Which Donna Tartt next?

[Greenteandchives]

I enjoyed A Secret History very much. I have both The Goldfinch and The Little Friend. I can only take one on holiday with me. Which one should it be, please?

I didn't HATE it but it's not a masterpiece

neither The Goldfinch nor The Little Friend come close to the level of The Secret History IMO

I adore The Goldfinch. There are some parts you need to 'bear with' but it's worth it by the end. I'm envious you have that choice of books still to read!

Neither can hold a candle to The Secret History, alas, OP. The qualities that made you like TSH so much are entirely absent in anything she's written since. It's ages since I read The Little Friend which I didn't care for but I think The Goldfinch (which I expected to like, as the subject is one that interests me hugely) is a ponderous, creakily-structured book with sketchy characters.

I absolutely loved The Goldfinch. It completely absorbed me from start to finish.

The Little Friend, on the other hand, bored me rigid. I find it difficult to believe the two books are by the same author.

The Little Friend needed serious editing. Started well but I felt like she quickly lost interest in the book and only completed it under sufferance.

I absolutely loved The Secret History but I haven't yet got round to The Goldfinch because I remember the slog that was The Little Friend.

Does anyone know why The Secret History has never been adapted for the screen?

I've often wondered, Quintella. When I was a student (not long after it came out), I had an entire cast worked out for it Philip Seymour Hoffman as Bunny, who would have been brilliant but now they're all decades too old or dead!

Oh PSH would have been perfect. I do miss him. But I suppose if it had been made 20 years ago we'd probably have been subjected to Gwyneth Paltrow playing Camilla. So we've been spared that at least

I saw somewhere that they are doing The Goldfinch as a film soon. I really hope they do it justice. I'm such a Goldfinch nerd, I went to see the painting a couple of years ago when I was on holiday in Holland. It was beautiful.

Its coming out this year

Full Cast List here :

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt3864056/fullcredits/cast?ref=mmttfc3

I like the casting of Ansel Elgort! He was great in Baby Driver, I thought.

I couldn't finish the Goldfinch. The initial idea was intriguing but poorly executed. It was just so tedious. Poorly drawn characters and so predictable. It has put me off Donna Tartt so I would not bother with either book.

Loved The Goldfinch. Not so keen on The Little Friend.

But I suppose if it had been made 20 years ago we'd probably have been subjected to Gwyneth Paltrow playing Camilla.

Yes, in my imaginary casting sessions Whit Stillman was directing my version I was always being leaned on to have her and refusing.

I just googled and discovered that Warner Bros bought the rights when in 1992, but they had difficulty coming up with a workable screenplay, and then the planned director (Alan J Pakula) died, then the rights were bought by the divine Gwyneth and her brother who were going to produce and direct in the early 2000s, and then their dad died, and then the rights reverted back to Donna Tartt who says she won't sell them again.

(Turns out there's an entire world of fansites fantasy-casting their own version of THS -- someone has suggested Cillian Murphy for Henry, which is deeply wrong.)

Don't believe the bad things said about The GoldFinch ! That book has stayed with me.

I can’t recommend either - the Goldfinch had to force myself to finish it. Loved the start then it all went a bit off.
The Little Friend - can’t remember it but I do know was so annoyed with it, it went straight to charity which is a Rare Occurrence in this house.

The Goldfinch was tedious. I wouldn't read another of hers off the back of it.

The Goldfinch is an incredible read. Enjoy!

Secret History is my favourite book, but I also absolutely loved The Goldfinch (including the Las Vegas section). Have a great holiday OP and please come back and tell us which one you read and what you thought of it!

Thanks all. I think I will have to take The Goldfinch. Off to cruise the Caribbean.

I haven't read The Little Friend so can't comment. I LOVED A Secret History so much so had high hopes for The Goldfinch. I enjoyed it but did find it lost pace a bit in places and by the end I was ready for it to be over.

I loathed The Little Friend. Was so upset with it after The Secret History. It's just so narrative- no explanation as to why anything is doing what they are doing, just 'So-and-so does x then y then z'.

I listened to The Goldfinch as an audiobook and really enjoyed it so not sure how gripping it would have been to read, but definitely choose it over TLF!

I did enjoy The Little Friend, but it is absolutely nothing like The Secret History so might be a bit of an anti-climax.

The Goldfinch would definitely be my recommendation. I really enjoyed it, although I have heard that many people struggled.

I totally agree about kindles, I find it really frustrating not to be able to check back on things. They are brilliant for holidays though, especially if you are flying with cabin bags only.