A review by jcoates
The Secret History by Donna Tartt

dark funny mysterious reflective tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

This dark academia story didn’t disappoint, though
I expected a cult organization driving Henry and crew into murder (depending on your perspective it might as well be).
 

More than the plot itself, I was drawn to the characters themselves. It was only after
Bunny was murdered, and we meet his family and learn the atmosphere he was raised in, that I felt remorse for losing such a colorful character, despite his shortcomings.


Tartt’s prose is very lyrical which made it easy to enjoy despite the slow pacing of the story. Some descriptions or word choices made me pause, though. Their use IMO are no longer politically correct so coming across them made me wonder what year the novel was written.

Overall, it’s a favorite dark academia novel for me.
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