The Secret History by Donna Tartt

The Secret History by Donna Tartt ebook, 547 pages First Published September 1992, Knopf
Source: purchased 
A California kid from a working class family manages to get in to an East Coast College and tries to fit in with all the rich, upper class kids in his Classics courses. They are a strange bunch, who happen to kill someone, but he is still determined to be a part of their group. 
This book was so long. Almost 600 pages. About three hundred pages in we finally find out what happened to Bunny. Then there are almost 300 more pages, including a really long Epilogue. This story could have been told in half the pages. 
So long, and yet I kept reading. I wanted to know what happened to Bunny so I kept reading. 
None of the characters are very likable- all very self-absorbed, lazy, drunk kids that don't see any consequences for their actions. They are interesting, but unlikable. I usually enjoy reading about elitist societies but this was different somehow. Perhaps because it was so hard to pinpoint the time period that this story takes place in. I believe it is supposed to be the late 80's or early 90's but it read so much older. I characters dressed and spoke as if it were the 50's or 60's. It was confusing and threw me off when something more current was mentioned.
So, it is hard to say if I liked or disliked this one. The writing is great, the murder and its suspense was intriguing. It is going to make for some interesting discussion in book group next week. Can't wait to hear what the others thought about it. 



Happy Reading! _________________________________________