i've just found donna tartt book on shelf...

[FuppyGish]

Its called The Little Friend, I must have bought it years ago as its a never touched hard back.

Before I invest any time reading it, is it any good?

Also that book about Kevin? Is that worth a read?

Little Friend wasn't one of my faves. You never really get to the bottom of what happens in the first few pages.

I loved The Secret History, by the same author. I found The Little Friend very dull, I'm afraid. I found myself skim reading to try and get to the end. I haven't read the Kevin book, although lots of people have told me I should.

I hated the Kevin book, struggled to half way, but that took me two weeks.

The Little Friend is a great book. Give it a go.

We need to talk about Kevin is also a great book, it is a heavy read, but well worth it.

kevin 5 and half out of ten

not read the other one

I loved The Little Friend - must read it again. If you liked To Kill a Mockingbird, you'll enjoy it. I love novels written from the child's point of view (the first few chapters of The Mill on the Floss I think capture the intensity of being a child brilliantly)

I love love love The Little Friend. I read it years ago, but it was one of those books that I started again and re-read stratight away.

I thought We Need to Talk About Kevin was by Lionel Shriver, not Donna Tartt?

I found it deeply disappointing.

WNTTAK is a compelling read but actually a load of dishonest crap. It pretends to explore a terrible situation but is silly and dishonest. IMO.

Durr....just read the OP properly, you never said they were the same author.

I loved Mill on the Floss and To Kill A Mockingbird so will give it a go, thank you

have heard conflicting views on wnttak so might give it a miss for now. is it about child abuse? i dont like anything to do with that.

haven't read wnttak either - I've no desire to, really, although I can see that it's an interesting subject. I think I don't much like Lionel Shriver

The Secret History was one of my favourite books. The Little Friend is very well written, but there is no resolution at the end. I got the impression that Donna Tartt didn't know whodunnit either.
Talked to several people about Kevin, several can't abide the ending. If you can get past the dreadfulness, there's some interesting points on families/motherhood.

I really liked the Little Friend but would recommend saving it for a time when you can immerse yourself in it, it's not one that you can pick up and put down.

I really liked Kevin too - I think it's worth reading just to make sure some blabbermouth doesn't spoil what happens in it alone as that way at least you can make your own mind up about the plot twists and turns. I read a review of it just after reading it that gave it all away, you don't want that to happen to you! It's not about child abuse.