The Secret History
A gripping tale of ambition, friendship, and moral ambiguity
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Penguin Books Ltd
Published:27th May '93
£9.99
Available for immediate dispatch.
This paperback is available in another edition too:
- Hardback£25.00(9780241621905)
A group of students at an elite college, influenced by a charismatic professor, descends into moral ambiguity, leading to life-altering consequences in The Secret History.
In The Secret History, a group of bright and unconventional students at a prestigious New England college are profoundly influenced by their enigmatic classics professor. Under his guidance, they embark on a journey of intellectual exploration that sets them apart from their more conventional peers. As they delve deeper into the world of ancient philosophy and aesthetics, they begin to adopt a lifestyle that challenges the norms of their everyday existence. This newfound perspective brings them closer together, forging a bond that is both exhilarating and dangerous.
However, as the students push the boundaries of morality in their quest for enlightenment, they find themselves entangled in a web of deception, betrayal, and tragedy. Their pursuit of beauty and truth leads to unforeseen consequences that irrevocably alter their lives. The allure of their intellectual pursuits becomes a double-edged sword, as the line between right and wrong blurs, and their actions spiral out of control.
The Secret History is a gripping tale that examines the complexities of friendship, the allure of elitism, and the dark side of human nature. Through the lens of this tight-knit group, the narrative explores themes of ambition, guilt, and the cost of seeking knowledge. As they confront the aftermath of their choices, readers are drawn into a haunting exploration of what it means to live authentically in a world that often demands conformity.
The Secret History succeeds magnificently ... A remarkably powerful novel [and] a ferociously well-paced entertainment ... Forceful, cerebral, and impeccably controlled * New York Times *
So irresistible and seductive it's almost a guilty pleasure * Guardian *
A huge, mesmerizing, galloping read * Vanity Fair *
Donna Tartt is an amazingly good writer. She's dense, she's allusive. She's a gorgeous storyteller -- Stephen King
Takes my breath away -- Ruth Rendell
Brilliant and compulsive * Evening Standard *
A haunting, compelling, and brilliant piece of fiction ... Packed with literary allusion and told with a sophistication and texture that owes much more to the nineteenth century than to the twentieth * The Times *
- Runner-up for The BBC Big Read Top 100 2003
- Short-listed for BBC Big Read Top 100 2003
ISBN: 9780140167771
Dimensions: 197mm x 128mm x 27mm
Weight: 435g
640 pages