A review by thewildbookworm
The Secret History by Donna Tartt

dark mysterious tense slow-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

3.5

Really, the funny thing, no one in this book is likeable, but they certainly are interesting--most notably, Bunny and Henry. Richard, our main character, is a bit boring but I actually don't mind Tartt's choice to make someone comparably bland the main character. He acts as almost a clean slate for the other people in his life to mold, and they do. Richard is passive and amiable to pretty much anything, as long as he remains included in the group. From his eyes, we can understand the other characters and why they do what they do, and why he is so agreeable to it, even while not agreeing with it ourselves. This is a book that left me thinking about it for a while after--interesting, certainly, but also feeling a vague sense of moral violation.
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