# Donna Tartt, you cold and heartless BITCH. (SPOILERS for The Little Friend) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 1, 2003, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donna-tartt-you-cold-and-heartless-bitch-spoilers-for-the-little-friend/172441 "2003-05-01T18:43:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donna-tartt-you-cold-and-heartless-bitch-spoilers-for-the-little-friend/172441/1 "2003-05-01T18:43:51Z")
You venomous, unfeeling whore. You scat eating eel lover. How fucking DARE you end a book like that? I waited for you Donna. I waited almost TEN YEARS for you to give me a gift. I panted, I drooled, I read The Secret History OVER AND OVER AND OVER, relishing each word like a fine, smooth chocolate, exclaiming aloud how you were my idol, my muse, the greatest of female writers and story spinners. I wept with unreserved joy at the announcement of your second novel: The Little Friend. Imagine my continued joy as I began falling in love with Harriet and Allison, and Danny Ratliff and all of the characters presented in such a rich, colorful format. Now, imagine me literally throwing your fucking book across my living room and listening to it hiss against the carpet like the lump of hell that it is. Is this the new HIP thing for writers to do? IS IT? Untangle, untie as many threads as you can and then leave EVERY FUCKING ONE OF THEM unresolved? Is that what the kids are scrambling for these days? Is it cool and fun to introduce a major plot point on the LAST GOD DAMN PAGE OF THE BOOK and then explain NOTHING about it? HOW DARE YOU DONNA??? HOW FUCKING DARE YOU? I gave my heart to you, you sly ice queen. My love for you is diminished, tarnished…chilled. You disappoint me Donna. I can only hope you suffer from a mild case of the ricketts. ---
**Author:** ![sugaree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@sugaree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sugaree)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donna-tartt-you-cold-and-heartless-bitch-spoilers-for-the-little-friend/172441/2 "2003-05-01T19:05:34Z")
Haven’t read it, but I kinda like stories with endings open and unresolved. They are like life. ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donna-tartt-you-cold-and-heartless-bitch-spoilers-for-the-little-friend/172441/3 "2003-05-01T21:38:52Z")
I think the “major plot point” at the end is clearly sign posted all the way through. But you do get the impression she cut it short to get the thing out. The book is quite big enough without more chapters and 10 years is a looong time writing. ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donna-tartt-you-cold-and-heartless-bitch-spoilers-for-the-little-friend/172441/4 "2003-05-01T22:43:10Z")
I felt the same way. Here’s a synopsis of my reading experience: “Hmm, interesting…” “Oooh, this is getting good!” “This is good!” “This is getting better!” “I can’t believe she did that!” “Must stop reading to see how it all shakes out!” “Wait, what? THAT’S the END?!” Grr. ---
**Author:** ![hardygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@hardygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hardygrrl)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donna-tartt-you-cold-and-heartless-bitch-spoilers-for-the-little-friend/172441/5 "2003-05-01T23:23:52Z")
I’m glad to see I wasn’t the only one who was pissed about the ending. Donna, you managed to end **The Secret History**. What the fuck happened here? ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donna-tartt-you-cold-and-heartless-bitch-spoilers-for-the-little-friend/172441/6 "2003-05-01T23:53:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Futile Gesture \* > \*\*I think the “major plot point” at the end is clearly sign posted all the way through. > \*\* No doubt. But why? I can look back and say oh, of course, but it didn’t tie up any loose ends any better. It’s not like end of Fight Club where you say “OH, NOW IT ALL MAKES SENSE”. That ‘major plot point’ doesn’t solve the murder which WAS THE WHOLE FUCKING PURPOSE OF THE WHOLE FUCKING BOOK. ---
