartt knows how to capture her readers, make them root for her characters, make them accomplices of her characters, but also reminds us of their dark sides. Overall it was a very well-rounded story and even though I did not know what I expected from the ending, I was satisfied with it.

The only reason why this book does not get 5/5⭐️ is because the pace was a little too slow for my liking, making me wonder why I was reading about all of that in such great depth, especially in Book 2, and because not all of my questions have been answered.

But that's the most spectacular aspect of the book: you're not sure yourself how much you've been played.

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pastelbread's review against another edition

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dark emotional inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

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sophiaxscherm's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

4.0

There were times I was so entirely hooked but unfortunately also times that bored me. I really didn't like all the police and FBI stuff and couldn't wait till that part of the book was over. Everything before this part had me in such a grip, the way this exclusive group of students is depicted, their relationship to one another and to their teacher Julian and how Richard becomes part of the group and is woven into it is just great. What I think is fascinating about this book is how you not just see how the story unfolds through Richard's eyes but you also get to be a part of how he learns more about his friends and looses his fascination for them. It is unbelievable how much I thought I loved all of those characters in the beginning but realised how flawed all of them were, flawed being an immense underestimation here bc somehow all of them are really terrible people; how the complexity of their group is portrayed and they have no reason to trust anyone of each other though them being so exclusive and separated from most their peers.

Henry killing himself in the end is so fitting and a good ending, however, I was a bit underhelmed. What I hated most about the end is how Richard still tries to win Camilla over, not just because the way he is being humiliated by Camilla when she tells him that she still loves Henry, but also because I felt like something clicked in Richard when he learned about this disgusting Camilla and Charles stuff and also that she kind of played with Richard all the time, I expected more of him and this really frustrates me.

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0live_tr33's review against another edition

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dark mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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gothmiku's review against another edition

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dark mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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gravitybreaker's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? N/A
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

"I am nothing in my soul if not obsessive."

I do understand, where the hype for this book is coming from. Donna Tartt is a master of words. Just the way, she has crafted her prose and atmosphere to experience, is in my opinion nearly perfection. Even though, I do understand, it doesn't quite hit the mark for me.
I am glad, I went into this book, without knowing anything about it and without any expectations. In retrospect, I think, I would have been disappointed otherwise, because the blurb and the title are suggesting something to me, they are not. It's neither plot nor character driven, but purely based on that specific atmosphere and aesthetics of academia.
So for anyone who is thinking of picking up this book, I would recommend the same: go into it blindly and with an open mind, and just experience the story. And keep in my mind, the story is told by an unreliable and pretentious narrator, who is obsessed with aesthetics. And I think knowing that while reading, you would probably see the story in a different and more enjoyable lense.

"a morbid longing of the picturesque at all costs"

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moonheavn's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This might just be the best book I've ever read. I'm still kind of processing the last 70 pages but I will try to sum my feelings up.
First of all: The PLOT TWISTS!! I don't think I ever read something that made me stare at the pages in disbelief so many times.
Secondly: I LOOOOVE the pace in which this is written, I think it includes everything it has to include, it's not too detailed when it doesn’t need to be, and it's also not the kind of book which glances over everything and suddenly focuses on things that aren't relevant to the story.
Finding such a long book with this rapid pace is the best thing ever, I was afraid I was going to get bored, but the book is just so well written that it kept me reading and reading every single day.
Third: I'm still kind of disturbed by how much I loved this book, considering one of the main characters is not another thing but a psychopath.
And lastly: This is the most beautifully written thriller I've read. It's amazing. Enchanting. Showstopping.

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