Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

453 reviews

ducktofu's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Grief, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Classism, Addiction, Murder, Suicide, Gun violence, and Drug use

Moderate: Cursing, Homophobia, Blood, Animal cruelty, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Misogyny, Alcoholism, Animal death, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, and Incest

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

lotties_corner's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective 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

I don’t think that I have ever encountered a piece of art or literature that makes murder seem excusable based purely on aesthetic and convenience grounds. Donna Tartt not only encircles the reader in a richly descriptive corner of her creation, but encapsulates the very art of being human through her characters.

This book is clearly also a critique of the hyper-intellectual complacency and arrogance of many classics students and other members of academia who consider themselves above the rules of society on account of their own perceived superior intelligence and judgment. It is a slippery slope when one believes that their own intelligence and judgment outweighs that of common morals and societal standards and Tartt portrays this ‘fatal flaw’ impeccably.

With such an unreliable narrator but such an enthralling plot, one cannot help but be dragged into the complicated dynamics of this dysfunctional friend group. It also helps that Henry, the glue of the group is such an intriguing character himself.

I was worried that this book would not live up to my expectations, created by such raving reviews from family and friends. However, I knew I would love The Secret History from before I even finished it. It is almost sad to me that this was not Tartt’s second work as I do believe that had it been, she would’ve won the Pulitzer as having read the Goldfinch, I now believe The Secret History to be her superior work.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Death and Blood

Minor: Incest, Alcohol, and Drug use

iordanmoore's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• 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

3.75

Gorgeous prose, but a slow read. Worth staying with book until the end.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Drug abuse, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death, Murder, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Addiction, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Cursing, Blood, Emotional abuse, and Domestic abuse

s000ul3's review against another edition

dark 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death of parent, Sexism, Homophobia, Toxic friendship, Classism, Misogyny, Alcoholism, Incest, Sexual violence, Blood, Violence, Addiction, Suicide attempt, Animal cruelty, Antisemitism, Gun violence, and Drug use

bookishfaye's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• 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

2.0

This book is very comparable to movie Saltburn in the sense that they both tragically fail at representing and continue to perpetuate the issues they are meant to be commentaries of. This very much reads like it was written by a rich white nepo baby & I have so many issues with it. Pretty much every -ism/-obia occurs in here in super unnecessary & gross ways & it got to the point where I was only holding on to be able to say that i’ve read it. The second star is because I’ll give Donna the grace that at times there’s some really good quotes in here, & I found Henry to be a pretty well written character, but quite frankly fuck this book overall. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Ableism, Islamophobia, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Violence, Murder, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Racism, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Antisemitism, Blood, Classism, Sexism, Suicide, Gun violence, Addiction, Drug use, Fatphobia, Homophobia, and Toxic friendship

lucyford's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book was SO GOOD. I don’t even know how to describe it in a way that truly encapsulates everything good about it. The plot is so well-written, and is really brought to life by the amazing writing style and slight poetic element to it, and all the atmospheres she creates just feel so real. Not to mention the foreshadowing (when you’re reading, you know it’s foreshadowing to something but you don’t know what it’s foreshadowing to, which is just so cool), and the fact that you’re always wondering how the story is possibly going to progress from point A to point B. The characters are all so complicated and interesting, and the themes of the books are very philosophical which makes the book all the more interesting. Overall, 10/10 read, absolutely exceeded my expectations. (ALSO THE ENDING??? CAUGHT ME SO OFF GUARD OMG)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, Gaslighting, Murder, Suicide, Body horror, Addiction, Alcohol, Mental illness, Grief, Death, Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Vomit, Gore, Sexism, Drug abuse, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, Cursing, Drug use, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, and Medical content

Minor: Animal death, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Car accident, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Rape, Stalking, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

doormatt's review against another edition

mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

To start off with telling you they murder the guy and then to still have a very tense twist end? Ooof highly recommend 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Addiction, Death, Gun violence, Incest, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Self harm, and Blood

Moderate: Antisemitism, Grief, and Homophobia

Minor: Infidelity

dhritidipa7's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Antisemitism, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Violence, Body horror, Bullying, Drug use, Physical abuse, Blood, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Animal death, Eating disorder, Incest, Islamophobia, Murder, Racial slurs, Suicide attempt, Death, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Animal cruelty, Gun violence, Homophobia, Sexism, Religious bigotry, and Toxic relationship

author_aryoung's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Incest, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Self harm, Death, Blood, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicide

rachelnoel's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Animal death, Grief, Death, Suicide, Murder, Animal cruelty, Alcoholism, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcohol, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Racism, Antisemitism, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Mental illness, Self harm, Addiction, Blood, and Drug use

Minor: Incest, Gore, and Car accident