#dark literature

[its-simply-just-krys]

“Mouthful of Forevers”, Clementine von Radics

[namedvesta]

“Well, if God doesn't exist, who's laughing at us?”

— Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov.

[infiniteradius]

[juneacademia]

Literature is the window to the soul.

[edwardian-masquerade]

"If roses could talk, they would not boast of their beauty, because they know that they have always been beautiful."

-Michael Bassey Johnson, Song of a Nature Lover

[anneverapoetry]

but not forgotten

[usefulquotes7]

[amicus-noctis]

“I have the true feeling of myself only when I am unbearably unhappy.” ― Franz Kafka

Drawings by Franz Kafka from his sketchbook, circa 1901-7. Literary Estate of Max Brod, National Library of Israel, Jerusalem. Photo by Ardon Bar Hama

[insomniacflorist]

"You can justify anything if you do it poetically enough.

- M.L. Rio, If We Were Villains

[insane-in-the-membranee]

In the shadows of my love, a haunting truth lingers – my boundless affection, a curse veiled in desire. I dread the certainty of my impending ruin upon you, yet, entangled in selfishness, I refuse to release the grip of this heart that claws at your soul. You, dear one, unwittingly embody my twisted salvation.

✙✙✙✙✙✙✙✙✙✙✙✙✙✙✙✙✙✙✙✙✙✙✙✙✙✙✙✙✙✙✙✙

[thebeesareback]

I just finished the audio book for Donna Tartt's novel The Secret History, so naturally I had to have a lil scroll to see what everyone thought on Tumblr. To add to the discourse: (spoilers, obviously)

Also trigger warning: incest, abuse, murder, alcoholism

Why is Tumblr so in love with Henry Winter?! He murders the farmer, Bunny, and possibly tries to kill Charles. He's manipulative and may well try to make Richard take the fall (har har) for Bunny's death. In the garden scene, he admits to being a psychopath/sociopath. Oh, and he's unbelievably pretentious

Also, why are there so many cute pictures of the twins hanging out? Their relationship was strained, incestuous, co-dependent, abusive. The whole uwu thing baffles me

Richard has a very obvious foot fetish and nobody is talking about it

The novel is quite funny, and I wish more people picked up on that. Most of the humour comes from Francis - the pinz nez stays ON during sex; no, Bunny's parents weren't very upset when one of their grandchildren ruined Francis' scarf, they were preoccupied by their missing son; and there's a throwaway line where the art students eat sushi with paintbrushes instead of chopsticks. I also liked when the twins panicked after Bunny's murder and decided to start repotting tulips

The farmer is referred to by name twice. Once in a newspaper, once by Bunny. Strange to think that he's the person in the squad who might actually have a conscience. Incidentally, Milo, the golden retriever who finds Bunny's body, has his name mentioned more frequently.

Richard is a smelly, badly dressed misanthrope. As is Henry, and Charles towards the end. Francis, Camilla and Hampden itself provide the (admittedly gorgeous) dark academia aesthetic, but if you want to end that dream, remember how terrible everything would have smelled. I guess the difference between appearance and reality is a pretty big theme

Julian is very creepy, obviously, but I was surprised that he wasn't more involved in the plot. He seems like exactly the sort of person to start a cult. I'd also like to know if he and Henry were in a sexual relationship, because we see them kiss once and then it's never mentioned again

Foreshadowing is done EXCELLENTLY through the book. There were a few characters who were described as ghostly at the start, and I THINK they're the ones who survive. Also, Tartt loves her pathetic fallacy (not phallusy).

Time is very strange. If you bothered to plot out all of the events, I don't think it quite makes sense. Term starts in September, say Richard joins Julian's classes in early October? That means all the picnics, the Sunday walks with Bunny, the trips to Francis' house, all happen over about five weeks, leading to the 12th November when Charles, Henry and Francis kill the farmer. Unreliable narrator, I guess

A lot of things about Richard's character make more sense when you realise the abuse he grew up experiencing and witnessing. Poor Ms Papen. Odd that Richard's parents don't visit him when he's in hospital

Funny that everyone is surprised when the twins' incest comes out. Like, they had an orgy at the start of the baccanal. Call me a prude, but I wouldn't attend an orgy with a family member

I would go for girls' night with Judy Poovey

Also, the book was published in 1992. Does anyone know when Prince Charles and Camila Parker Bowles went public with their relationship? Seems like an unbelievable coincidence otherwise

If anyone has an actual criteria for identifying alcohol abuse/alcoholism, please lmk if any of the main six characters AREN'T alcoholics. I'm pretty sure I got liver cirrhosis and lung cancer just from reading this book

[namedvesta]

— Rainer Maria Rilke, from Love Poems to God (𝟣𝟫𝟢𝟧)

[technicallyclassyperfection]

Sophia Rapata

[soulsunpoets]

(I've never known a love so tempest like)

[edwardian-masquerade]

"You know too much psychology, when you can’t get mad because you understand everyone’s reasons for doing everything." -Unknown