A review by aditi_801
The Secret History by Donna Tartt

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

WOW. This book. It honestly leaves me speechless, yet I have a million thoughts running around in my head. So much was happening. I hated every character except perhaps Francis who was slightly less hateable. You'd thing hating all the characters would be a turn off, but it only made the reading experience more delightful. I normally don't leave a spoiler including review, so let's go over this book without any spoilers. Bunny has been killed by his closest friends. Why? Well it's insanely complicated but maybe because of mr. manupalative and psychotic Henry. Robert was the craziest narrator i've ever had the experience of encountering. With his naive, trusting, and dumb nature, you sometimes had no way to differentiate what actually happened and what he thought happened. You could never trust him. Francis, the gay rich boy was probably the most likeable character because of his lack of pyschotic nature and mostly friendly persona. Charles and Camilla (the sus twins) are self explanatory enough. The writing in this book overall, was an experience in itself that you simply cannot miss. It kept me enaged the entire time in it's tragic beauty. Seeing Robert's view of beautifying everything he see's was so unique. Most of the books I read are from sarcastic narators that hate the world, so this was a nice change. Overall, I love this book so much that I want to tear it up, toss the pieces in the sea, and jump in with it. Beauty is terror, after all. 
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