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tea_kettle'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
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Physical abuse, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, and Classism
Minor: Animal death, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Sexual content, Antisemitism, and Death of parent
alexandrabelze'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
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Islamophobia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Vomit, Antisemitism, Stalking, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Cancer, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Rape, and Death of parent
ambdocksey22'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Biphobia, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Outing, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
micromedbh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Homophobia, Violence, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, Suicide, Grief, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Blood, Car accident, and Death of parent
noo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Drug use, Homophobia, Incest, Suicide, Blood, Grief, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Animal death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Kidnapping, Car accident, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
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
jessfastlane'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: Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Homophobia, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Forced institutionalization, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, and Stalking
Minor: Domestic abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Antisemitism, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
rosaleekarisma's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Suicide, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, Homophobia, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Gaslighting
Minor: Domestic abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Rape, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Car accident, and Death of parent
intrusive thoughtsnicoleme1212'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
eliever'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
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Racism, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, Incest, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Self harm, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Eating disorder, Rape, and Death of parent