On a scale of 1-5 stars (5 being the best) how do you rate The Secret History?
***** (Loved it)
42%
[ 3 ]
****
14%
[ 1 ]
***
14%
[ 1 ]
**
0%
[ 0 ]
*
0%
[ 0 ]
Gave up on it
0%
[ 0 ]
Didn't read this one
28%
[ 2 ]
Total Votes : 7
Author
Message
lisa2062 Administrator
Joined: 05 Jul 2007 Posts: 919 Birthday: 23rd December
Location: Dorset, UK
Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 1:03 pm Post subject: November's Book - The Secret History by Donna Tartt
Discuss your thoughts on the book here as soon as you have finished reading it. Did you (not) enjoy it? Anything that struck you or maybe someone else can answer if you have a question? We're not really looking for in depth discussions...just tell us what you think of it!
For those who have finished it, please choose a star rating for the book based on how much you liked it. What did you think of it? Do you have any questions based on the book?
If you do have something to post that reveals plot details which could ruin others' enjoyment of the book, please use the spoiler function (details: http://onlinebookclub.myfreeforum.org/about12.html)
Lisa x
_________________ Currently Reading - Want to Play? By P.J Tracy (again)
Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Posts: 381 Birthday: 16th February
Location: Upper Largo, Fife
Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 8:56 pm Post subject:
The Book Club Bible has some discussion points for this.
* Critic A.E Scott deemed The Secret History a 'murder mystery in reverse' due to its use of the prologue, which reveals the murder, victim, location and perpretators. What do you think is the purpose of such a device?
* The characters of Henry, Francis, Charles, Camilla and Bunny were ill-received by some critics, who regarded them as flat stereotypes. Do you think this is a fair assessment?
* What, in your opinion, is the role of fate in the novel?
Thought these might inspire discussions _________________ Currently reading: Man in the Dark by Paul Auster
Joined: 27 Jun 2008 Posts: 510 Birthday: 23rd April
Location: Manchester UK
Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 9:57 am Post subject:
nicnic wrote:
The Book Club Bible has some discussion points for this.
* Critic A.E Scott deemed The Secret History a 'murder mystery in reverse' due to its use of the prologue, which reveals the murder, victim, location and perpretators.
A bit like Columbo !
I'm looking forward to re-reading this one x _________________ Current reading: Blind Man w/ a Pistol, Chester Himes ~ 39 @2009
Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Posts: 381 Birthday: 16th February
Location: Upper Largo, Fife
Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 1:42 pm Post subject:
I thought this was great, a real pageturner and quite thought-provoking too...
Spoiler:
I think using Richard as the narrator was clever as it makes the reader also take up the position of outsider/bystander. I'm not normally a fan of first person narratives but sometimes, like in this story, it really works. I especially like how it feels like its all unfolding while you're reading when actually Richard is recalling events from years past.
They killed Bunny because he was acting erratically after finding out about the first murder and they felt he was a threat. Richard, unwittingly led by his desire to be one of the group and not a bystander, gives the other 4 (led by Henry of course) all the reason they need to kill Bunny. Richard only realises this later when his own guilt is bothering him.
What none of the group seems to realise later in the story is that they begin to behave in the same way Bunny did when he found out about the dead farmer. Their guilt, fear and self-loathing over the murder(s) begins to tear their little group to pieces. The end result being Henry's suicide.
And why exactly did Henry kill himself? To avoid going to jail? To be a martyr for the rest of them? Or was he really just a bit unhinged? I can't make up my mind. But his unexpected death was very sad I thought. I have to say that I liked how Richard 'saw' Henry and Bunny after they were dead because it somehow made sure they were still a presence in the story.
Richard seems to be the least affected of the remaining characters at the end. Is that because he was never really fully involved in what was happening? I'm not sure.
Its great to be reading good books again _________________ Currently reading: Man in the Dark by Paul Auster
I read this a couple of years ago and really loved it, I can't remember too much about it though, it's the one with the classics students right? _________________ Kill the tbr - currently 124
Currently reading:
War and Peace - Leo Tolsty
Wild Swans by Jung Chan
The Golden Notebook - Doris Lessing
Joined: 11 Feb 2007 Posts: 2509 Birthday: 19th July
Location: Dorset, UK
Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 11:59 pm Post subject:
No, I've not read Classics either.
I enjoyed this book but didn't find it stunning. I did get drawn in quite quickly and it kept a steady pace IMO but then I felt it became a bit drawn out.
Spoiler:
I too thought the use of Richard as narrator quite clever, althought at times I think we'd have understood more of the other characters if they'd taken part of the story as you only got Richard's opinion of their actions. I felt I'd like to know more about their motivations.
Also, no one really seemed sorry about the murder of the farmer, as if it was just another student prank gone wrong, by only using Richard's view you never got another perspective on that, other than the groups. I was also a bit unsure of Julian's character, you got told bits but not quite enough to make him totally plausible IMO
I gave this 4 stars as I really enjoyed it but there were some points which bothered me which are metioned above in the spoilers but I can't figure out how to do that so I'll just say that I agree! _________________ Currently Reading: Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
but I can't figure out how to do that so I'll just say that I agree!
Details of how to do a spoiler button are on a sticky at the bottom of this forum, "Please Read - Spoiler Button"
It's not difficult but I tend to use the preview option to make sure it's worked before I post!!
Thank you!! Not sure how I missed that! I think I'm going to blame a bad week at work combined with not enough sleep! _________________ Currently Reading: Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
Joined: 27 Jun 2008 Posts: 510 Birthday: 23rd April
Location: Manchester UK
Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 9:43 am Post subject:
I've had to put Secret History on hold for a while- I've got the Watchmen graphic novel out from the library, but as it's such a popular title I'm only allowed it for a fortnight ! _________________ Current reading: Blind Man w/ a Pistol, Chester Himes ~ 39 @2009
Joined: 27 Jun 2008 Posts: 510 Birthday: 23rd April
Location: Manchester UK
Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 11:02 am Post subject:
Back reading this again, will I finish it before the end of the year .. ?
Good to be reading this at the end of the year, I feel it enhances the wintry setting *shiver _________________ Current reading: Blind Man w/ a Pistol, Chester Himes ~ 39 @2009
Joined: 27 Jun 2008 Posts: 510 Birthday: 23rd April
Location: Manchester UK
Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 4:23 pm Post subject:
Still reading...
I like Donna Tartt even more finding out she is a Pug lover !
She now has three - an old pug called Pongo ("he's kind of like Henry James, very stately and stiff and cranky in a good way"), a Boston terrier called Baron ("very radiant, very brave, absolutely fearless") and a baby pug called Cecil ("very roly-poly and cute"). http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2002/oct/19/fiction.features _________________ Current reading: Blind Man w/ a Pistol, Chester Himes ~ 39 @2009
Joined: 27 Jun 2008 Posts: 510 Birthday: 23rd April
Location: Manchester UK
Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2009 11:42 am Post subject:
No. 1 on Tana French's top 10 maverick mysteries
Savage, entrancing, erudite and utterly beautiful. Richard Papen finds himself drawn into an elite group of classics students at his New England college, but gradually he realises that the intensity and ruthlessness that initially attracted him go much deeper than he thought … There's no whodunit element, you find out on the first page who killed whom, but that doesn't matter: you still can't put the book down. You spend the first half desperate to find out why the murder happened, and the second half desperate to find out what happened next. It's both an incredible mystery novel and an incredible literary novel; the supposed borderline between the two genres completely dissolves.
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