The Secret History - stick with it or not?

[clpsmum]

Everyone in my life that reads has recommended the secret history and any reviews I've read have been great but I just can't get into it. I started it on Thursday so by my standards should've just about finished it by now but I'm only on page 52!!! Just can't get into it. So question is should I persevere or give up?

Persevere, absolutely.

I couldn't get into it and started it a couple of times, although do think I was hooked before page 52.

Persevere. It took me a while to get into, but once it gets going it's great.

Personally I think it's brilliant.

However I give up on many books for being boring so I'd be a hypocrite to say persevere.

Whatever you end up reading I hope you enjoy it.

Persevere, I love this book.

Keep going if you can - I LOVED it. However there are an awful lot of great books out there and my view is life is too short to trudge through something you're really not enjoying.

I finished it recently, after so many rave reviews on here, and honestly? I was 'meh' about it. I'll never read it again (so glad I bagged a copy in the library, rather than buying it) and don't get what all the fuss is about regarding it.

Didn't like any of the characters and couldn't relate/warm to any of them.

Someone on here once posted that if they get 100 pages into a book and they're not feeling it they give up. I now go by that because there are too many other books I want to get on with (and re-read!) before I die!

Read it years ago. And have re-read it a good few times. Adored it. But like PP, I've given up on booked that others raved about. Tried Captain Corelli about 7 (no joke) times.

Could. Not. Get. Passed. The fucking Pea in the Ear.

It's one of my all time favourite books. I first read it at 17 and pretty much every other year or so since. I'm 39! I've given up on plenty of classics so like others, my advice is to move on.

I loved it but I think I agree with the advice to ditch if you're not gripped by page 100 - that should be plenty long enough to make your mind up and there's no point trudging dutifully through a book you don't like.

Yes, keep going with it - it's an amazing book, truly!

I loved it but am also a giver upper so try to page 100 (my old English teacher's advice which I don't always follow!) then give up if you don't like...

Love it, one of my favourite books ever.

It's not bad, wouldn't say it's amazing. Basically a cross between Brideshead and I Know What You Did Last Summer.

I liked the Little Friend a lot more, iirc.

IMO you wouldn't be missing a huge amount if you didn't carry on.

I really enjoyed it - read it about 15 years ago, I think, and may reread. I didn't get in to the Little Friend at all, though, but Secret History was great.

Give up! I got about 75% of the way through it then gave up. Wish I'd thrown the towel in sooner, but like you I had heard so many rave reviews about it I kept thinking it would get good any minute! I loved the Goldfinch though...

I just read that and the Goldfinch and I preferred her more recent one ie Goldfinch. It's another marathon (680pp) but the end is way better and the people are more human, not Brideshead-does-the-80s-bratpackers.

Can I ask a couple of qus about Secret Hist.? Pls?

1- Is it the point that you secretly madly sympathise with the murderers until the end

2 - does everyone like Henry? I wasn't impressed.

3 - is it the ultimate teen book? All that escaping into a gilded world schtick and getting culty about cult things, etc.

4 - where's the satanism for goodness' sake? I read reviews saying it was 'hinted' at but I missed every nudge.

5 - I thought the narrator was a twat.

Given up!!! Don't like any of the characters and having to force myself to read it. So listened to the advice if life's to short and put it in the charity bag! Thanks everyone xx