Book · 1992
The Secret History
by Donna Tartt
A group of classics students at a small Vermont college kills one of their own, and the entire novel is spent explaining, calmly, exactly why.
What does Reddit think of The Secret History?
One comment (↑301) does more work than the rest of the sample combined: "you basically find out who killed who on the first page, and the rest of the novel is what led up to that point," the reverse-mystery hook stated plainly, no hedging. Past that, the citations thin out fast. Several of the top quotes here are just the title and author typed out (↑260, ↑253, ↑226), sometimes in curly-brace shorthand ({{The Secret History}}), the low-effort form that inflates a mention count without adding an argument. When commenters do elaborate, they reach for specific company: Rebecca, East of Eden, Lonesome Dove (↑332), or a "captivating ensemble cast of intellectual college students" paired with "so immersive" (↑260). One reader (↑234) calls it a two-hour conversation's worth of book, more than can be unpacked casually. r/suggestmeabook dominates the volume here; r/booksuggestions, r/YAlit, and r/TrueLit barely register.
Community feedback & reader fit
Themes
- · The reverse-mystery structure stated as the hook, not a twist
- · A high share of mentions are bare title-drops
- · Paired with Rebecca and East of Eden as literary-classic company
- · Heavily concentrated in r/suggestmeabook, thin everywhere else
Common praise
- + One commenter states the reverse-mystery structure outright, you know who died on page one, the rest is the walk there, and treats that as a feature (↑301).
- + It gets grouped with Rebecca and East of Eden, company that argues for literary weight over plot twists (↑332).
- + A reader calls the ensemble cast captivating and the book immersive, without qualifying either claim (↑260).
Common criticism
- − A large share of the citations here are just the title typed out, sometimes in curly braces, not an argument for reading it (↑253).
- − One reader says there's too much to unpack in two hours, which cuts both ways: dense enough to reward rereading, or dense enough to resist casual conversation (↑234).
- − Almost nobody in the sample explains what specifically works, the praise stays at the level of 'immersive' and 'captivating.'
Who it's for
Come for the structure if whodunit fatigue has worn you out, one commenter's whole pitch is that you already know who died and the book spends its length on why (↑301). Pair it mentally with Rebecca or East of Eden, that's the shelf Reddit keeps building around it (↑332). Don't expect a quick book-club pick either; one reader needed more than two hours just to talk through it (↑234). Want a plot-forward thriller instead? The sample here says look elsewhere, nobody's selling this on suspense.
Mentions over time
Top subreddits
Which Reddit comments matter for The Secret History?
The most relevant excerpts across the subreddits where this book is mentioned — opinionated, argued takes first, then top-upvoted mentions. Click through to read the full thread.
“I'm in my late twenties and coming of age novels are still one of my favorite genres for this reason. Here are my favorites that either directly or indirectly fit the bill: * Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro * The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman * Normal People by Sally Rooney * Brookl…
“Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, The secret history by Donna Tartt, East of Eden by John Steinbeck. I’m also currently reading Lonesome dove by Larry McMurtry and it will most certainly be added to best books ever read. Honourable mention is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, and Pride and Predjudice by…
“{{The Secret History}} by Donna Tartt - you basically find out who killed who on the first page and the rest of the novel is what lead up to that point
“*The Secret History* by Donna Tartt: Captivating ensemble cast of intellectual college students and a mysterious murder. It’s a modern classic. So immersive!
“The Secret History by Donna Tartt.
“{{The Secret History by Donna Tartt}}
“Donna Tartt's The Secret History. There's just too much to unpack in two hours.
“The Secret History by Donna Tartt
“>I am also curious about other peoples experience with this phenomenon of people reading exclusively by people of their own gender (I think it is more common with men but to a lesser extent with women). Is it frequent? Why does it happen? Is it a bad thing? It's been studied. Women tend to read alo…
“the secret history, donna tartt!
“The Secret History by Donna Tartt. I’ve found people either love or hate this book. I buy everyone a copy at least once for Christmas I love it that much lol
“Every time I reread Pride and Prejudice I feel so cosy and want to go on lots of walks in the country. Be sure to check out The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt if you haven’t already, similar reading experience to The Secret History! Maybe not your thing but I went through a phase of reading lots of Jon…
“The Secret History by Donna Tartt - I read it for the first time in a dorm room, in the winter, in Vermont. It was such an immersive experience that I cherish to this day. I re-read it every few years to catch a glimpse of that feeling again! 🥰
“Vita Nostra is exactly what you're looking for here - the protagonist is forced to attend a dilapidated Russian technical college with a bizarre curriculum that she begins to suspect is teaching them magic. Also if you don't *need* the magic you should absolutely read The Secret History by Donna T…
“I recently picked up The Secret History by Donna Tartt and finished it in two days. It’s been a long time since I read a 600 page book this quickly.
Convinced? Pick up The Secret History
What else does r/suggestmeabook read?
Other books mentioned in the same sub, ranked. Shared-sub overlap with this title breaks ties.
The Secret History — frequently asked
Is The Secret History a mystery, or does it spoil itself?+
It spoils itself on purpose. One r/suggestmeabook comment (↑301) describes the whole structure: you learn who died almost immediately, and the novel spends its length on the events leading up to it, a reverse mystery rather than a whodunit.
What books does Reddit compare The Secret History to?+
Rebecca, East of Eden, and Lonesome Dove, per one r/suggestmeabook list (↑332) that groups all four as favorite reads without drawing out specific parallels beyond shared literary weight and craft.
Why do so many Reddit comments just name The Secret History without explanation?+
Because a large share of the displayed mentions are bare citations, title and author typed out, sometimes in curly-brace shorthand (↑253, ↑226). That inflates the mention count but doesn't tell you much about why people rate it.
Is The Secret History a quick read?+
Not according to one commenter (↑234), who says there's too much to unpack in two hours, implying it rewards slower, more deliberate discussion rather than a fast plot-driven read.