The Secret History

"I genuinely did not enjoy this book. At all. I had high hopes for this book because of all the overwhelmingly positive reviews, but I was highly disappointed. <br/><br/><br/>***Spoilers***<br/>I’m a sucker for the whole “dark academia” aesthetic, and I will admit that this book did it well. The first half was okay. The descriptions and metaphors used were very alluring. However that was about it. There was nothing else good about this book. <br/><br/>The characters were all the same, except for ‘Bunny’ and Henry. Henry had the most vivid descriptions, but the rest of the characters (including the main protagonist Richard) had absolutely no personality, nothing that made them likeable nor unlikable, they were just there. Maybe if Henry was the main protagonist, I would’ve liked it more. I also couldn’t get over how unbearable Richard was, how little reaction he had to anything. He just seemed emotionless to everything. <br/><br/>I love the whole group of kids murder trope, however the amount of filler in these long chapters made it feel boring. One second they’re drinking, then they’re in class (which is rare) and then they’re drinking again, and then they’re in this place, Richard wakes up the next morning, does coke with Judy, and then, and then, and then. The only interesting scenes were when Richard finds out about the weird ass orgy thing, they murder bunny and then when Henry kills himself at the end. The rest of the book was long, unnecessary and probably could have been cut at least a 100 pages.<br/><br/>I can’t get over how random some of side plots are. Richard and Camila, Richard and Judy, Camila and Henry, Camila and CHARLES, Richard and Francis. Literally one second Richard drooling over Camila the next he’s kissing Francis. Also don’t even get me started on the whole incest arc, I understand it’s meant to be some weird attribution to greek mythology (where incest is intertwined within nearly every myth) but it just felt out of place.<br/><br/>This book wasn’t the worst book I’ve read, however it definitely isn’t the shakespearean masterpiece it’s accredited to. I get the point, I don’t get the hype. However that’s just my own personal opinion."

"Masterpiece."

"After 567 pages, I still don’t know why this is titled The Secret History"

"Very much reminds me of The Magicians, just with no magic."

"2.5⭐️"

"Ohhhhhh how I hated this book!!!.....I should have known not to even read it since 'The Little Friend' by Donna Tartt was so frustrating and I didn't like it much either. I spent 22 hours listening to the depressing and very 'talky' book with the last hour of it getting repeated over again 'word for word' which was even worse since I had no idea if it was a different ending to the book or just an accidental repeat......so I wasted that last hour on something I simply hated.<br/><br/>There was not one likable character in this book......at first you thought Richard and Henry would be pretty cool......but in the end....they were all a bunch of spoiled, drug-addicted, murdering alcoholics....and Bunny...the victim of this story......he was such a loser....and the book tried to portray him as someone everybody loved...the good ole buddy type of guy when in reality he was an obnoxious jerk and leech....he used and abused all those who he called 'friends'.....and never gave back anything in return.<br/><br/>I tried to like this book but it would just get sooooo long and boring with a bit of a spike in the intrigue factor and then back to flat-line for hours and then a little more intrigue and then never-ending flat-line. I know now that I will NEVER again read anything by Donna Tartt.....2 times of absolute frustration after finishing the books is enough to cure me from ever wanting to read her words again......<br/><br/>My thoughts on this book are just plain ole YUCK!!!"

"An enjoyable read - yet I found myself wondering how these kids could possibly stay alive with how much scotch and bourbon and NO water they drank, how little sleep they got, and how they almost never ate a square meal… I mean no wonder they killed people!<br/><br/>Listen, I think one of the rare joys of life is being well rested, so I wish I could scream through the book to tell them — all your problems could be solved in 8hrs! Because their problems were self-created, after all, and unsubstantial. Even the protagonist’s freezing winter could’ve easily been solved with a heating unit, tent, and tarp. <br/><br/>I will say, after halfway through the book it did feel sort of unnecessarily meandering through these descriptions of unhealth — and in that sense rather repetitive."

"Interesting story, somewhat confusing but really good. Terrible ending though but really good"

"I haven't read very many dark academias in my time, but I really enjoyed this book and I can definitely see myself continuing with this genre and author!! 4/5 stars. The only reason it's not 5 is because I DESPISE long chapters! I'm a hater... I know. Anyways, this book was phenomenal. I wanted to be there with the characters, experiencing everything (even the bad). I wanted to be like them, talk like them, etc. Ugh, everything about this book!!! Loved it."

"I am deeply infatuated with this story. I love all of the characters immensely, despite their flaws. Just as Richard wanted me to, I guess being in his mind did sway my opinion significantly. The message of the story is so fascinating in the way it is portrayed so literally. Richard Papen only wanted to be in the Greek class because he was fond of it aesthetically, admiring it from a distance. He formed an opinion of all of the members based merely off of the first few glances of them, noticing their pristine clothing and timeless facial structures. Though, this doesn't end well for him, considering that he ends up murdering a person. It is highly intriguing that Donna Tartt decided to START the book with us knowing Bunny was murdered instead of us finding that out gradually. Though- I think my favorite part of the book is how it's written and Richard's captivating descriptions of each of his friends. How he continues to see them positively as if they were actors in some fantastical world in his head, how he continues to defend them despite their clear flaws. Henry Winter, put simply, is a psychopath. Though- Richard continues to hang out with him and describe him as some mysterious and clever man. Same with Camilla, she literally was in an incestual relationship with her twin brother, but Richard ignored this and continued to love her simply based on the idea he had of her in his head. I'm not sure what else I can say to portray my love for this story, my obsession with Donna's tasteful and almost lyrical words, but I hope this review can help grasp it ever so slightly."