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A review by dryriver
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I thought I would love this book, but unfortunately, I was quite disappointed by the majority of it.
What I liked: Tartt does an excellent job at character building, creating complex characters which are lovable and despicable, and crafting the atmosphere of a scenario. To be honest, I love the writing -- it verges on gothic romance with a dark focus on environmental qualities and emotional turmoil.
What I didn't like: Was there any plot? While the writing was excellent, the majority of the book focuses on someone being drunk or doing drugs, someone being pissed at someone else, someone trying to get drunk or do drugs or cause tension..... and it drags. Had this book been 300 (or fewer) pages, I probably would have rated it higher. Maybe it's the superiority complex, immense wealth, ignorance, and privilege held by most characters, but I could not get myself to care much about their emotional turmoil as it was self-imposed.
By the last half of the book, I genuinely hated the majority of the characters and only continued because I hate not finishing a book even more. It was also dotted with racism, homophobia, and incest, all of which seemed like unnecessary shock factors.
I am glad others liked this book more than I did, but for what reason, I'm not entirely sure. Though I think Tartt is a great writer, I can't say I enjoyed this read.
What I liked: Tartt does an excellent job at character building, creating complex characters which are lovable and despicable, and crafting the atmosphere of a scenario. To be honest, I love the writing -- it verges on gothic romance with a dark focus on environmental qualities and emotional turmoil.
What I didn't like: Was there any plot? While the writing was excellent, the majority of the book focuses on someone being drunk or doing drugs, someone being pissed at someone else, someone trying to get drunk or do drugs or cause tension..... and it drags. Had this book been 300 (or fewer) pages, I probably would have rated it higher. Maybe it's the superiority complex, immense wealth, ignorance, and privilege held by most characters, but I could not get myself to care much about their emotional turmoil as it was self-imposed.
By the last half of the book, I genuinely hated the majority of the characters and only continued because I hate not finishing a book even more. It was also dotted with racism, homophobia, and incest, all of which seemed like unnecessary shock factors.
I am glad others liked this book more than I did, but for what reason, I'm not entirely sure. Though I think Tartt is a great writer, I can't say I enjoyed this read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Incest, Racism, and Xenophobia
Minor: Domestic abuse