**Author:** ![Payton\_s\_Servant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3da27b/32.png) [@Payton\_s\_Servant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Payton_s_Servant)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donna-tartt-you-cold-and-heartless-bitch-spoilers-for-the-little-friend/172441/7 "2003-05-02T04:03:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jarbabyj \* > \*\*You venomous, unfeeling whore. You scat eating eel lover. How fucking DARE you end a book like that? > > I waited for you Donna. I waited almost TEN YEARS for you to give me a gift. I panted, I drooled, I read The Secret History OVER AND OVER AND OVER, relishing each word like a fine, smooth chocolate, exclaiming aloud how you were my idol, my muse, the greatest of female writers and story spinners. > > I wept with unreserved joy at the announcement of your second novel: The Little Friend. > > Imagine my continued joy as I began falling in love with Harriet and Allison, and Danny Ratliff and all of the characters presented in such a rich, colorful format. > > Now, imagine me literally throwing your fucking book across my living room and listening to it hiss against the carpet like the lump of hell that it is. > > Is this the new HIP thing for writers to do? IS IT? Untangle, untie as many threads as you can and then leave EVERY FUCKING ONE OF THEM unresolved? Is that what the kids are scrambling for these days? Is it cool and fun to introduce a major plot point on the LAST GOD DAMN PAGE OF THE BOOK and then explain NOTHING about it? > > HOW DARE YOU DONNA??? HOW FUCKING DARE YOU? I gave my heart to you, you sly ice queen. My love for you is diminished, tarnished…chilled. > > You disappoint me Donna. I can only hope you suffer from a mild case of the ricketts. \*\* I think you should sic Brian on her.😉 ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donna-tartt-you-cold-and-heartless-bitch-spoilers-for-the-little-friend/172441/8 "2003-05-02T04:58:30Z")
What did Tartt do, freeze the protagonist in carbonite and sell her to Jabba the Hutt? ---
**Author:** ![Tusculan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecd19e/32.png) [@Tusculan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tusculan)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donna-tartt-you-cold-and-heartless-bitch-spoilers-for-the-little-friend/172441/9 "2003-05-02T13:54:19Z")
Read TLF, agree with OP (though I would phrase it differently and put it in Cafe Society, but the Pit is fine too) and other posters. It doesn’t look like an intentional open end but more like a premature finish. ---
**Author:** ![Big\_Norse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/big_norse/32/9954_2.png) [@Big\_Norse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Big_Norse)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donna-tartt-you-cold-and-heartless-bitch-spoilers-for-the-little-friend/172441/10 "2003-05-02T14:04:40Z")
Is it just me, or does the OP rant remind anyone else of Kathy Bates in “Misery”? “You Dirty Bird, how could you!! Misery Chastaine can not be dead!” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donna-tartt-you-cold-and-heartless-bitch-spoilers-for-the-little-friend/172441/11 "2003-05-02T14:11:39Z")
I thought The Secret History sucked. So I’m not surprised. ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donna-tartt-you-cold-and-heartless-bitch-spoilers-for-the-little-friend/172441/12 "2003-05-02T16:22:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jarbabyj \* > **That ‘major plot point’ doesn’t solve the murder** If, indeed, it was a murder. Think of that? ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donna-tartt-you-cold-and-heartless-bitch-spoilers-for-the-little-friend/172441/13 "2003-05-02T17:21:40Z")
WHATEVER IT WAS Harriet having epilepsy has nothing to do with anything dealing with Robin. And what about Allison’s dreams of the billowing sheet? And why is it revealed at the end that Danny and Robin were actually FRIENDS, not enemies. Nothing makes sense! ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donna-tartt-you-cold-and-heartless-bitch-spoilers-for-the-little-friend/172441/14 "2003-05-03T15:50:07Z")
[This person disagrees with the naysayers](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0679439382/qid=1051976903/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/104-8145682-6553540?