At Lemuria, most of us that work here have a go-to book that we recommend to customers just a bit too often. This is because not only do we love the book, but also is almost guaranteed to be loved by a large audience. Not many books, no matter how well written, are palpable to many demographics.
I feel like I should get this inevitable blog out of the way. I’m like a kid full to bursting to tell you about my day at school. So as you read, imagine me telling you about this book while screaming and flailing about the room.
So The Secret History by Donna Tartt is about this college kid, Richard, who is bored in his normal life of suburbia and goes to a fancy college in Vermont called Hampton. He then meets a mysterious group of five college students. They’re attractive, intelligent, wealthy, sophisticated, and above all, mysterious. These students stand out amongst the others at Hampton. After some digging, Richard finds that the group studies Greek classics, but there is only one teacher, and he only accepts five students a year.
How could Richard not be drawn into this beautiful circle? He convinces his way in, and then the story starts and blooms.
This book is filled with references to the Greeks and is like the Greek tragedy in and of itself.
This book is written backwards.
This book is like a modern day The Great Gatsby.
This book is creaky wooden floorboards and frosted windows.
This book is a pince-nez and a black sweater and cigarette smoke.
This book will make you love every character except the protagonist.
This book is 544 pages long, and yet not long enough.
This book is for people who want to read something very thrilling yet smart. If you want to be sucked into exciting events, yet you want to feel like you’re reading something of literary quality; this book is for you.
Written by Nicola
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