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Tina's Reviews > The Little Friend
The Little Friend
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I sort of want to scream when I read lukewarm reviews of this book. Admittedly, people may get the wrong idea when they read the back jacket, or the first few pages, and anticipate some sort of murder mystery thrill.
The death of Harriet's brother is merely background for her character. The skill with which Tartt explores the inner workings and thought processes of a virtually abandoned 12 year old girl whose older brother's murder has never been solved cannot be praised highly enough. Tartt seems to have magically leaped over that crevasse that seperates us from our youth, and from understanding the mysterious social workings of 12 year olds.
I found this book, though lengthy, to be absolutely riveting.
The death of Harriet's brother is merely background for her character. The skill with which Tartt explores the inner workings and thought processes of a virtually abandoned 12 year old girl whose older brother's murder has never been solved cannot be praised highly enough. Tartt seems to have magically leaped over that crevasse that seperates us from our youth, and from understanding the mysterious social workings of 12 year olds.
I found this book, though lengthy, to be absolutely riveting.
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Reading Progress
Started Reading
January 1, 2003
–
Finished Reading
July 25, 2007
– Shelved
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Liz
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Aug 10, 2010 04:38PM
I was floored to see people panning this book!
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I know! I think they don't get that it's not really supposed to be a mystery novel - too bad for them I suppose! Anxiously awaiting Ms. Tartt's next novel...
Yes - I agree wholeheartedly with this. If you want a thriller which ties up all the loose ends in a satisfying Hollywood ending, there are plenty of them out there. The murder in this novel is just the jumping off point for a far more interesting story, and I feel the ending is eminently more thought-provoking than simply lifting the veil and revealing all.
I'm very glad that I purchased this from Amazon without reading the reviews at their site. If I had, I might have passed up an opportunity to read one of the best books I've ever read. I don't make a statement like that lightly.
"The death of Harriet's brother is merely background for her character." So, a plot device...that should be cleared up, or else, why mention it...is used to simply advance a character? No. Several hundred pages to present a character with no real story or resolution? No, I don't need a Hollywood action sequence, but hell, clear up the damn question you opened at the beginning. Pretty collections of words don't make a compelling story.
I agree! I love the way she writes. I found her characters fascinating, even if I hated them. The story really isn't about Robin - it's about what happens to the family after he's gone. Harriet never knew him, but as she gets older she seems to get a stronger sense that Robin's death is largely why their mother is a ghost of a woman, why Allison is such an enigma and why Edie became increasingly bitter and cynical. Harriet thinks that if she can solve the case, that would offset the fallout following his death - but it wouldn't.
Tobin, you are completely wrong; there is an immense story here.The brother is not just a plot device. Rather, it is part of the family DNA; the straw that drove them apart, leaving Harriet to grow up isolated, neglected, and poorly loved.
This is a story about growing up in dysfunction and neglect, the cyclical nature of poverty and addiction, and the very real difficulties that families face in dealing with grief, loneliness, and despair.
I was very disappointed with this book and came close to not finishing it. Her other books are great and addictive, but this one drug along with no focus and no resolution. Sorry, I just could not make myself care about the whole thing.
Don't be sorry to us, Doris; it was a great book, and I'm sorry you couldn't enjoy it!
I loved how creepy and sinister the book was without being truly creepy. Would love more books that can deliver that.
I totally loved this book, as I loved both of her other books. Can't wait for the next one.
There's absolutely no reason why this couldn't have been a book that was about Harriet and how hard it was for her to be a child on her journey toward adulthood, AND given some kind of resolution. As it was, I feel I could have simply stopped reading anywhere in the previous 300 pages before the end and had the same experience.
Sandra I totally agree with you. I'm dumbfounded by the lack of resolution here. Give me 5 more pages for Harriet to move into her next phase of life.
Enjoyed this novel. I never saw happy a ending for Harriet ,almost from the start . I thought Tart developed the characters in depth and gave the reader an education on the confounding variables that results in misery. An excellent read.
There could never be a resolution. This was not about a 12 year old girl solving a murder; Robin's murder does not need resolving. It is the impetus for all that follows, and we clearly see the effect of his murder on all the family members
I absolutely LOVED this book! Cannot understand the bad reviews!
I think she wants us to cone up with our own solution, like probably one of the other Ratliffs did it. (Both Gum and their father were against Robin and Danny being friends.) Greed, poverty, envy, and really, Robin was a little bit of a mischievious twit.
Amazing insight into psychology of children. Excellent portrayal of the older generation. Tartt’s characters are alive. She isn’t afraid to show the complexity of people’s psyche.
The ending IS a resolution, which I think a lot of people don’t get. It is a realistic resolution that leaves a lot of things open ended, which is not a bad thing for a naturalistic novel.
I loved every aspect of this story but the ending left me wanting!
I honestly think that if the back jacket wasn't so misleading and gave a clearer image of the actual plot, I would have loved the book or at least liked it a lot more
Thank you for this review, I still have about 150 pages to read, but I already know that my experience of this book is very similar to the one you describe. The book is about Robin's death - about how his whole environment deals with his death. How they are impacted. I like this book very much, and I like that Donna Tartt seems to be herself in all her books, each book yet so different.
I agree 100% -- this was a gorgeous read and perfect in every way. I think a lot of people didn't get it -- so you and I did. *shrug* And we're not alone.
