Rating: 
Summary: I give up
Review: I thought this book would be a real treat to read. WRONG!!Like others who have reviewed it, I kept on and on and on....thinking it was going to pick up soon. Not so. I even approached it for a while as a "self-discipline exercise"..all the while eyeing other books waiting to be read. After about 150 pages, although I hardly ever admit defeat, I gave up. I think I will investigate her first novel as from what I've heard, it's much better reading. ...that is...after I've read some other authors for a change.
Rating:
Summary: Couldn't wait to finish
Review: I enjoyed reading this book originally but it became very tiresome. The characters didn't engage me and the stereotypical degradation was overdone. Even though I was anxious to be done reading the book, I,like other reviewers, was stunned with the unfinished ending. I feel snookered by all the hype that went with the "long awaited" publication of this book.This review is actually of the book, not the abridged audio CD. Guess I entered it in the wrong place, sorry.
Rating: 
Summary: Get On With It!
Review: I loved The Secret History, so was very excited when this book was released. Yes, she does capture the South and Harriet is an appealing little kid, BUT. . .This isn't Faulkner or any other Southern writer. The plot just meandered along and I kept wondering when she'd get on with it. It was as if she used fillers on purpose. Definitely not worth my time.
Rating: 
Summary: from a Yankee
Review: If you're looking for a thriller which ties everything together neatly at the end, this book is not for you. If you're interested in a moody, Southern setting and powerful character development, then you will love this book. I cared for the main character Harriet and found her very sympathetic. I loved many of the other characters that Tartt developed-the maid, the mother, the grandmother, the best friend-and I enjoyed the emphasis on a family of strong women (with the exception of Harriet's mother).
As another reviewer said, Tartt is aiming for Faulkner territory not Grisham. You meet some riveting individuals in this book. No everything is not resolved at the end. Then again, it isn't resolved in real life most of the time either.
Rating:
Summary: Not a page-turner, but well worth it
Review: Tartt's second novel, which she began writing before her bestselling _The Secret History_, moves at a much slower pace, and is lacking in some things that made her first novel such a joy to read. But make no mistake--despite the slower pacing, _The Little Friend_ is quietly stunning. It shows maturity and patience that were not present in _The Secret History_, and one hopes we won't have to wait as long to see her next book. The novel's only serious problem is one of dialect. While Tartt's ear is usually good, faithfully reproducing some of my favorite sounds and phrases from the Southern dialect, she still lets some phrases slip through that would never come out of a Southerner's mouth, much less from the mouth of an uneducated Southerner. All in all, though, a satisfying read, definitely worth the 550+ page length.
Rating:
Summary: where's the ending?
Review: Reading a 550 page book for me can be daunting yet this book entertained me enough to continue only to reach the end and find that there wasn't one. Ms. Tartt certainly is an able writer but to leave the reader after so many pages feeling let down is not a good idea. I didn't read her first book and now, thought the critics raved, will probably skip it after being so disappointed with the conclusion (or lack there of) of this one.
Rating:
Summary: where's the ending?
Review: Reading a 550 page book can sometimes be a little daunting yet this book entertained me enough to continue only to reach the end and find that there wasn't one. Ms. Tartt certainly is an able writer but to leave the reader hanging after so many pages was a turn off. I didn't read her first book and now, though the critics raved, will probably skip it after being so disappointed with the conclusion (or lack there of) of this one.
Rating: 
Summary: A really good novel, but still. . .
Review: I adored The Secret History. It's one of my best loved novels ever, for its pacing, its eccentric yet believable characters, and its relentless stride to the unhappy yet inevitable conclusion. I don't generally buy books; I get them from my library or borrow them from people, but as soon as I saw that Donna Tartt had a new book out, I ran as fast as I could to the nearest bookstore and bought it in hardcover! Alas, I was disappointed with this novel. The writing is brilliant, and the characters impeccable, but the plot meandered far to much, and the ending was inconclusive. There were a number of extremely suspenseful scenes, but for me, the suspense ended in frustration as none of the haunting questions posed in the beginning of the novel were answered. The Secret History was a perfect novel, in my opinion, and Donna Tartt is obviously a superior writer. I suppose that I was disillusioned by The Little Friend only because it had such an amazing precedent.
Rating:
Summary: major letdown
Review: Like many other reviewers, I was a HUGE fan of 'The Lost History". I thought it was one of the best books I had read in many years. But 'The Little Friend" is a major disappointment. I couldn't even get through the whole book before I sold it on amazon[.com] to cut my losses. Interesting premise, but in dire need of some self-editing.
Rating:
Summary: Tartt beats 2nd book syndrome
Review: It's not The Secret History; that much is obvious from the get-go. Readers who are disappointed that Tartt didn't write the same book twice aren't giving a young writer a change to grow and try something new. In evoking the lush, languid, and complex rhythms of childhood in Mississippi, Tartt succeeds admirably. Guess what? It's not a plot-driven mystery, and that's OK. Neither is life. If you can read for hundreds of pages marveling at the sheer beauty of language, dialogue that rings true, and strikingly accurate portrayals of children (which are notoriously difficult), you won't get frustrated waiting for the plot to move along more quickly. Drawing a nuanced picture of a whole community takes time. I admire a writer who can depict female adolescence with such unrestrained honesty. Such heroines are rare; good ones, even more so. I can't help but think that readers who feel cheated wanted a formulaic thriller with yet another male protagonist--not a piece of literature that breaks the mold. Remember, the big question of The Secret History wasn't the "who"--it was the "why." Tartt is a genre-buster. Give the book a chance to breathe. It beats the sophmore slump.
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