A review by anni_shall
The Secret History by Donna Tartt

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced
  • 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? It's complicated

4.75

I really love this book. There’s an emotional complexity to it where you are able to understand how the characters are feeling without empathizing and feeling it yourself. How Richard describes the greek student earns a yearning to be like them along with the consistent theme throughout the book that beauty is terror. As the book continues you get to see the terror throughout the idolize greek students.
Granted there are times when it feels like a drag to continue read there’s always a inlying philosophical aspect.  Beyond that part of its beauty is in how it’s dragged on. There is an extreme amount of detail put into every scene and character. At first we get a short glimpse of the surface of everyone then there’s a deep history put into even more minor characters.
I originally picked up this book for the popularity in social media, with the rise of dark academia while in reality this book is hardly anything media makes it out to be. It is far more complex and is more about critiquing an overly romanticized critical academic way of thinking. 
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