(0)
The Secret History - Tartt, Donna

The Secret History

by

(4)
Show Synopsis

Richard Papen arrives at Hampden College in Vermont determined to leave behind his drab past and reinvent himself as a wealthy socialite. He meets a group of students who are everything he wants to be but, in order to remain part of the group, he must keep their murderous secret. "Penguin Readers" is a series of simplified novels, film novelizations and original titles that introduce students at all levels to the pleasures of reading in English. Originally designed for teaching English as a foreign language, the series' ...

Filter Results
Shipping
Item Condition
Seller Rating
Other Options
Change Currency
+ Add to Wishlist
Browse related Subjects
+ Browse All Subjects

Customer Reviews

Write a Review

Victoria L

Feb 6, 2014

outstanding!

could not put this down, or when I just had to,
could not stop thinking about it. Have now read
all three of her books, and each had they same
"hold" on me. I am not a big fan of novels, so
I found this to be surprising.

Catmaid

Nov 29, 2007

Wow, WOw and WOW!

I have read this book many times and even bought an audio version.It brings to life the supposed "glamour" that many of us feel exists in elite prep schools.If we harbor any envy of students in such privileged curcumstances we find that it dissapates quickly as the sad and seedy undercurrent of their lives becomes revealed.The character development is excellent and the conspiratory tone of the narrator draws the reader right in. I couldn't put this book down.I was sorry when the book was finished .I miss the characters!

Marloweian

Aug 30, 2007

Priceless

Brilliant - worth hearing over and over again/
Having the author read the text is priceless and adds a great deal to an already excellent novel. Five stars plus.

bookgeek

Apr 3, 2007

The Greatest Novel of the 20th Century

To me, the best kinds of books are the ones that you can read year after year, and always find something new. A good book has to captivate you with it's plot and characters, while also dazzling your senses with it's style. That's why I think this may be the greatest novel of the 20th Century. I know it seems like a ridiculous claim, but once you've read this book, I'm sure you'll agree.

Donna Tartt's THE SECRET HISTORY is part psychological thriller, part college memoir, and part Greek mythology. It's unlike any book I've ever encuntered. It grips you from it's opening line, and it doesn't let go until the very last page.

The story follows an elite group of college students studying Greek at a small college in New England. A murder is committed, and the college students have to try and outwit the authorities in order to save their own skins. The book is very long, but it moves at an incredible pace to it's climax. It is a modern masterpiece of suspense and mystery.

That's not to say the book is without flaws. Many people think that this book tries to be like Umberto Eco in style, that Tartt's book falls short of the intellectual heights she is trying to achieve with all of her allusions to the ancient Greeks. Some people think this book is pretentious, or that the plot is just to improbable.

I bought my first copy of this book 6 years ago, and I think I've read the book at least 10 times by now. It's rare that a book can move a person so forcefully. This book is something very special. You will put the book down, but the characters will stay in your mind long after you've finished the book.

See All Customer Reviews


This item doesn't have extra editions

loading