a real greek tragedy (The Secret History - Donna Tartt)

Member Name: tuftyclub

Product:	The Secret History - Donna Tartt
Date:	22/09/02 (523 review reads)
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Sometimes the thing that bounds friends together is the fragility of the relationship. The fact that you probably will fall out, grow apart or find new interests. Sadly most friendships are like that, to use the well quoted maxim, 'Some friends are for a reason and some are for a season'. But what if, in your youth you makes some friends and you think that they will be your friends forever. Not because of any bond or closeness, but because together you have done something so scary that you must stay close.

So, the tale. Poor boy Richard from California gets a scholarship to an east coast university. The family relationship is poor, and not very well drafted. Disinterested parents and an ill defined environment. In traditional poor boy fashion, he finds a fascination with Ancient Greek and arrives at Hampton scholarship cheque in hand. He wishes to study Greek, but the department seems pre-defined and not just any potential scholar is accepted. A chance conversation on Greek Grammar with the existing students effectively gains him a pass to this exclusive club, and in entering this realm effectively checks out from the life of the rest of the college. The Greek tutor, Julian takes almost all the classes of his charges and so a very insular circle develops.

The class consists or 6 students. All wealthy , upper middle class Americans. They are
unconventional, elitist and cerebral. Does Richard fit in? Not really, though he is accepted and bonding occurs through the strong ritual of massive amounts of alcohol. He seems a lesser partner to me, accepted into a world of hand made suits and well stocked freezers, but never really getting all the information about his classmates activities. He knows something is up, and event has happened which worries them, but he is not brought into their confidence, they are all friends of long standing and he is the newcomer.

So what has happened? It comes out in a drunken conversation with Rich

ard, and 'Bunny', another character who always seems a bit of a misfit in the group. He is charming, loud and garrulous, but lacks self control. The original group decide that a Greek ritual of excess is needed. Alas Bunny finds it impossible to do the fasting that is necessary and the ritual occurs without him, a night of bacchanalian excess occurs, resulting in the accidental death of a local farmer. Bunny finds out this and his constant taunting of the involved group members puts amazing stress on them all. Finally Richard, last as usual finds out about the night of excess, and the problem of Bunny being indiscreet. Bunny is dealing with the murder most poorly from a group point of view, and most normally from a society point of view. He cannot cope. For me it seems to be the nearness, had he been able to control his desire for lunch and fast with the others, he would have been involved. Although it is never mentioned, He seems torn by this, what would he have done if involved?

Once you have killed once, even accidentally it becomes easier to kill again, So the plan is to murder Bunny so that he cannot implicate them in the death of the farmer. This occurs and then the ensuing aftermath of funerals and police investigations but the group into the situation I described earlier, the thought that you are bonded for life. Different group members react in different ways to the second murder, one becomes full of life, egotistical and almost maniacal, while another takes solace in alcohol.

The book is excellent and when it was initially released it got deservedly great critical acclaim. Style of writing is excellent, and it does encourage one to ponder on moral issues. Can you do such an act and remain unaffected? There are lots of paths unexplored, such was the first murder really intentional, or part of a little known Greek ritual. There were lots of one off comments or actions which were never explored- a quickly glimpsed kiss between m
ale teacher and pupil, we never know why- and the way it is staged it is not an implication of an ilicit homosexual relationship. These linger in the mind, and although never resolved they add to the 'background' It's realistic and these instances add to the flavour of the book.

I haven't read something so quickly for a while. I honestly found it hard to put down.

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