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m_mentu's review against another edition
dark
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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
keirr_a's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
agwood32's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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
4.75
Writing? Gorg. Characters? Assholes.
eyvindr's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
«The Secret History» by Donna Tartt is a book that's almost impossible for me to rate. I'm genuinely torn. On one hand, I found myself disliking many aspects of it. Richard, the protagonist, and most of the other characters were hard to connect with. The more I learned about them, the more I disliked them. They seemed so self-serving and pretentious. Richard’s relentless desire to escape his past and reinvent himself initially made sense—but did he really need to go to such extremes?
Bunny was another character who left me bewildered. His homophobic, antisemitic, and misogynistic comments were appalling, making him incredibly unlikeable. Yet, these ugly traits are reflective of the real world. We can still encounter these unpleasant attitudes in our daily lives—which is horrible. The scene where the car repairman made anti-Islamic remarks on live television, trying to frame innocent people, was particularly disturbing. It served as a stark reminder of the cruelty and bigotry that exist in society.
The book is undeniably long and progresses at a slow pace. If you decide to read it, be prepared for a gradual build-up. There isn’t a significant excitement curve, but despite this, I found myself unable to stop listening. The beginning of the book, especially the old Greek professor Julian’s classes, was captivating. His philosophical and psychological lectures were intellectually stimulating and provided plenty of food for thought. I was disappointed these moments were few and far between. However, it was fascinating to see how Julian subtly manipulated this exclusive group of friends, pulling the strings behind the scenes (these are at least my thoughts).
The dynamics within the group were complex and often toxic. Their interactions, filled with a mix of admiration, jealousy, and betrayal, painted a vivid picture of how close bonds can lead to destruction.
Despite its flaws, «The Secret History» is a profound exploration of human nature, morality, and the darker sides of academia. The rich, descriptive prose draws you into a world that is both alluring and repellent. The characters, though unlikeable, are deeply human, each with their own motivations and flaws.
In summary, «The Secret History» is a complex, thought-provoking novel that portrays the darker aspects of society and human nature. It’s a slow burn with deeply flawed characters and an intricate plot. While my feelings about it are mixed, it’s undoubtedly a book that will linger in your mind long after you’ve finished it, prompting reflection on its themes and characters.
Bunny was another character who left me bewildered. His homophobic, antisemitic, and misogynistic comments were appalling, making him incredibly unlikeable. Yet, these ugly traits are reflective of the real world. We can still encounter these unpleasant attitudes in our daily lives—which is horrible. The scene where the car repairman made anti-Islamic remarks on live television, trying to frame innocent people, was particularly disturbing. It served as a stark reminder of the cruelty and bigotry that exist in society.
The book is undeniably long and progresses at a slow pace. If you decide to read it, be prepared for a gradual build-up. There isn’t a significant excitement curve, but despite this, I found myself unable to stop listening. The beginning of the book, especially the old Greek professor Julian’s classes, was captivating. His philosophical and psychological lectures were intellectually stimulating and provided plenty of food for thought. I was disappointed these moments were few and far between. However, it was fascinating to see how Julian subtly manipulated this exclusive group of friends, pulling the strings behind the scenes (these are at least my thoughts).
The dynamics within the group were complex and often toxic. Their interactions, filled with a mix of admiration, jealousy, and betrayal, painted a vivid picture of how close bonds can lead to destruction.
Despite its flaws, «The Secret History» is a profound exploration of human nature, morality, and the darker sides of academia. The rich, descriptive prose draws you into a world that is both alluring and repellent. The characters, though unlikeable, are deeply human, each with their own motivations and flaws.
In summary, «The Secret History» is a complex, thought-provoking novel that portrays the darker aspects of society and human nature. It’s a slow burn with deeply flawed characters and an intricate plot. While my feelings about it are mixed, it’s undoubtedly a book that will linger in your mind long after you’ve finished it, prompting reflection on its themes and characters.
chaelv's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- 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? Yes
4.0
izaradioread's review against another edition
dark
funny
informative
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
4.75
sophielaura1's review
slow-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
4.75
4.75 stars ✨
This was so so close to being a 5 stars. It would’ve been a 5 stars if the pacing hadn’t been so slow in the second half.
Whilst reading I was like “yeah, this is good, but I don’t love it” , but when I was finished I was just left with an indescribable feeling. This one is going to stick with me forever.
There are so many things that I will never forget about. Richard almost dying because he was too nervous to ask for help?! He still felt inferior right to the end, you can never beat those class differences. To piggyback off of this, Richard was definitely correct in describing himself as a bystander. I absolutely viewed him as a side character the entire time even though the whole story is told from his perspective. What I found to be totally mind boggling was that Richard describes himself as a very good liar……..it just warped my entire interpretation of the story.
The entire class (all 6 of them) were so obsessed with Julian because of their own family problems lmao 💀. Speaking of Julian, he is really a minor character physically throughout, but in retrospect, he was at the centre of it all. The unknowing, external mastermind.
The writing was so so exquisite. I annotated A LOT. The perfect way to describe this book (using a quote from the book), is ‘Morbid longing for the picturesque’.
In totality, they were just sad, lonely people who idealised their reality because it was too hard for them to accept the truth.
This was so so close to being a 5 stars. It would’ve been a 5 stars if the pacing hadn’t been so slow in the second half.
Whilst reading I was like “yeah, this is good, but I don’t love it” , but when I was finished I was just left with an indescribable feeling. This one is going to stick with me forever.
There are so many things that I will never forget about. Richard almost dying because he was too nervous to ask for help?! He still felt inferior right to the end, you can never beat those class differences. To piggyback off of this, Richard was definitely correct in describing himself as a bystander. I absolutely viewed him as a side character the entire time even though the whole story is told from his perspective. What I found to be totally mind boggling was that Richard describes himself as a very good liar……..it just warped my entire interpretation of the story.
The entire class (all 6 of them) were so obsessed with Julian because of their own family problems lmao 💀. Speaking of Julian, he is really a minor character physically throughout, but in retrospect, he was at the centre of it all. The unknowing, external mastermind.
The writing was so so exquisite. I annotated A LOT. The perfect way to describe this book (using a quote from the book), is ‘Morbid longing for the picturesque’.
In totality, they were just sad, lonely people who idealised their reality because it was too hard for them to accept the truth.