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) [sub] > [@](#): > > Having read this book and read the negative reviews, it’s rather annoying that some of those readers just don’t get it: Donna Tartt writes her novels in the tradition of Faulkner and Harper Lee, even Cormac McCarthy, not Stephen King or John Grisham; novels of complex psychological and emotional commentary, and the uncontrollability of life’s events. They are not meant to be clean, straight forward plots with tidy endings. Those kinds of stories evoke the old Miller Lite Beer commercials of “Taste Great, Less Filling”. I want “Filling”; character development, metaphoric descriptions that allow one to see, feel, even taste the experience of the characters, empathy, redemption, indifference and guilt. > > The premise of loss of innocence is clearly laid out as Harriet embarks on a childish game of Sherlock Holmes, only to end up on a runaway train of tragedy and death, vortexing several hapless, unsuspecting victims with her (some sympathetic and some not). Along the way, Harriet shows a single minded, obsessive vision that she refuses to loses focus on, precisely because she IS innocent and unexperienced with how life and the people in her world are all intertwined and victimized. There’s no escaping that reality. THAT is life. > > All the character, environmental, social and cultural prose interweave beautifully into an elaborate tapestry that is at once gripping and emotionally exhausting. The book left me feeling spent and satisfied. NOT a waste of time. > I couldn’t give the story the maximum score only on the minor point that a 12 year old couldn’t possibly be THAT precocious as to handle king cobras and handle and shoot guns in such a calm manner. > > Donna - thanks for a great read. I look forward to your next opus. [/sub] ---
**Author:** ![NotWithoutRage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NotWithoutRage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotWithoutRage)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donna-tartt-you-cold-and-heartless-bitch-spoilers-for-the-little-friend/172441/15 "2003-05-03T17:45:57Z")
Well, after seeing this thread yesterday, and not clicking on it, I ran home and finished the last 30 pages or so. I was not so impressed. Decent book, decent ending. I’ve read better. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donna-tartt-you-cold-and-heartless-bitch-spoilers-for-the-little-friend/172441/16 "2003-05-03T18:12:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jarbabyj \* > \*\* You scat eating eel lover. \*\* What’s so bad about eels? They can be tasty! The scat stuff is the deal breaker of course. Or do you mean “eel lover” in the romantic sense? ---
**Author:** ![Lilly\_2010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@Lilly\_2010](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lilly_2010)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2015, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donna-tartt-you-cold-and-heartless-bitch-spoilers-for-the-little-friend/172441/17 "2015-08-21T16:38:39Z")
> [@astro](#): > > [This person disagrees with the naysayers](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0679439382/qid=1051976903/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/104-8145682-6553540?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) Hi I totally agree with astro about the little friend by Donna tartt , I found it absolutely brilliant, even better than the goldfinch. This is not a thriller, the point of the book is not to find the murderer, if there is one, it’s all in the characters imagination or re creation of the past, all about memory and what we do with it. And it’s about Harriet 's loss of innocence, her quest in the adult world , landscape mindscape, it’s mind blowing. When I put the book down, I started reading it back again to stay in the atmosphere… Loved it, yes the ending is unexpected, but it’s great, it’s open and it’s up to us readers to fill in the gaps. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2015, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donna-tartt-you-cold-and-heartless-bitch-spoilers-for-the-little-friend/172441/18 "2015-08-21T17:10:53Z")
> [@Big\_Norse](#): > > Is it just me, or does the OP rant remind anyone else of Kathy Bates in “Misery”? > > “You Dirty Bird, how could you!! Misery Chastaine can not be dead!” > > 😃 Came in to post basically this. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2015, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donna-tartt-you-cold-and-heartless-bitch-spoilers-for-the-little-friend/172441/19 "2015-08-21T18:12:04Z")
Over 12 years later, I still think eels can be very delicious. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2015, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donna-tartt-you-cold-and-heartless-bitch-spoilers-for-the-little-friend/172441/20 "2015-08-21T19:04:22Z")
You know what else are delicious? Braaaainsss! 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donna-tartt-you-cold-and-heartless-bitch-spoilers-for-the-little-friend/172441.md?page=2)