Book Report
Sep. 17th, 2004 02:48 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
vernacular_lifeWell, I kind of have my life back after finishing A Secret History by Donna Tartt. "Kind of" meaning that I'm not sitting with an empty plate in front of me reading a few more pages or no longer missing my train stop, but I'm still thinking about it. Hell, one of the characters was in my DREAM last night.
I don't remember how I heard about this -- a friend's list of good books or a random conversation about fictional characters you'd like to have overto dinner, but regardless, I Adore This Book.
I must buy a copy to re-read as the mood strikes.
Good lord, if there's anythign that I've read that could inspire me to write/read fan fiction, it would be this. The character development blew me away. I felt as if I KNEW these people.
Basic plot: Dead Poet's Society goes to College. Our Narrator, Richard, and his classmates, all eccentric Greek Scholars, struggle through 'modern' society while their brains view life through the idealism of Homer. (I know that makes it sound boring, but it's not.) They spend nearly every waking moment together. The eat, drink (lots) and try to bring a little bit of the ancient Greek world into today's world. Things happen that are bad. There are reprocussions.
Tidbits that amuse me:
-converstions (in English) that they have in Ancient Greek to avoid clueing in non-Classics students on what they're saying.
-Their loathing of the hoi polloi, despite the fact that Richard is hard core middle class suburban product.
-the timeless quality of this...its suppose to be the early '90's but feels like the '70's. (this is actually a teeny bit annoying)
-everyone sitting in class, eating up every word that their professor says, leaving glossy eyed at the new knowledge.
-the image of Henry in the garden
-Camilla dressing like her brother
-Francis' greatcoat blowing in the wind ala Darkman
Big annoyance:
There's a huge spoiler in the first page or two. I wish that it was revealed as the story unfolded rather than dump it on the readers immediately, but it does add to the mystery and thrill of the story...
I don't want to go on much more at this point, less I spoil it for others. I've read that there's always a rumor of this being turned into a screenplay, and I seriously hope this won't happen, although I could cast it in a heartbeat.
lemme know when you read it (or already have!), and we'll chat more!
I don't remember how I heard about this -- a friend's list of good books or a random conversation about fictional characters you'd like to have overto dinner, but regardless, I Adore This Book.
I must buy a copy to re-read as the mood strikes.
Good lord, if there's anythign that I've read that could inspire me to write/read fan fiction, it would be this. The character development blew me away. I felt as if I KNEW these people.
Basic plot: Dead Poet's Society goes to College. Our Narrator, Richard, and his classmates, all eccentric Greek Scholars, struggle through 'modern' society while their brains view life through the idealism of Homer. (I know that makes it sound boring, but it's not.) They spend nearly every waking moment together. The eat, drink (lots) and try to bring a little bit of the ancient Greek world into today's world. Things happen that are bad. There are reprocussions.
Tidbits that amuse me:
-converstions (in English) that they have in Ancient Greek to avoid clueing in non-Classics students on what they're saying.
-Their loathing of the hoi polloi, despite the fact that Richard is hard core middle class suburban product.
-the timeless quality of this...its suppose to be the early '90's but feels like the '70's. (this is actually a teeny bit annoying)
-everyone sitting in class, eating up every word that their professor says, leaving glossy eyed at the new knowledge.
-the image of Henry in the garden
-Camilla dressing like her brother
-Francis' greatcoat blowing in the wind ala Darkman
Big annoyance:
There's a huge spoiler in the first page or two. I wish that it was revealed as the story unfolded rather than dump it on the readers immediately, but it does add to the mystery and thrill of the story...
I don't want to go on much more at this point, less I spoil it for others. I've read that there's always a rumor of this being turned into a screenplay, and I seriously hope this won't happen, although I could cast it in a heartbeat.
lemme know when you read it (or already have!), and we'll chat more!
