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Original poster

Secret History by Donna Tartt. Suitable for teen?

34 replies

Verona82 · 04/12/2022 17:49

Hello,

Has anyone read the above book? Dd wants to read it but not sure if appropriate. Is it ok for a young teen?

Many thanks

OP posts:
RainyReadingDay · 04/12/2022 18:53

It's certainly no worse than anything I had to read at school as a young teen, such as Lord of the Flies.

Quite a lot of references to classics etc, but can't see a real problem with it. Maybe read it yourself first. You know your own DD best and what she can cope with.

Fireyflies · 04/12/2022 18:56

I think it's ok if they're a reasonably mature teen and used to adult fiction and themes. There's a incest theme in it but nothing very explicit. If it's something you'd consider reading yourself I always think that's good when they're reading books with adult themes, then you can talk about it with them if they want.

DewinDwl · 04/12/2022 18:57

Probably late teens... there's incest, suicide and homicide/ murder.

bigbadbarry · 04/12/2022 18:59

It’s one of my favourite ever books. I think, let her try. If it’s not for her then she’s more likely to be bored than disturbed

emmylousings · 04/12/2022 19:01

Yes definitely, I'd be impressed by a teen reading it. Its considered to be a 'literary novel'.

Original poster
Verona82 · 04/12/2022 19:41

I think I'll give it a go first, thank you all X

OP posts:
Gremlinsateit · 05/12/2022 08:18

Not suitable for anyone - how I disliked that book! I think it’s having a TikTok-led resurgence as DD has mentioned it as well.

What about The Go-Between? I think it has more to offer a young teen but still has that idea of discovering adult secrets.

Spirini · 05/12/2022 08:23

Of course it's ok for a teen. Especially compared to the trash Virginia Andrews I was reading aged 12, it's where I got my sex ed!

Beamur · 05/12/2022 08:26

My 15 year old has read it. It's very popular amongst edgy teens at the moment. One of the key books in the 'dark academia' aesthetic.

JaninaDuszejko · 05/12/2022 10:52

DD (15) wants to read it but hasn't yet. It's the 30th anniversary and is having a resurgence due to 'When we were Villains' which borrows heavily from it.

It's a lot better than Flowers in the Atticor Lace that I was reading as an early teen. Probably one of my favourite books that I read in my 20s.

murasaki · 05/12/2022 10:53

I love it, but I'd say at least 15.

TonTonMacoute · 05/12/2022 17:11

I think you would need to be old enough to appreciate it fully. It would be a shame to read it too soon I think, DS read it at about 17/18 and loved it.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 05/12/2022 17:12

Gremlinsateit · 05/12/2022 08:18

Not suitable for anyone - how I disliked that book! I think it’s having a TikTok-led resurgence as DD has mentioned it as well.

What about The Go-Between? I think it has more to offer a young teen but still has that idea of discovering adult secrets.

Oh thank God,another person who hated it, I LOATHED it unlike every one on MN it seems!!!

Kanaloa · 05/12/2022 18:04

When you say ‘young teen’ how young is it? It’s popular with ‘dark academia’ fans, but I find a lot of the teens in that community seem to miss that it’s an affectionately critical satire of people exactly like those who are into things like dark academia.

I would let her have a go. The very worst that will happen is she’ll become insufferably pretentious, and most teens go through that anyway. It’s one of my favourites, fun to read and you always get something new from it when you go back to it, but I read it very differently now compared to when I was 15.

SolInvictus · 06/12/2022 17:37

It was one of the books sent in a monthly subscription to my daughter from the amazing Mr B's Emporium in Bath. She was 17 at the time so, older teen. She loved it.

PrettyMuchBollocks · 06/12/2022 18:57

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 05/12/2022 17:12

Oh thank God,another person who hated it, I LOATHED it unlike every one on MN it seems!!!

Show quote history

Me too. I had wondered if I was the only one who totally hated it. So pleased I’m not on my own with that.

Whattaboutit · 06/12/2022 19:04

I borrowed it from my Mum and read it when it came out so at about 14/15. The characters are young adults not much older than that so it’s bound to appeal. I reread it when I was older and got something different out of it. It’s a book that stands up well to rereading anyway.

littleburn · 06/12/2022 19:06

I think it's fine for a teen in terms of content. I was a bit underwhelmed by it, but then I'm in a very small minority who much preferred The Goldfinch!

applecharlotte12 · 06/12/2022 19:09

I bloody LOVE this book! Def okay for 15+. Haven't thought about Flowers in the Attic for years, I must have read it in my early teens - so gross 🤢

deeperthanallroses · 06/12/2022 19:11

I think if a teen is a reader it’s very hard to police what they read. That was my parents experience!

littlepeas · 06/12/2022 19:11

I'm on the fence - my dd is 13 and I think she'd be ok, but I am not completely sure - I think I'd wait another year.

littlepeas · 06/12/2022 19:14

deeperthanallroses · 06/12/2022 19:11

I think if a teen is a reader it’s very hard to police what they read. That was my parents experience!

I think this is true. I threw American Psycho into the bin as soon as my dc started to randomly pick things up off our shelves.

Spirini · 06/12/2022 21:14

I just remembered I have a first edition of it, dust sleeve and all! I wonder if it'd be worth anything?

Gremlinsateit · 08/12/2022 01:01

applecharlotte12 · 06/12/2022 19:09

I bloody LOVE this book! Def okay for 15+. Haven't thought about Flowers in the Attic for years, I must have read it in my early teens - so gross 🤢

Yes the Flowers in the Attic series was so awful and incredibly unhealthy for all of us young teens to read at an impressionable age.

SirVixofVixHall · 08/12/2022 01:04

littleburn · 06/12/2022 19:06

I think it's fine for a teen in terms of content. I was a bit underwhelmed by it, but then I'm in a very small minority who much preferred The Goldfinch!

I am with you. I enjoyed The Goldfinch much more. The Secret History didn’t engage me much as I didn’t like any of the characters.