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I sort of want to scream when I read lukewarm reviews of this book. Admittedly, people may get the wrong idea when they read the back jacket, or the first few pages, and anticipate some sort of murder mystery thrill.
The death of Harriet's brother is merely background for her character. The skill with which Tartt explores the inner workings and thought processes of a virtually abandoned 12 year old girl whose older brother's murder has never been solved cannot be praised highly enough. Tartt seem ...more
The death of Harriet's brother is merely background for her character. The skill with which Tartt explores the inner workings and thought processes of a virtually abandoned 12 year old girl whose older brother's murder has never been solved cannot be praised highly enough. Tartt seem ...more
Languid. Sweaty. Long.
In her other two novels, people are raw and honest in a fucked up way too. But the "protagonist who makes really bad choices" in the other two isn't 12 yo.
So that was stressful, because Harriet: "don't mess with meth-heads and preachers who posses poisonous snakes."
Conversely, it was a very slow plot without any familiar signifiers to pass the time.
Ultimately glad I read it, but I worried a lot that I was missing some big literary joke; the plot was all a patchwork quilt ...more
In her other two novels, people are raw and honest in a fucked up way too. But the "protagonist who makes really bad choices" in the other two isn't 12 yo.
So that was stressful, because Harriet: "don't mess with meth-heads and preachers who posses poisonous snakes."
Conversely, it was a very slow plot without any familiar signifiers to pass the time.
Ultimately glad I read it, but I worried a lot that I was missing some big literary joke; the plot was all a patchwork quilt ...more
I can't, in good conscience, rate this book. I suspect the reasons why I gave up on it has more to do with the reviews I read about it than with the book itself.
I barely scratched the book's surface: I think I made it to about page 65. It's got a gothic feel to it, which I like, and the characters are quirky and dark, which I like. I think that, after reading those blasted reviews, I started to worry that the story wouldn't go anyplace, that I'd slog through in the hopes of finding a gem (sort o ...more
I barely scratched the book's surface: I think I made it to about page 65. It's got a gothic feel to it, which I like, and the characters are quirky and dark, which I like. I think that, after reading those blasted reviews, I started to worry that the story wouldn't go anyplace, that I'd slog through in the hopes of finding a gem (sort o ...more
This book has been heralded as the modern day "To kill a mockingbird". It writtn in a young girls voice who's desire to find her brother's killer is as strong as her desire to be seen and tended to by her disfunctional mother who "checked out" after her son's death. It is tender, sad, funny and will have you on the edge of your seat in many places. I highly reccomend this book.
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I've waited a long time for Donna Tartt to write another novel after her excellent "The Secret History" and she did not disappoint. This book was engaging from the very start. I hope we don't have to wait another 10+ years to get another book from her!
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Slow moving until the last 100 (out of 564) pages.
Nov 29, 2007
Kate
marked it as tried-failed-shouldretry
Damn. This seems really up my alley but I put it down very early. Perhaps the size intimidated me.
An utterly disappointing ending ruins an initially great book.
Aug 21, 2007
amber
marked it as to-read
Jun 16, 2008
Aimee
added it
Oct 05, 2009
Zack
marked it as to-read
Apr 20, 2012
Judah
marked it as to-read
Apr 30, 2012
Jessi
marked it as to-read
Jan 06, 2013
Cheryl
marked it as to-read
Aug 22, 2013
Meg
marked it as to-read
