The Secret History - (Vintage Contemporaries) by Donna Tartt (Paperback)
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4.4 out of 5 stars with 57 reviews
50% would recommend
8 recommendations
1 out of 5 stars
Thumbs down graphic, would not recommend
25 June, 2025Verified purchase
Not at all enthralled
Very disappointing from this author of The Goldfinch, which I loved. I guess I expected way too much. Couldn't get through 70 pages - too wordy, no forward plot movement, confusing and unlikeable characters whose endless dialogues did nothing to differentiate them, I could just go on and on. I think this will only appeal to a select few. Even the reviewers who said they liked it said it took several tries to get through. If a book doesn't capture me within 50 pages it's probably a lost cause.
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
7 October, 2024Verified purchase
Addicting
There is something so addicting about this book, couldn’t wait to see how it all ended up
1 out of 5 stars
Thumbs down graphic, would not recommend
6 January, 2024Verified purchase
Only buy if you like being bored :)
So boring and drawn out for no reason. Every character is awful and only has like two personality traits (classic Greek and drinking). Way too long of a book for what little substance is in it.
4 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
4 January, 2024
Well writen, engaging plot
This was a drier booker than I normally read. However I did enjoy it. While the book was drawn out quite a bit I was very entertaining. Good character development and enjoyed how the author set the scenes. I would recommend this book to an avid reader.
1 out of 5 stars
Thumbs down graphic, would not recommend
26 December, 2023
My Opinion
I've been trying to read this book over 6 times, to say the least, and every time I DNF it. If you don't know what DNF means it is an acronym for DID NOT FINISH. I usually stick through books because I dislike DNF, but this book isn't my cup of tea. I saw that it was very popular on TikTok which is why I bought it but it was just so boring to me...30 pages in and I still didn't get the excitement. Don't get me wrong I love Greek Mythology but this book just didn't do it for me. Hopefully, I can read this book fully one day but yeah.
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
12 September, 2023Verified purchase
Utterly brilliant
This is an achingly beautiful book. A bit slow and tedious at times due to the Herculean amount of character development, but worth it. I made the mistake of abandoning it a third of the way through and giving my copy to someone else, wasn’t in the right headspace for it. Saw it on sale at Target the other day and decided to pick it back up. Wow am I glad I did. I read the rest in two days and will never be the same. Donna Tartt is such a master of language and storytelling. She showcases her intellectual prowess in this book, running circles around both scholars and contemporary authors, and masterfully crafting the very Greek tragedy her characters so arduously study. Just really brilliant writing. I hope this book is taught to in schools in 100 years. It’s a classic in the making, dark academia at its most sophisticated.
3 out of 5 stars
Thumbs down graphic, would not recommend
14 June, 2023Verified purchase
review
the book came with a stain on it and a pages bent, better to buy in person to make sure of it
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
15 October, 2022
My new favorite book
This book literally changed my life. I think about it every single day. It was immaculate. It has perfect vibes to read in the fall. Read this book, it is amazing