The Secret History: From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Goldfinch

This book is truly incredible. I loved it and, having finished it missed it so much that within a few days I had started reading it all over again! Having now completed the second reading, I have had to wean myself off it, before 'The Secret History' becomes the only story I will ever be able to read! I still open it at random from time to time though and read a little bit, and I think I always will, because the writing is so incredible; certain passages take my breath away. I have never been obsessed with a book in the way that I am with this, and I have been trying to work out just why I love this book so much. I do not really know how to categorise this novel; it doesn't fit into any particular genre (I wouldn't exactly describe it as a thriller and it's certainly not a murder mystery) and doesn't particularly remind me of anything else I have read. There are loads of books out there about someone having some kind of a secret in their past, but 'The Secret History' is so much more than most of these. For some reason it put me a little in mind of Siri Hustvedt's 'What I Loved', but I think this is only because Hustvedt's is the only book I've read in the last few years that has come anywhere near impressing me as much. `The Secret History' is that elusive mix of a satisfying, literary work combined with an intriguing storyline, which makes it an absolute pleasure to read. It is not a quick, easy read with a surprise on every page; I found that the more I thought about it the more I appreciated it for the masterpiece it truly is. It is largely the great characterisation which makes 'The Secret History'. The characters, love them or hate them, are fascinating ones. They are so skilfully portrayed that I feel I know these people and have been spending time with them, in their world. Passages such as the following (which I have read and re-read over and over, because it impresses me so much) are part of what sets this novel in a league of its own: the night after Bunny's murder, Richard says of one of the others, `All of a sudden I found myself able to see him as the world saw him, as I myself had seen him when I first met him - cool, well-mannered, rich, absolutely beyond reproach. It was such a convincing illusion that even I, who knew the essential falseness of it, felt oddly comforted'. I do not feel, as some people do, that the characters are completely unlikeable, unbelievable, or merely caricatures; I found them to be complex characters who are constantly developed throughout the novel, Charles being the only main character who is maybe somewhat under-developed. Camilla remains somewhat mysterious throughout; she has to as we are seeing her almost entirely through the eyes of the smitten Richard. We are learning more about Henry, Francis and the twins at the same time as is our narrator, the `stilted mannequins' of our initial acquaintance soon start to come to life for us just as they do for Richard. For me, the early chapters, where the characters are introduced, developed to a point, and the scene is set, are among the best in the novel. Of course our prior knowledge that these privileged young people are doomed serves to greatly increase our interest in them. I found my opinion of each character frequently shifting throughout the novel, indeed Donna Tartt is adept at manipulating her reader's sympathies. The way in which she successfully makes Bunny so repulsive in the weeks leading up to his death, while simultaneously painting the others in a fairly sympathetic light, makes it seem plausible that `five reasonable people' (to use the words of our narrator) plan and carry out the murder of their `friend'. Julian Morrow is a fabulous invention. The fact that he is present in very few scenes adds to the sense of mystery which envelops him. I don't think I will ever forget his "I hope we're all ready to leave the phenomenal world, and enter into the sublime?" at the start of his classes, the irony of course being that by the second time we hear him say this, the real world has become the sublime! The novel also boasts an impressive array of supporting characters, who are very well drawn, believable, have important roles to play and in many cases are very aptly named: Judy Poovey, Cloke Rayburn, Marion and Sophie Dearbold, for instance. I quite liked the way that, by telling us what virtually all even the minor characters are doing now, eight years on, the author neatly wrapped up her story. I felt that the references to Ancient Greece, the classics and the Greek language, as well as the peppering with little bits of Latin and pertinent lines from French poems helped to make the book what it was. No doubt a person who in `real life' constantly made such allusions would seem horribly pretentious, but in this book it works, it seems perfectly natural that Francis, rather than telling us simply that he is going to bed, should quote some Charles Baudelaire! The idea of fate too, of events moving inexorably towards a pre-ordained conclusion, is an interesting one in `The Secret History'. At the very start of the novel, Richard ruminates on his `fatal flaw'. Later, reflecting on the Greek language, he describes it as `a language obsessed with action, and with the joy of seeing action multiply from action, action marching relentlessly ahead...in a long straight rank of cause and effect towards what will be inevitable, the only possible end'. The story he is in the process of telling us is clearly moving towards tragedy, its only possible end. Donna Tartt is able to convey an atmosphere to perfection, whether this is the breathtaking scenery of Vermont and Hampden College, seen through the eyes of a young man who hitherto doesn't seem to have experienced much beauty in his life; the fragrant, floral intoxication of Julian's room (I could smell the roses, the bergamot and the tea); the eeriness of a room late at night, lit only by a tiny circle of lamplight, where, over a bottle of whiskey, the group's awful secret is revealed to the narrator; or the claustrophobia of the Corcoran house the night before Bunny's funeral, with the torrential rain outside, all sorts of disparate groups and individuals forced to stay under the same roof and be civil to one another, the distraught father veering between despair and forced jocularity, and bored children bickering and getting under everyone's feet, in the midst of which Bunny's `friends' are busy raiding Mrs Corcoran's drug cache. There is a great deal of humour in the book, albeit most of it of a dark or ironic kind. I really could discuss `The Secret History' for ever and a day; there is so much that could be said about it and so many questions to ponder. It's interesting to consider how close to the truth is the story that our narrator is telling us, in light of the fact that not only do we see lies simply roll of his tongue right from the start (his fictive childhood, telling Bunny that the jacket he has just got from Judy was his grandfather's), but he even warns us, `If there's one thing I'm good at, it's lying on my feet. It's sort of a gift I have'! Of course, Richard's version of the story is the only one we will ever have, so in some respects this is a pointless question, although an intriguing one! If you haven't already read this marvellous book, read it - you're in for a treat, but be warned: it may just take over your life!

