Review: The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Overview:

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

I hated this book until I loved it. The first chapters were a lot of work — I had to get through about 150 pages of dense references and slow character development. From that point onward, however, I was sucked in by a gripping thriller and a deep investment in the characters’ fates.

Content Warning:

The Secret History contains homophobia, physical violence, suicide, homicide, incest, drug usage, alcohol usage, and gun violence.

Book Description:

The Secret History is a standalone adult fiction that focuses on the life of Richard Papen. Richard has traded his monotonous life in Plano, California for an education at the elite Hampden college. Upon arrival to campus, he achieves acceptance into the selective Ancient Greek Studies program. Alongside five other peers, Richard spends his days discussing the wonders of the classical world. Just as fantastical as the Hellenic period is, though, it is also full of danger and darkness. Taking their studies too seriously soon lands the students in the middle of a modern-day tragedy worthy of great ancient poets themselves.

On the Heavy Use of Literary and Historical References:

For a book written in the early 2000s, The Secret History at times felt like a reproduction of all things I hate in classical literature: heap loads of pre-modern literary references, large doses of dead languages, and casual elitism at every turn of the page. If I had not studied Latin and ancient Greece in high school, I probably would have dropped the book before finishing chapter one. Even as someone who has prior education on this stuff, I still had to look a TON up. After the first 100 pages or so, the references relax a bit as the action picks up. Still, I doubt this book would be a passive read for most folks. The text requires a lot of effort to understand and should not be read when one is sleepy or has divided attention.

On the Characters:

I could not decide how I felt about the characters of The Secret History for the longest time. At first glance, they are a homogeneous group of elitist brats with expensive tastes and spotty values. Don’t get me wrong, I’m totally here for amoral main characters, but these guys were initially so ridiculous that they bordered on caricatures. In chapters one and two, I more often rolled my eyes at them than I relished in their wrongness. This changed as our narrator, Richard, became more familiarized with them and started to pull back their shiny outer layers to reveal the nasty insecurities and habits underneath. By the end of the novel, while I did not adore them as people, they were stunningly unique characters that I was fully invested in.

On the Pacing:

This book is a slow build, but it’s worth it if you can manage to stick it through. As I’ve already mentioned, the first 150-ish pages require wading through heavy references and sluggish character development. HOWEVER, I was on the edge of my seat for the remaining two-thirds of the novel. Once it picks up, it doesn’t stop. Our characters are suddenly forced into the light and made to dance upon a razor’s edge. Every chapter brings new revelations about their personal insecurities, and they are forced to reconcile with themselves in increasingly high-stakes scenarios. I could not put it down.