A review by ifigeneiatsa
The Secret History by Donna Tartt

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I really enjoyed this book. Trying to piece out how/why the murder was committed and seeing its aftermath. I begun by really despising Bunny but soon I realized every single character is a bad person. That is the point. They all do horrible tings and are deeply flawed. Richard is also such an unreliable narrator. Most of the time he is aware of half of the things that are happening and he paints everyone in a god like manner, which hided their true identity and character. Henry was such an intriguing figure, always mysterious but also calculative. I was very surprised when he committed suicide. Although it perfectly fits the narrative, They way Henry idiolizes Julien, Richard idiolizes Henry. Charles was the biggest shock, which how he turned out to be an abusive drunk. Richard's narrating truly hid that well. Overall, I loved the story and understand why it is considered a classic of dark academia. 

Quote: "Beauty is terror. Whatever we call beautiful, we quiver before it"

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder, Suicide, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, and Death