Donna Tartt is a good writer of fiction but is she a great writer?No doubt history will be the judge of that.In The Secret History the author sets out her wares methodically and impressively from the start,she has obviously read a LOT of books.The text is littered with references to classical Greek,French,English and more literature. This knowledge is projected onto her cast of characters,the little clique of self absorbed privileged undergraduates and their tutor who live in this rarified world no one else may enter.They embark on a quest for something that will transcend their otherwise tedious world of booze,drugs,cigarettes and even their friendship.This leads to a life changing event and the fallout leads them to commit an unspeakable crime.The second half of the story deals with the disintegration of their relationships in trying to deal with the enormity of what they have done and to avoid being found out by the authorities.The ending of course will not be revealed here but i have a theory that the author left several clues along the way such that if these naive and self centered youngsters had put two and two together earlier on they could have saved themselves and others a whole lot of pain and angst.Perhaps i am stating the obvious there but i found it gave the story a bit more depth to think about a different possible outcome and that the author could have developed it more but hey it's her book not mine.All in all an engrossing book,not having had a university(violins) education some of the references went over my head but we have all been young and a lot of the themes do resonate and at times in a beautifully described way.It somehow reminded me of The Magus which made a big impression on me in my youth but,still i can't help picturing Bunny if he had seen Carry On Cleo quoting Kenneth William's Caesar ,"infamy,infamy they've all got it in for me".It's good to read.

الكتاب تحفة وصل سليم وبدون أي خدوش

I didn't read it myself but the recipient was happy with it.

Have you ever felt you’re going to miss characters from a book? Well, that’s how how I feel… just finished it and I already miss them. No book has hooked me so quickly. From page 1 I was already captured. I didn’t want to stop reading, all I was thinking for days was the book (I even dreamed about it). The story is not too fast (she definitely doesn’t rush it) but not too slow either. It takes you through it at the perfect pace to want to know but enjoy each moment at the same time. You feel the spaces, the ambient, the places. She writes in a way that absorbs you into the story. The way she writes in the 1st person you are not reading it, you are living it. And you feel connected with Richard (the main character), instantly. And the end!! There’s only one way to describe it: WHAT!! Find a nice corner, dimmed light and a calm playlist (classical is a perfect match if you ask me)… and enjoy it.

Sad. Long. But definitely worth the invested time. For some reason, I couldn't put this book down. Enjoy and reflect.

Muy buen libro.