Genre: Modern Classic, Thriller, Crime, Psychological Fiction
Key Stage: KS5+
Key Stage: KS5+ trigger warning: contains mature content including murder, psychological manipulation, and the corruption of power.
The Secret History Donna Tartt (1992)
Reviewer: Faria, Year 12
The story is about Richard Papen, something of an outsider, who recalls his time at Hamden University in Vermont in the US and how he met his friends (Bunny, Camilla, Charles, Henry and Francis) while studying Ancient Greek. The story revolves around this eccentric group of friends as they lose all sense of moral fibre under the influence of their captivating Classics Professor Julian who is something of an enigma.
The story begins with learning that Bunny is dead and explains events leading up to the murder and, consequently, the impact on the group.
What I liked about the book is the relationship between the friends and how close they seem to the outside but on the inside there are conflicts and an hierarchy which clearly dictates their relationship. Additionally, I loved the character of Julian who is portrayed as a father figure but also as an individual who is not influenced by the status quo and his surroundings. What I didn’t like about the book were the pages in Greek and it seemed to lag a little after the murder yet rushing at the end although this is enjoyable as everything is fast paced mirroring the situation in real time.