The Secret History by Donna Tartt

*This was a book club selection

My typical genre preferences run to fantasy, mystery and science fiction, and a little less to the strictly "literary" novel, though I have been known to dabble. Still, this is not the typical book that I would read. And I'm having a very hard time writing a review about The Secret History, because I did like, but I didn't like it.

The story follows one person, Richard, in first person. He moves from California to Hampton college in Vermont and eventually falls in with a group of Classics students, all of whom come from wealthy families. Since you find out in the first pages of the prologue the what happened, reading the book, part of me kept wanting to say "OK, get on with it already!" There was a lot of what felt like dragging, but at the same time what was happening was interesting.

The biggest problem I had was with the ending. It got almost too melodramatic for me. It started like a movie from the 70s and ended up a soap opera.

I don't recommend it for the speculative fiction crew. I feel that we tend to like likable characters - be they villain  antagonist or hero, but these characters aren't really that likable. The setting of time frame was sort of flexible, which bothered me at times, and other times didn't. And that's what bothered me about this book, and is giving me fits in doing this review. It's very annoying to both like and dislike a book.

So I leave you with a challenge - try something outside of your comfort zone - and see what happens!

What Draws Us In?

All books try to draw in the reader. Some succeed. Some fail. Often we've heard a friend recommend a book by saying "Wow, it really drew me in!" But when we pick up the book, we don't feel the same way.

I've picked up several books that I wasn't able to finish. Why did I pick them up? Interesting cover art, the blurb on the back sounded good, the recommendations of authors I liked - all these are factors in getting you to open a book. Some of these books, sure, I got lost in the middle. It happens - you have a great opening and a sagging middle. But with many, it was the first chapter I struggled with.

I've gotten advice to try and get to page 50 of a book before giving up on it entirely. I don't know many of occasions where this worked for me. This may not be the best rule to follow. After all, why should I invest the time to read those 50 pages? Get me in 5, and maybe you'll win. Draw me in from the first sentence, thought, word - I'll probably be recommending you to my friends.

From a writer's standpoint, drawing someone in is how you sell a book. The subjectivity of the written work is why there are so many agents, editors and publishers, because what draws in one person may not draw in another. If you don't sell your book in your first few words, you aren't going to catch the attention of an editor or an agent. The rest of the story may be the greatest book ever written, but without that initial capture of attention, no one may ever know.

Whatever draws us in differs between one person and the next, even when you like the same genre. Not all fantasy appeals to fantasy lovers, not all mystery appeals to mystery lovers. I personally, tend to get drawn into books written in 1st person. Now, that's not to say I don't like a 3rd person perspective, because based on some of the books I love, I clearly do. But that 1st person look tends to draw me in. Especially when I'm not expecting it. (The Magic of Recluce (Saga of Recluce), which is the book that made this topic jump to mind, did this to me very recently and quite unexpectedly.)

So what else besides that 1st person perspective works on me? Sure writing style is a good part of it, but, I'm looking for witty dialogue, interesting characterization from the start and I love things that start in "medias res." I always loved Farscape for this reason. You jump in and have to figure out what the hell is happening, compared to Star Trek: TNG where you get a Captain's Log to explain everything. (Oh, I love TNG, but that was the thing that made Farscape a better TV show.)

So, throw your character or setting or whatever in the middle of a crisis and I'm going to keep reading. Explain later. Act now!


I really want input on this topic, because the only resource I have here is myself. I rarely force myself to read something in don't like (book club as the exception here), but since taste does vary, having other opinions on what it was about a book draws you in is very helpful. Not only does it help me examine what draws me into a book, and from the other seat - what does the writer need to consider when writing?

How about you?