A review by mellowreading
The Secret History by Donna Tartt

challenging dark emotional funny tense slow-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

This book became a 5 star for me only at its very end, around the last 50-70 pages but was still very good. I liked a lot of the tropes used and overall vibes. I worried it wouldn’t be suspenseful with the murder and perpetrators being revealed in the prologue, but there were many scenes after the murder took place that had my heart racing. Very fun and emotionally challenging read. I think Francis was the only character I didn’t have a love/hate relationship with.

The scene in Julians office had my blood pumping, I was saying “oh god, oh god” out loud. That scene alone alongisde the drastic exposition of what kinds of people the characters truly are elevated the book from a 4.75 to a 5 for me. Donna does such a good job of creating tension and introducing information in such a way that it jars you.
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