A review by claireeshelby
The Secret History by Donna Tartt

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Fantastically woven story line with strong yet nearly unlikeable characters. I felt like I had  a deep understanding of each person’s raison d’être, and yet remained surprised by their actions at every twist. The descriptions were extremely drawn out which made the second half tough to get through; though these descriptions did create the absurd amounts of tension and anxiety felt on every page. As someone who tends to read quickly, I wish I’d been able to focus more intently on the details of the environment and characters, but I found myself skimming through non-plot moving sections of the book.
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