Although the Cleves generally revelled in every detail of their family history, the events of 'the terrible Mother's Day' were never, ever discussed. On that day, nine-year-old Robin Cleves, was found hanging by the neck from a rope slung over a black-tupelo tree in his own garden. Twelve years later, the mystery - with its taunting traces of foul play - was no nearer a solution than it had been on the day it happened.This isn't good enough for Robin's youngest sister Harriet. Only a baby when the tragedy occurred, but ...
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Although the Cleves generally revelled in every detail of their family history, the events of 'the terrible Mother's Day' were never, ever discussed. On that day, nine-year-old Robin Cleves, was found hanging by the neck from a rope slung over a black-tupelo tree in his own garden. Twelve years later, the mystery - with its taunting traces of foul play - was no nearer a solution than it had been on the day it happened.This isn't good enough for Robin's youngest sister Harriet. Only a baby when the tragedy occurred, but now twelve years old, Harriet is ready and eager to find and punish her brother's killer. Her closest friend Hely - who would try anything to make Harriet love him - has sworn allegiance to her call for revenge. But the world these plucky twelve-year-olds are to encounter is not child's play: it is dark, adult and all too menacing. In Donna Tartt's Mississippi, the sense of place and sense of the past mingle with rich human drama to create a powerful alchemy. Here a child's inquiring mind not only unearths telling family artefacts, but stirs up a neighbourhood nest of vipers and larceny. THE LITTLE FRIEND is a profoundly involving novel which demonstrates how the imaginary life embraces what literature we read, what special places we inhabit and what kindred souls we recognize, to help crack open even the darkest secrets life has hiding for us.
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Add this copy of The Little Friend to cart. $2.96, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Reno rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Reno, NV, UNITED STATES, published 2003 by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC.
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Tartt's second novel was well worth the wait. Part Flannery O'Connor, part Harper Lee, THE LITTLE FRIEND is beautifully written. It's moody, tense, vivid, and incredibly satisfying. You must read this book.
bookboy
Jun 19, 2007
Don't expect another Secret History
If you were one of those who read Tartt's brilliant The Secret History and waited ten years for her second novel don't expect another rehash of the same.
Instead, Donna Tartt offers up a sultry story of Southern mores reminiscent of Harper Lee or Carson McCullers. Donna Tartt (whom I happened to meet at a reading for this novel) said that she is highly influenced by Flannery O'Connor and if you're familiar with O'Connor's work you will know that O'Connor writes very dark material and has a tendency of ending her stories in a distinctly trademark manner.
Tartt follows suit and the only beef I could find with the novel is trying to pinpoint exactly what decade this occurs. One scene describes a character as having the afro of a Black man, white bell-bottoms and a corduroy suit jacket giving the feeling that this takes place in the early to mid 70s. Another scene has a character making a brief reference to the yellow fever outbreak back in '79 making it possible for this novel to take place in the early 80s. I'm hard pressed to tell when The Little Friend occurs.
Plot isn't the driving force here, instead the characters are. If you prefer plot development over character development then this isn't the novel for you. Essentially, this is a novel about loss: the loss of childhood innocence, the loss of loved ones, the loss of friendships. Tartt's prose is so intense, I could feel Harriet's sense of hopelessness and despair as the world she knows changes and falls apart around her. Who doesn't remember as a child when you begin to understand the harsh realities of life? When you're faced with Death for the first time? When you begin to realize that you're no longer a child anymore and that the world can be an ugly place?
The story in a nutshell: Harriet's brother is murdered when she is a baby. 12 years later her family has fallen apart. Dad is never home, on the verge on leaving the family and Mom is a alcoholic stuck in time not fully recovered from the murder of her son. 12 year old Harriet decides if she can slove the murder she can restore her family. Soon after she opens up a Pandora's box of secrets and suspense.
Donna Tartt once again writes a thought provoking and compelling novel that I thoroughly enjoyed. Her characters are very real and she tells a gripping, page turning, roller coaster ride of a tale with a nailbiting climax. Donna Tartt truly is an inspiration to me (which I had the pleasure of telling her). I highly anticipate her next novel.