The Secret History book review

 The Secret History by Donna Tartt

1992

Literary fiction

Spoiler-free!

After what feels like years of watching the dark academia aesthetic grow in popularity, I decided it‘s finally time for me to dive into the book that seems to have defined the aesthetic. And honestly, The Secret History is a ride to say the least. 

According to the synopsis on the back of the novel, a group of clever, eccentric misfits at an elite New England college discover a way of thinking and living that is a world away from the humdrum existence of their contemporaries. But when they go beyond the boundaries of normal mortality they slip gradually from obsession to corruption and betrayal. 

If I was to describe The Secret History in one word, it would be bewitching. The entire two weeks over which I read the novel, I was conflicted between wanting to savor the novel and rushing through to find out what happens next. It’s safe to say The Secret History wasn’t at all spoiled by the hype I’ve seen for it around booktube, bookstagram, and booktok.

This novel has such a timeless quality while still feeling like a product of the nineties, which is part of the reason I think I enjoyed it so much. I haven’t dove into many novels from the latter half of the twentieth century and growing up in the 2000s, I find myself interested in literature I just missed out on.

The narration is unreliable, aka my favorite kind. I never felt like I could fully trust Richard the narrator, and I honestly love the way he would reveal something about himself and then just completely brush it off. The prose of The Secret History is equally worth checking out. It’s extremely well-written, and the storytelling is a lot of fun.

Rating 5/5: For such a popular book, I think The Secret History is worth the hype. Make sure to have your trench coat, horn rim glasses and Doc Martens ready to read this Bookstagram classic.