The Secret History: A Read with Jenna Pick

this book is honestly probably one of my new favorites. i've only read it once, and i'm planning on reading it again. there's so many things that i didn't pick up on and so many connections that i'm sure i'll make when i read this book again. i loved the character development, i think donna tartt wrote them very beautifully and was able to really manipulate my feelings and perspectives on each of the characters. there were times where i loved specific characters, and literally a page and a half later i despised them. it's definitely a slow burn, and the first half seemed slow but was crucial in developing the plot and characters. after the halfway point was when i could not put this book down. it was so so so good and i recommend this book to literally anyone and everyone.

Fabulous, epic read. Wasn't sure I'd enjoy it, so read a taster on Kindle and was hooked, then I had to wait for the book to arrive in the post, agonising. Told from Richard's pov, the story spans over a number of years, focussing on the university years and how things came together then fell apart. Honestly fascinating (as in watching a car crash). Perfect Autumn reading.

Great story until it finished 2/3rds the way through, rest of the book dragged out a bit. Enjoyed the Greek, eccentric, eclectic undertones but found the narrator dull.

Very niche subject about students in a postgraduate classics class. A mix of murder, drugs, cults and personal problems narrated perfectly by Donna Tartt.

Dark... atmospheric...sensuous - characters that are not quite likeable but captivating - It's odd, there were times when I did not feel pulled in by the story but the writing is so satiable and satisfying....Indeed, the story in its entirety could be summarized in a work by Caravaggio - haunting, disturbing, brush strokes of mystery, suspense, revenge, redemption, and what could be entirely grotesque and macabre is pierced by the most extraordinary filtration of light - at once absolutely pure and exquisite - for darkness after all is simply the absence of light... The epilogue was a bit piecemeal for my taste, but the final dreamlike/theatrical scene was perfect - leaving me with those feelings of sadness, emptiness and longing that you experience throughout this novel...