The Secret History

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of death and bullying.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The Secret History is set on a college campus and revolves around the intense bond that forms among a group of students there. How does the novel compare to other depictions you have seen of college life in novels, TV, or film? If you attended college, were your experiences as intense and formative as what Tartt depicts?

2. The Secret History is Donna Tartt’s first novel; she went on to write other successful novels such as The Little Friend and The Goldfinch. If you have read these, how does The Secret History compare to Tartt’s later works? Does anything about The Secret History distinguish it as the work of a first-time author? If you have not read any of Tartt’s other works, would you like to?

3. The novel features many allusions to ancient Greek and Latin literature since the students meet in a Classics class. Have you read any literature from this period or studied Classical history? If so, did this enrich your understanding of the novel, or do you think it is possible to fully appreciate it without this background?