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The Secret History by Dona Tartt

Updated on March 27, 2013
The Secret History Cover Page
The Secret History Cover Page | Source
Donna Tartt
Donna Tartt | Source

The Secret History - Book Review

Dona Tartt is a writer with a unique voice and extraordinary writing style. Her characters are rich and captivating, and you can really feel like falling in love with their complex personalities. In this book nothing is absolute, and nothing is predictable. If it was a dish, it would be sweet on the first bite, and bitter on the next.

If you decide to read The Secret History, you will meet Richard Peppen, the story's narrator. Richard used to be a young student in a very elite college, and as an ordinary guy he was in a very extraordinary position to meet a very exclusive group of students at this college.

This group includes Francis Abernathy who is a bit eccentric in his behavior and dressing. There are also twins, brother and sister Charles and Camilla Macaulay. These two characters are charming, seductive, mysterious and unpredictable. All of the members of the group are studying ancient Greek, and the biggest language genius of all is Henry Winter, man of a brilliant mind and deep pockets, but not a very great heart. And finally, there is Bunny, the fifth member of this clique. His actual name is Edmund Corcoran, and he is a different kind of person. All of the others are deeply intellectual and sophisticated, but Bunny is a character that adds some fun to the group. He is careless, frivolous, and a little naive.

All of these characters are people you will want to follow to the end of story to find all of the fine layers that Dona Tartt gave to each of them.

The plot itself is also astonishing. In the center of it is a murder, and you will find out who the murderer is right away, but you will not be able to find out the motive. Some of the characters has strong 'Crime and Punishment' point of view. It's softer than that thriller, and it's more raw than that classic drama. It is psychological, tense, and strong. But it's also gentle, sophisticated and beautiful.

If you like being enchanted, you should explore the rich prose that Dona Tartt creates for her readers. If you really care for literature at its deepest level, you should do yourself a favor and read this piece of literary art.

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