FLBC June Meetup

The Secret History ? Donna Tarte

Simply wonderful. The picture it paints of a small group of privileged, charismatic, yet aloof students, seen through the eyes of outsider Richard is mesmerising. As the narrator draws us into their world, we are first intrigued, then fascinated, and finally horrified by them. What grips the reader is not the mystery of their crime (the narrator reveals all in the first few pages) but the interplay of characters that leads them inexorably into murder and the shattering effect that it has on each one of them. Throughout, Ms Tart handles things superbly. The narrative is handled in the 'elegant, ruminative voice of Brideshead Revisited'. The pace is superbly judged, as Ms Tart imperceptibly peels away layer after layer to reveal deeper, darker secrets. But it is not a bitter book - the reader is left sharing the narrator's jaded affection for each of the characters - the bombastic Bunny; the cerebral and aloof Henry, the delicate and enigmatic Camilla . I can't recommend this book highly enough. At over 600 pages, it promises to be overblown. But I guarantee that, like me, when you come to the final page, you'll be sorry there weren't 600 more.