books @ cc.

by Donna Tartt (1992)

A scholarship student, Richard, upon arriving at the exclusive Hampden College at Vermont, was intrigued by a (sophistry-exuding,) tightly-knit group of privileged Greek students with, well, yes, a dark secret. Written in a confessional, retrospective manner by Richard, the narrative is engaging, never giving too much, although in the first place it never strives to hide its intentions, rather enjoying recalling after the facts.

The murder-amidst-rich-bourgeois-college-kids plot might turn off those loathe to standard American teenage thriller, and yes, at its heart The Secret History is a thriller (albeit a well-written one) suitable if you’re looking for a light entertainment page-turner. I can’t help thinking it’s almost like a cross between Love in Thoughts and Lord of the Flies.