The Secret History: A Read with Jenna Pick

I'd like to write a review for this book, which is one I've read at least twenty times, but I fear I may not be able to adequately express how beautiful, unsettling, and haunting The Secret History is. It's a fascinating, exquisite look at hamartia, morality, modern versus ancient ideology, and crime and punishment. Truly a modern-day Greek tragedy, and some of the most brilliant, unexpected characterization I've ever read. Pick it up as soon as you can. I wrote my thesis comparing this book to classical Greek drama, specifically The Bacchae. One would assume that I wouldn't want to lay eyes on it again after studying it in such depth, but I find myself needing to re-read every year or so. Brilliant. And for what it's worth, I bloody love Francis. Definitely my favourite character in the novel.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Dark, Mesmerizing, and Intellectually Twisted The Secret History is the kind of book that pulls you under and doesn’t let go. Donna Tartt crafts a world so immersive, so rich with tension and decadence, that reading it feels like stepping into a beautifully corrupt dream. The academic setting is intoxicating, drenched in an air of exclusivity and arrogance, and the Greek influences weave through the narrative in a way that makes the whole story feel like a modern tragedy playing out in real-time. One of Tartt’s greatest strengths is how she writes unreliable characters—not just one, but an entire cast of them. Every single person in this book is deeply flawed, yet somehow, she makes them irresistible. Richard, as the narrator, is fascinating because he’s so desperate to belong that he warps reality to fit the version he wants to see. Then there’s Henry, cold and calculating; Francis, wrapped in wealth and self-destruction; and the twins, chaotic and enigmatic. Their relationships are suffocating, their power struggles are laced with obsession, and their unraveling is as inevitable as it is disturbing. The Greek influences run deeper than just the class they study—it’s in the way they live. This book isn’t just about ancient philosophy; it embodies it. The characters chase an existence that mirrors Greek tragedy, indulging in excess, hedonism, and intellectual elitism until it destroys them. The weight of fate, hubris, and moral decay hangs over every page, making their downfall feel like something that was decided long before the book even began. Tartt’s writing is gorgeous—lyrical yet sharp, immersive yet unsettling. Every moment feels significant, even the slow, meandering ones. The tension builds so gradually that by the time things spiral out of control, you’re too deep in to step back. It’s not a book that rushes to a conclusion; it lingers, unspooling its story in a way that feels both indulgent and inevitable. This isn’t a light read, but it’s a brilliant one. Dark, elegant, and utterly unforgettable, The Secret History is a book that burrows into your mind and stays there long after the final page.

took me until pg 80 to get into but as a bennington kid i loved, nostalgic, mysterious, too cool for school, took me someplace different for a while

I like to call this book "just wait, it gets worse" a fantastic book about a whole bunch of horrible people

3.5 stars

This could have been shorter. Descriptive writing, pretty at times. Thought Julian would have been in it more. Misunderstood what the book would be about going into it. Characters and plot are unromantic—scary, rather, and messed up. Which I guess is the point. I enjoyed it when it was interesting, but hated it when it was boring. Thank god the epilogue tells us about the cat, or else I would given it 2 stars.