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  • The Secret History

  • By: Donna Tartt
  • Narrated by: Donna Tartt
  • Length: 22 hrs and 4 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (602 ratings)

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The Secret History

By: Donna Tartt
Narrated by: Donna Tartt
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Publisher's Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

THE BESTSELLER THAT DEFINED AN AGE

Penguin presents the audio edition of The Secret History, read by the author.

'Everything, somehow, fit together; some sly and benevolent Providence was revealing itself by degrees and I felt myself trembling on the brink of a fabulous discovery, as though any morning it was all going to come together---my future, my past, the whole of my life---and I was going to sit up in bed like a thunderbolt and say oh! oh! oh!'

Under the influence of a charismatic classics professor, a group of clever, eccentric misfits at a New England college discover a way of thought and life a world away from their banal contemporaries. But their search for the transcendent leads them down a dangerous path, beyond human constructs of morality.

©1992 Donna Tartt (P)2010 Penguin Audio

Critic Reviews

"Haunting, compelling, brilliant." (The Times)

"Irresistible and seductive." (Guardian)

"Enthralling... Forceful, cerebral and impeccably controlled." (New York Times)

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What listeners say about The Secret History

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Male narrator needed

The female voice made me picture the characters to look like fat Harry Potters rather than the tall, athletic intellectuals they were supposed to be.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Donna Tartt is the narrator!

A fantastic book and it was even better having the author herself read the book.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Narrator was great!

I loved the narrator. I'd give the book an overall 4.7 out of 5. Story was easy to follow and sophisticated.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Riveting story

Wonderful but for an Australian the American accent is a bit grating so would prefer an English voice despite the author being American

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

epic - but enjoyed

I loved this book, as I loved the gold finch.

i didn't mind the narration at all. wanted to say that as I was put off listening to this book as many complained about it and the quality.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Absorbing

I found the narration of this book almost hypnotic. The story and characters drew me in but left me sort of unsatisfied. This almost felt deliberate. For the most part the plot flowed so well it was like drifting down a river, twisting and turning at a perfect pace and building suspense. Then at other times it seemed so drawn out I found myself about to give up, waiting for something that never seemed to come. Overall a strange combination of thought provoking and boring, enjoyable and unsatisfying.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I loved this…

Complicated and detailed… not a quick fix but I found the plot thoroughly enjoyable and loved the flawed characters.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

I expected more.

Cut the book in half and it probably would have had a better impact. Shame.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Great in places - but quite long and drawn out in places

Please see title. It is wild in parts and infuriating in others. Maybe this is the point?

Most of the characters I did not like. Maybe this is also the point.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Dionysian themes in a modern, but not too modern, format.

Donna Tart is a genius at bringing her characters to life in such a subtle way…we feel their torments and charged emotions. Absolutely loved the Authors narration.

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