Why did you read this book?: It’s Donna Tartt. She wrote The Secret History. We pre-ordered this months ago.

Has Beckie read it?: Yes, just before I did. We’ll see which of us posts our review first, since we are playing with WordPress post queueing technology. (Update: she posted first.)

42 word review: I’d have enjoyed it twice as much had it been half as long. Everything was there: great (if overdrawn) characters; intricate and careful plot; strongly developed themes; beautifully-crafted dialogue. Just too much in-between and too slow. Skimmed large portions, including the end.

Rating: 3 numbats (out of 5). Also, may knock a half-numbat off my recollection of The Secret History, because it reminded me of how she overdid a couple of the main characters in that.