Ron K. (WhidbeyIslander) - , reviewed on 4/15/2023 + 690 more book reviews

I read this many years ago (1990's) and believe I gave it 4 or 5 stars. Because it was featured in the mystery book Eight Perfect Murders which I will be reading next, I picked up my old copy and started to re-read it.

As I plowed thought the first 100 pages, I began to wonder why I thought so highly of it before. I found the central characters a bit tiresome and thought they all drank too much, even for college students. I found myself skimming over passages about their exploits, hoping to get to the plot points that made such an impression on me before. I certainly skimmed parts about dreams or Ancient Greek language quirks and culture or endless partying. All of this cried out for an editor with a red pen handy.

Once the deed is done, things do sort of pick up. But we are subjected to more dreams and the 30 pages set around the funeral are exceedingly tedious; I didn't care about Bunny's extended family, especially the children of his brothers.

Having finished it (and learning the fate of many of the minor characters I didn't care about to begin with), I am even more puzzled why I thought this was so good.

P.S. I was also disappointed to find the author wrote âNone of his things were goneâ in a paragraph near the end. None means ânot oneâ and is singular. Maybe if Tartt had inserted this sentence earlier in the book I'd have given up reading it and save myself hours of tedium.

P.P.S. Published in 1992, one wonders why Tartt names her twin characters Charles and Camilla. Was this a dig at the future King?

Back to all reviews by this member
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details