Of secrets and Greek culture
"It's a very Greek idea, and a very profound one. Beauty is terror. Whatever we call beautiful, we quiver before it."
Donna Tartt's love for Greek culture is reflected in her bestselling debut novel, "The Secret History".
In a Vermont-based fictitious, elite college, Richard Papen befriends an exclusive group of students who study ancient Greek. The professor, Julian Morrow, is a strict person who enrols only a handpicked few in this course, and Richard manages to be a part of it. The group of five (other than Richard) is far different from the ordinary. From their way of thinking to how they lead their lives, everything is unconventional and of course, Greek-y.
In this regard, Henry should be called the oddest one. He holds a very calm attitude, which is very confusing to those who try to observe him, even Richard. Henry's basically the group's leader. As Richard slowly gains popularity in the group despite being a new addition, he stumbles across the group's obsession with Greek culture, practices of odd rituals, and many secrets that turn his life around.
The novel begins with a prologue to Bunny's death, who is apparently the most annoying one in the circle. It is very obvious who the killer is, so the readers aren't left in any sort of suspense about that. Mainly, the reason behind his murder and the consequences snatch the readers' attention. Told from the perspective of Richard, we get to follow the events with additional branches that ultimately lead to the scene that's narrated in the Prologue.
Despite the progression being slow, I loved how Tartt built the story and then presented the aftermath. There is a lack of suspense in the first part, which might be boring to many of the readers. But as the story develops and secrets reveal, the atmosphere gets tensed. There are many reasons that lead to the murder and within those, many other come to light. Hence, to connect all the pieces together, the slow approach adopted by the author was fairly necessary. Her writing style made the "slow progression" kind of bearable for me.
I fell in love with the characters here, despite how odd they were. In their own sense, the characters are properly portrayed, and it's not like you don't get enough of them here. Every character in this book forms an important part and leaves an impression on the reader. For example, I disliked Bunny, admired Henry and Julian's personalities, and felt comfortable with Richard's POV, who is preferably the sanest one in the group. There are some recurring characters too who aren't introduced at first but show up in the other half of the book.
The Secret History is a very difficult book. It tired me at times and I had mixed feelings about it. However, I fell in love with the book after completing it. If you're planning to give it a shot, read it carefully and bear its pace since it's very important and makes sense once the pieces of the puzzle form a clear picture. All in all, this novel is something you shouldn't miss out if you're up for an intense read.
Shah Tazrian Ashrafi wants 2018 to be as smooth as stormtroopers missing easy kill shots. Send him prayers at tazrian1234@gmail.com