Well, I bet this will be interesting RATE THE SECRET HISTORY by Donna Tartt
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0 Kudo
RATE: The Secret History Oct 2008
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 BCCJillster |
RATE: The Secret History Oct 2008 |
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10/19/08 07:44 AM BCC ZEN BOOKIE COOKIE
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Currently reading: the bird watching in Africa thingy, LOL, and The Glass Palace by Amitav Ghosh
Just finished: Ritual, by Mo Hayder, The Lace Reader, The Crow Eaters by Bapsi Sidhwa, |
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murraymint11 |
#1 | |||
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10/19/08 07:59 AM BCC Bookaholic |
Me first then........... 2.5 I think. I liked it well enough, despite being a slow read. Not sure I'd recommend it to everyone.
Jane, UK
Currently Reading: The Secret History by Donna Tartt Recently Read: The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry, One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson |
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bookworm2 |
#2 | |||
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10/19/08 10:12 AM |
I agree with Jane. I would rate it a 2.5 because, even though I liked it, I would be very selective in who I would recommend it to. It is a very slow paced and
psychological book that I don't know if everyone would enjoy.
Currently reading: The Double by Jose Saramago
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BCCJillster |
#3 | |||
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10/19/08 10:25 AM BCC ZEN BOOKIE COOKIE
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Even on the reread, 16 years later, I'd have to give it at least a 3. I agree it could have used some editing to shrink it, but the issues is raised are
still valid and controversial.
So...a solid 3 from me.
Currently reading: the bird watching in Africa thingy, LOL, and The Glass Palace by Amitav Ghosh
Just finished: Ritual, by Mo Hayder, The Lace Reader, The Crow Eaters by Bapsi Sidhwa, |
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riverblue |
#4 | |||
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10/19/08 01:36 PM |
I read it for the first time and I'm giving it 3+ - I liked it a lot. I thought the way she gradually cranked up the tension was great and there were some
very gripping scenes that I won't forget in a hurry. But I have to admit, i wouldn't recommend it to everyone.
BTW - great chat - it's the first one I've joined you on one and it was fun to talk in real time with people from all over the world! Barb
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kathylaz |
#5 | |||
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10/19/08 05:38 PM |
I am going to echo Barb almost 100 percent:
kathy
Reading Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo, Dream When You're Feeling Blue by Elizabeth Berg and listening to Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow "It is a strange desire to seek power and lose liberty." -- Sir Francis Bacon |
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dlee10 |
#6 | |||
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10/19/08 07:37 PM BCC BookieMonster |
I hate being the odd one out! 1.5
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irishonstars |
#7 | |||
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10/20/08 05:57 AM |
Disappointed that I didn't make the chat with this book... Though read the log. I definitely would give this book a 3+ as well and have already recommended it to some...
MAR!
Just Finished Reading: Odd Hours/Dean Koontz, The Forgotten Man/Robert Crais, Child
44/Tom Rob Smith,
Bright Shiny Morning/James Frey, The Treatment/Mo Hayder, The Secret History, Donna Tartt, The Devil of Nanking/Mo Hayder Currently Reading: Ritual/Mo Hayder , |
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Olle |
#8 | |||
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10/20/08 11:58 AM |
This was me 2nd read too and I have no idea how I felt about it the first time. But I'm with deb, it's lower than a 3. I'll give it a 2. Maybe I
shouldn't have read it at night when I was sleepy.
Olle
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KScribe |
#9 | |||
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10/23/08 07:37 PM BCC Frequent Poster |
I am so sorry I missed the CHAT for this book! OH well --- I will read the archive for it.
I would give this book a "4" I REALLY enjoyed her writing style, the plot of the story, and the characterization (NOT the characters themselves, but the job she did in developing this characters and letting us see them through Richard's eyes). Sorry to see that most of you didn't enjoy it so much. This is one book I found myself reading late into the night (as in couldn't put it down). Wonder why I reacted to it this way, and most everyone else in the group just found it to be "so so" or "bad" ? Kevin |
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magusachan |
#10 | |||
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10/24/08 12:01 PM |
5
:) one of the most impressing reads I have had in years. I felt so much about this book like Kevin did. Amazing characterisation of every single person, and a book I found so hard to put down.
finished reading:
The Dispensables by Ninni Holmqvist (very original plot but overall story-telling lacks something: 3 out of 5 stars) currently reading: The Weekend by Bernhard Schlink The Cave by José Saramago Fuehrer-Ex (Memoirs of a former Neo-Nazi) by Ingo Hasselbach 
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dlee10 |
#11 | |||
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10/24/08 02:48 PM BCC BookieMonster |
WOW! What a diverse group we are!
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BCCJillster |
#12 | |||
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10/24/08 06:54 PM BCC ZEN BOOKIE COOKIE
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Ain't it great Deb? LOL I know it's not easy to feel you're sitting on the opposite end of the couch, but the groupings keep changing with each
book. The first time I read this, I would have rated it higher.
Now I'm worrying about how folks will react to the Saramago since that one was my nom. Oh well at least it's not a huge investment of time (like 1,000 pp or something)
Currently reading: the bird watching in Africa thingy, LOL, and The Glass Palace by Amitav Ghosh
Just finished: Ritual, by Mo Hayder, The Lace Reader, The Crow Eaters by Bapsi Sidhwa, |
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Olle |
#13 | |||
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10/25/08 09:26 AM |
It's funny Kevin, you said, "Sorry to see that most of you didn't enjoy it so much." When I read the ratings given I think the majority of
them show that people did like it.
Speaking in general, not about this particular book... If one goes by the chart a 3 is "recommend to most" and I know that can stop me from giving books a 3. While I may recommend a book to my fellow BCCers I'd be hesitant about doing so to the people I know by face (for lack of a better word) because this group has a highly diverse reading appetite. More willing to try different things, and we have the time and space in which to type our caveats or discuss the books once read. Very difficult to do when you run into someone you know at the grocery store and they say, "What should I read next?" Wow, that was long-winded. Time for breakfast!
Olle
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magusachan |
#14 | |||
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10/26/08 10:06 AM |
Olle
 what did you have for breakfast?
Well - maybe I am wrong, but my feeling was that while many of the BCC members enjoyed the book, only few (Kevin and me?) truly loved it. The difficult thing about this book is that most of us had heard so many things about it before-hand, which can easily end up in disappointment. About Saramago. I am currently reading my second Saramago book (The Cave) and have to admit that "Blindness" was much easier to get drawn into the story. The plot was so unique. With "The Cave" I have the feeling that Saramago asks the reader to be more patient. But then, we will see ...
finished reading:
The Dispensables by Ninni Holmqvist (very original plot but overall story-telling lacks something: 3 out of 5 stars) currently reading: The Weekend by Bernhard Schlink The Cave by José Saramago Fuehrer-Ex (Memoirs of a former Neo-Nazi) by Ingo Hasselbach
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 xmaystarx |
#15 | |||
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10/29/08 09:56 AM BCC BookieMonster |
Ok I finally caught up with you all and finished Secret History. I loved it! A 4 from me. Looks like I'm with Mags and Kevin here. There were so many
twists that I wasn't expecting and I liked the setting and feeling of the book, even if it did move slow. I couldn't wait to get back to it and settle
in for long periods of reading.
Courtney
Currently reading: Secret History and lots of scientific papers |
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