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Why did nobody tell me about Donna Tartt ?

59 replies

AnyFucker · 18/06/2014 21:46

Have just discovered her...am currently reading The Goldfinch

I have some catching up to do, methinks...

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SatansFurryJamHats · 20/06/2014 20:06

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AnyFucker · 20/06/2014 19:55

huh ?

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littlewoollypervert · 20/06/2014 11:50

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littlewoollypervert · 20/06/2014 11:49

Oooh apple - The Secret History is my favorite "imaginary casting" book (and one of my favourite books in general) and I always imagined Gwynnie as Camilla!

Henry - maybe David Boreanz
Francis - the actor who played Rorschach in thingy.
The protagonist - there isn't really a physical description of him but I imagine Matthew Broderick in the part. Bunny would have been Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Julian - Dickie Attenborough
(the benefit of imaginary casting is that you can make them all the right age in your head).

Didn't like The Little Friend at all, but will give The Goldfinch a go.

Saganoren · 20/06/2014 11:35

I am distinctly meh about The Goldfinch. I dislike all the characters, especially the tedious Boris.

The Secret History I adored

Little Friend - not read but my Mum says is her masterpiece.

WowOoo · 20/06/2014 11:30

Sorry for hijack AnyFucker.

mmack a lot of my 'keepers' are crime/thrillers. Other than that there are loads of classics and other authors that I think will be classics one day.

I had a quick look and this is what I recall from 5 mins ago: Milan Kundera, George Orwell, Dostoyevsky and lots of other Russian, Japanese, French, Italian and Chinese lit, Arthur Conan Doyle, A.L Kennedy, Susan Sontag and Ian McKewan.

mmack · 19/06/2014 17:54

WowOoo, can you tell me some of your keepers? I've read through most of my amazon wish list and need some good books to look forward to.

JohnFarleysRuskin · 19/06/2014 13:41

The Goldfinch is tremendous (although it lags towards the end)

The section in Las Vegas is magic, I think. She does character AND plot so well.

I had never heard of Fabritius or his paintings, it gave me a lot of pleasure to find out that all that part of the story was true!

(Tell me I'm not the only one who didn't know.)

WowOoo · 19/06/2014 13:35

I tend to get rid of average to good books once I've read them.

Fantastic books I keep, but I have narrowed them down over the years.

On my 'keepers' bookshelf are Donna Tartt's first two. Must be due a re read soon. She's such an excellent writer.

I loved the Goldfinch also. Enjoy your wine, books and the sun!

applecharlotte · 19/06/2014 13:26

The secret history is my fave book if all time, totally fantastic. Just about to finish The Goldfinch, not quite as good IMO but still great. I hope she has another one on the way...

They were planning on turning the secret history into a film about 15 years ago with Gwyneth Paltrow as Camilla but it never made it to production. I had no idea why,it would be a fantastic film.

AnonymousBird · 19/06/2014 13:17

As everyone says, you lucky lucky thing to have it in front of you! Secret History is top five of all time for me, read it in 90-something when it came out, read it again a few years ago, listened to the radio adaptation. I am kind of hooked! The Goldfinch is not far behind.

I thought Little Friend was fabulous..... until near the end when it slouched a bit for me.

I think how she writes so articulately that you can feel it and breathe it is sensational. In the drink/drugs induced stuff in Goldfinch, I felt like I'd had a skinful reading it, just conveyed the feeling of it so so well.

She writes so accurately, there is no muddling, each view point or sequence is exhaustively (but not excessively) described and revealed. She answers all your mental questions as you read, just as you are thinking "what is so and so going to do or think about that", you get it there for you.

Just hope we don't wait another ten years for her next one. I've read one in my 20's, my 30's and my 40's. PLEASE don't make me wait until I am 50 Donna!

MsUumellmahaye · 19/06/2014 08:10

Indeed i am reading it on my kindle. Will buy secret history for my hols.

Desertrunner · 18/06/2014 22:57

Loved loved the secret history. Need to go and dig it out so I can re-read it YET AGAIN. Have hardly any time to read these days and didn't know about The Goldfinch but will definitely give it a go if it's anywhere as good as The Secret History. The little friend - got bored, didn't finish it and left it behind in a hotel in Mexico (unimpressed).

AnyFucker · 18/06/2014 22:51

As I was reading it sat in the garden this evening, it was a good job I had my sunglasses on as I kept having a little sob every so often Smile

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LePamplemousse · 18/06/2014 22:46

I really think The Goldfinch is a masterpiece.

BelleOfTheBorstal · 18/06/2014 22:46

*onto

BelleOfTheBorstal · 18/06/2014 22:45

I loved both The Secret History and The Little Friend. In fact, it is seven or eight years since I read The Little Friend, think I will give it a re-read and then move pointy The Goldfinch.

TheGirlOnTheLanding · 18/06/2014 22:43

The little friend never quite took off for me, but loved the Goldfinch, one of the best things I've ever read.

I'm a bit scared to reread The Secret History, though. Loved it at the time, would hate to find it doesn't hold up now.

Can't wait for her next book in 2023 or thereabouts!

zgaze · 18/06/2014 22:43

I'm always so jealous of people who haven't read The Secret History, my favourite book ever. I'm another one who rereads it annually!

AnyFucker · 18/06/2014 22:41

I will get Secret History for me hols

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magimedi · 18/06/2014 22:41

I've just finished The Goldfinch.

I cried - because I will never have the pleasure of reading that for the first time again.

Truly in the top 20 of books I have ever read.

Now I don't know what to read next (have read both her others).

Chopsypie · 18/06/2014 22:40

I enjoyed the goldfinch but I thought it dragged on a bit towards the end. The Vegas bit in the middle is amazing

AnyFucker · 18/06/2014 22:40

Ah, a Kindle ? I have no awareness of such things. I still go to my local library and borrow books Smile

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BarbaraPalmer · 18/06/2014 22:40

LOVED The Secret History - I re-read it annually

The Little Friend, on the other hand, got picked up and put down three or four times before I eventually waded through to the end. Dull as.

I have the Goldfinch on top of my nice little stack of new birthday books, and am nervous as to which one it will be most like.

80sMum · 18/06/2014 22:39

I really enjoyed The Little Friend.
I keep meaning to read her other novels but never seem to get the time any more (spend too much time on here!).