The Secret History

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Summary: secret history
Review: A little slow moving and mello dramatic. But all and all a good read.

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Summary: Fascinating On Many Levels
Review: This book occupies a unique place in my mental library: I find it overall an enjoyable and interesting read, despite numerous flaws. I think that many readers have been fooled, by erudite phrasings, into thinking this book is a masterpiece; I find Tartt wordy, occasionally obscure, and incapable of producing a narrative which stirs much emotion; her main character is not believable as a male, and she is not adept with building and maintaining suspense, nor do the Greek students, as characters, seem more than variations on a single archetype.

However.

The book contains some of the most eloquent, beautifully worded sentences I have ever read (e.g., "A truck shot past in a whine of spray" -- I am a writer; how did she do that so succinctly?!), and Tartt *always* finds the perfect word for *everything*: *every* situation, *every* description, *every* detail. In this, she is magnificent. The book is also on its face extremely clever, and for the talent I see proven in its pages, I can't quite give it five stars but couldn't bear to give it less than four. I have read other material by Tartt, and she really does *always* finds the perfect word for everything -- and has proven, in at least one *Us* magazine article, that she is capable of writing so simply that I, like many others, look forward to her next major effort.

Then again, look at my wordy review. I stand aware of my criticisms -- and she's published, and I ain't -- and I guess that says the most of all.

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Summary: Enjoyable, well written and gripping
Review: Okay, there have been 267 reviews of this book at the time that I am making my contribution. I am not sure that I will be able to say anything too new or innovative, but I will say that this book is extremely well written, and very suspenseful. Tartt creates some extremely memorable characters. Tartt also nails her depiction of New England... the way it's described, one doesn't even need to visit it. But you may just want to after reading this...

Of note is the way that Tartt creates a mood, and enough tension to have your knuckles turn white from holding the book too tightly. It's a testament to Tartt's narrative skill that I stayed awake on the train both to and from work while I was involved in this book. So why 4 stars? I do feel that this book tends to run on a little bit too long. Once we feel the main action has been achieved, we have another 100 pages to deal with even more unraveling. It gets to be a bit much, and if Tartt had ended her story a little earlier, it would have made a tighter novel overall. However, the rest of this book is tightly and wonderfully written.

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Summary: A boring story
Review: My best friend Iris recommended this book to me when it was just published a few years ago and I was fascinated, because it was set in New England(and I love New England). I read 100 pages and was about to give up. Nothing was happening in the book. Usually I love reading thrillers/mystery novels, but this one never really started. Iris calmed me down and persuaded me to read the next 100 pages which I did. The story didn`t change - absolutely nothing happened. To please her, I read the book until page 300, then I finally gave up and sold the book on a flea market. I guess, the best mystery novels have been written until the seventies(I loved "The little Girl who lives down the Lane" by Laird Koenig which is from 1975) and before, but I don`t remember a real thrilling book from the eighties or nineties set in New England. Or is there anybody out there who could recommend one?

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Summary: Share with your friends!!
Review: Like many of your other reviewers, I completely disagree with the "Brat Pack" portrayal of this lovely and tragic story. I first read this book in the year of its publication as a freshman in college. By my senior year, one of our English professors had put it on his Modern American Literture reading list. Since then, I have shared it with at least 40 friends, most of whom have loved it like I do. About a year ago, I shared The Secret History with my book club- all well read, intellectual women. They all agreed that it was a wonderful read- the story, the tragic Greek overtones, and especially the well-developed characters. While I agree its not Hemmingway or Shakespeare, it certainly has its place in modern American literature as a fine piece of work. I only hope she publishes again very soon...the wait has been tremendous!

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Summary: College Kid Prodigy Deserves Accolades
Review: I think it is ridiculous to review this book without acknowledging that it was written by one so young. The girl is outrageously talented. Sure some of the characterizations are underwritten but let the poor girl ripen. At least she isn't Rosamund Pilcher or something. I wouldn't give 5 stars to a mature novelist but there is no doubt in my mind that this debut deserves the designation. I wouldn't give one star to most of the stuff that is out there. As someone who has read most of the classic novels and few modern ones because they can't grab my attention or are prosaic in tone, I say Donna Tartt shows the potential to be the real deal.

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Summary: So bad I would have preferred reading a box of Cheerios
Review: What was the big deal about this book? Oh, yeah, it had a really great cover design when it came out in HC. Boring pap, insipid drivel, pointless navel-contemplation. In short: dreadful.

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Summary: The Secret History
Review: This was the best book I read the year it came out- and one of the 5 or so books I have enjoyed the most in my life. Donna Tartt has written a book that can be enjoyed on many levels- a gripping, involving psychological thriller with overtones of Greek tragedy. Another book I would highly recommend is Possession by A.S. Byatt (another of my top 5).

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Summary: Why can't there be more like this?
Review: Rather than go on and on about how great this book really is, I'll just come out and say that it is the best book I have read in as long as I can remember. I constantly recommend it to friends - it is simply a modern classic - anyone craving a rich and rewarding experience needs to read A Secret History.

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Summary: Favourite book
Review: I am totally amazed by the Kirkus Reviewer's report on this book. Maybe there is another 'Secret History" by Donna Tartt, because his review bears absolutely no relation to the book I know. I read it whilst sitting on the beach, and was so captivated that I didn't even notice that I was getting more and more sunburned! My only gripe with Ms. Tartt is that she hasn't yet published a new book.