Paperback, 559 pages
English language
Published April 12, 2004 by Vintage.
The Secret History is the first novel by the American author Donna Tartt, published by Alfred A. Knopf in September 1992. Set in New England, the novel tells the story of a closely knit group of six classics students at Hampden College, a small, elite liberal arts college located in Vermont based upon Bennington College, where Tartt was a student between 1982 and 1986. The Secret History is an inverted detective story narrated by one of the six students, Richard Papen, who reflects years later upon the situation that led to the murder of their friend Edmund "Bunny" Corcoran – wherein the events leading up to the murder are revealed sequentially. The novel explores the circumstances and lasting effects of Bunny's death on the academically and socially isolated group of Classics students of which he was a part.
A 75,000 print order was made for the first edition (as opposed …
The Secret History is the first novel by the American author Donna Tartt, published by Alfred A. Knopf in September 1992. Set in New England, the novel tells the story of a closely knit group of six classics students at Hampden College, a small, elite liberal arts college located in Vermont based upon Bennington College, where Tartt was a student between 1982 and 1986. The Secret History is an inverted detective story narrated by one of the six students, Richard Papen, who reflects years later upon the situation that led to the murder of their friend Edmund "Bunny" Corcoran – wherein the events leading up to the murder are revealed sequentially. The novel explores the circumstances and lasting effects of Bunny's death on the academically and socially isolated group of Classics students of which he was a part.
A 75,000 print order was made for the first edition (as opposed to the usual 10,000 order for a debut novel) and the book became a bestseller. The novel was originally titled The God of Illusions, and its first-edition hardcover was designed by the acclaimed New York City graphic designer Chip Kidd, and Barbara de Wilde.
I really enjoyed this book. Beautifully written, and well paced thriller which kept me guessing.
I'm glad this was a book I thoroughly enjoyed.
2.5
This book was and felt so long, up until the halfway point it was very interesting, but how long can 5 unlikable students can be interesting lol...
The writing is good, it managed to not feel outdated even when it was released almost 30 years ago, but the narrative choices got weird, too weird haha
This is a page turner and proof of the power of great characters. The plot is sparse but the setting and characters are so gripping and intelligent that the book takes on an addictive quality. Of course, like all great books I had a sense of longing after I read the last pages and I felt like I knew the characters so well I might be able to catch up with them later in life. I completely recommend this book. If you do read it I dare you not to imagine Henry being played by Benedict Cumberbatch.
Tout ça pour ça ?
704 pages, 8 ans d’écriture, pour une histoire simpliste, déjà vue, au suspens qui ne décolle qu’à de très rares moments pour retomber aussitôt dans une banalité affligeante, des personnages et des situations prévisibles. À mi-chemin entre le thriller, et une histoire d’étudiants, paumés chacun à leur manière. Niveau histoire, on se croirait devant le téléfilm du dimanche sur M6.
Ce qui sauve le livre et m’a permis de le finir sans trop d’ennui, c’est l’ambiance malsaine, le style de l’auteur, l’univers élitiste qu’elle décrit.
J’aurais aimé des personnages plus fouillés, plus de tension, un vrai fil conducteur (rites dionysiaques survolés, alors que tout part de là, le prof de grec qui finalement tient lieu de figurant mais dont le comportement détermine le dénouement…) des tas de fausses pistes destinées, je pense, à entretenir le suspens, mais qui donnent en fait l’impression que l’auteur ne …
Tout ça pour ça ?
704 pages, 8 ans d’écriture, pour une histoire simpliste, déjà vue, au suspens qui ne décolle qu’à de très rares moments pour retomber aussitôt dans une banalité affligeante, des personnages et des situations prévisibles. À mi-chemin entre le thriller, et une histoire d’étudiants, paumés chacun à leur manière. Niveau histoire, on se croirait devant le téléfilm du dimanche sur M6.
Ce qui sauve le livre et m’a permis de le finir sans trop d’ennui, c’est l’ambiance malsaine, le style de l’auteur, l’univers élitiste qu’elle décrit.
J’aurais aimé des personnages plus fouillés, plus de tension, un vrai fil conducteur (rites dionysiaques survolés, alors que tout part de là, le prof de grec qui finalement tient lieu de figurant mais dont le comportement détermine le dénouement…) des tas de fausses pistes destinées, je pense, à entretenir le suspens, mais qui donnent en fait l’impression que l’auteur ne savait pas trop où aller.
Déçue donc, mais j’essaierai tout de même de lire son deuxième roman, Le petit copain.
