A review by nadia
The Secret History by Donna Tartt

dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I was nervous when I started this reread of a book that for the last 15 years or so I've been calling an all-time favourite.

The beginning was great, but then I felt a little dip in my excitement and enthusiasm. It started to feel a little too slow and I was impatient for it all to kick off.

And then before I knew it, I was hooked. Sucked in. And I realised that the slow build-up was all necessary for me to really appreciate everything once we got into the mix.

I'm delighted that my love for this book has stood the test of time. As I was reading the final pages I thought I started to feel a dull ache in my heart...and I'm pretty sure I still feel it now an hour and a half later.

Oh, and the writing was incredible. Just enough detail and lyricism to make the characters and scenery come alive, and I'm not one for complicated, flowery language at all. 

I love this book so much and I'm so glad I can keep recommending it to people, wholeheartedly and with renewed confidence.