It took me for-ev-er to read this book. I kept putting it down, and also there were things like the Olympics and the DNC and being sick and being tired from going back to work that kept me from reading as much as I normally do. I am glad I stuck with it, though.
After moving from California to Hampden College in Vermont, Richard finds himself taken in by small, wealthy group of students who study Greek together. As Richard gets to know them better, he discovers that they have a secret. As he falls deeper and deeper into their confidence, their fear of discovery leads them to kill one of their own.
The first part of the book is setting up the things I just told you – Richard’s relationships with the five of them and how their friendship leads to murder. (This is all told on the inside jacket and in the first chapter, so I am not spoiling anything by telling you that.) The second half, which I liked better, was the fear of discovery. I liked how the walls were closing in around them, the sense of dread that permeated the pages. The question is, will they be discovered? And even if they aren’t discovered, will it have been worth it in the end?
The last hundred pages had twists and turns that had me actually gasping out loud, and because of that, I would say that this one is worth a shot. I think it would be a decent choice for a book club discussion because of the characters and their relationships alone. The first part is slow, but the payoff, for me at least, was worth it.
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7 Comments
I had no idea that’s what this was about! I think I want to read it now.
(Also, it’s been very slow going for me in general with reading lately, and The Post-Birthday World specifically – I like it, but I am dragging through it.)
(Also also, I just found out that one of my friends (my brother’s friend, really) works at your farmer’s market! (I think he’s there for a CSA/co-op or something))
You will probably like The Secret History, but as you can tell from the description, it’s kind of dark. I felt like it was one of those types of books that you and I read and then talk about.
This is one of the books on the Top 100 list that I had never heard of…did it take you a long time to get through it more because of outside interruptions or because it was so slow in the beginning?
Love your blog-
Thanks!
Mostly that I was having outside interruptions, because then I didn’t feel like reading. (But the slowness contributed, too, because I would have felt a little more like reading if it was a little faster.)
I loved that book! It took the author something like ten years to right her next book (which was OK). Another book that has a few similarities is The Lake of Dead Languages by Carol Goodman…more reader-friendly, though.
Hey Kari! Have you read Donna Tartt’s other novel, The Little Friend? I would say it’s ten times better than The Secret History (although it’s very, very dark and extremely creepy.)
I have not read it, though I have heard it mentioned several times. This is the one that seemed to come up most often, though, so I read this one. I will put The Little Friend on my list, though. Thanks!