I decided to pick up this book because I've heard so much about it. Also, since it’s September I was in the mood for some dark academia and I know this book has been called “the original dark academia.”

To avoid spoilers, I’ll share the blurb that’s on the back of the book instead of writing my own.

“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.”

Well, this was one wild ride! I don’t think I can say that I liked this book but it definitely was intriguing, entertaining, and tense. None of the characters are likable which can be a dealbreaker for me but Tartt’s writing won me over. I just had to keep reading to find out what happened to these college kids in the aftermath (being vague here to avoid spoilers). It is a longer book than I realized going into it but somehow it still works and it didn’t feel too long. I think much of that is due to Tartt’s skillful building of suspense and tension. I’ll definitely be thinking about this one for a while.