Rating: 
Summary: Possibly the worst book ever written
Review: Ok, so it's not the worst book ever written (that coveted award goes to Martin Amis' "The Information") but it comes pretty darn close. At 300 pages in, I kept thinking that the book would surely start soon, after all this was Donna Tartt, it had to turn out to be great in the end right? Wrong. After 400+ pages I knew it was never going to amount to anything other than a high school student's attempt at Carl Hiaasen gone badly awry. Not only were the characters utterly unlikeable, many seemed to exist for no other reason than to... well exist. This is tosh of the higest order. No plot, no "journey" to follow, no wit and no fun.
Ms Tartt, I hear there are vacancies at Burger King.
Rating: 
Summary: No sure why people don't love it
Review: I am in disbelief as to why people don't love this book. I am almost done with it, and I am so sad that it is going to end soon. If I have to wait 10 more years for another book by Donna Tartt, I will. Her writing takes my breath away. The ending is heart-pounding good. Please give it a try and make your own judgment.
Rating:
Summary: SO, what's the point??
Review: They say about the Secret History, Ms. Tartt's previous book, that if you can get through the first two-thirds, the rest is fantastic... and so it was. About The Little Friend they can say, if you can get through the book, you've read a crappy book. Although the character development was wonderful, and the descriptions of a dysfunctional southern family provided a lot of insights into human behavior and attitudes, I got to the end of the book asking myself if they publisher had neglected the last pages that would have provided a point to the book. It could have been a good mystery, but then, the mystery is never solved, and the reader is left wondering, "so what?"
Rating:
Summary: Wow -- Was this ever BAD!
Review: I will say this for Ms. Tartt -- I haven't had this strong a reaction to a book in a long time. Part of it is the hype. I really enjoyed The Secret History and thought of it as a sure bet for friends looking for a recommendation, so I had a fair amount of anticipation built up for a second Donna Tartt novel. Apparently, too much anticipation can lead to bitter disappointment.1. This is not "To Kill a Mockingbird" (although it tries like hell). Although there is a young female protagonist spending a bored summer in the South and a mysterious man who becomes the subject of her 'investigation', the similarities end there. There are no great moral lessons, no though-provoking revelations on coming of age, (unless the fact that sometimes people are wrong is your idea of a grand "ah-ha!"), no heart-warming heroes. Speaking of which...
2. Even though the author piles on numerous and unnecessary tragedies to gain our sympathies, Harriet is not very likeable. But it's not really Harriet's fault - she and the people who populate her world tend to be one dimensional and inconsistent. Their actions and motives aren't true to themselves or true to their circumstances.
3. Of course, had there been actual character development, I'm sure this would have detracted from Ms. Tartt's lovely use of prose. Here's the thing, the writing would be a whole lot better if the author weren't so darn impressed with her own ability to structure a sentence.
4. On the other hand, there's no lack of action. It takes forever to communicate the story's events (mustn't interfere with the lovely sentences for the sake of writing), but there's seemingly no end to the ludicrous new developments that slowly unfold.
5. Finally, while others complain of the ending, I rejoiced that the pain was over. Sure, it's not the type of ending that the book jacket - or even the beginning of the story - leads you to expect - and really, that is fine, perfectly OK. But the reader is clearly meant to be impressed (again) by the author's cleverness - and that attitude - which is pervasive throughout - is what ultimately makes The Little Friend so very obnoxious and unpleasant.
Rating:
Summary: How awfull!
Review: At the outset, I have to state that Secret History was one of my favorite books. When so many years later, I heard that Donna Tartt was not a Harper Lee, I was truly excited and eagerly anticpated this release. Now I wish she had been a "one hit wonder." What an awfull book. I have struggled through 3/4 of this thing, trying not to be defeated by it's pompous and irrelevant description, lack of plot, and ultimate letdown (while reading this monstrosity, I have completed three other very satisfying books). Tartt starts off with a promising premise, but gets completely bogged down in self-indulgent descriptive asides that make this novel infuriating to read. I don't think one ever finds out who killed Robin, and quite frankly, I don't care...
Rating:
Summary: Less is more
Review: Seven months ago I put The Little Friend on my Christmas wish list and was thrilled when I received it as a gift. Seven months later I finally finished it and I think I owe my gift giver [$$$]! If this book was brilliant, I sure missed it. Everything about this story was long and torturous. The sun-baked Mississippi landscape, the bible thumping, quasi-racist, emotionally clueless characters, the crazy-...premise and the anti-climactic climax which was no climax at all since that would imply a building of tension and action that begs for a resolution. Suffice it to say that 20 pages from the end, I was able to put the book down for the night and not pick it up again for two days, that's how much I didn't care about Harriet and the fate of her family. I can say a lot more, but like The Little Friend, what's the point. Less is more. Read the first chapter, the last, and that's all you'll need. Everything in between is boring, long winded, depressing, and completely unnecessary.
Rating:
Summary: Too Grotesque
Review: I could not finish this book. It kept spiraling downward with more grotesque and stereotypical characters on every page. I couldn't finish it. I don't understand why the critics raved. Yuck.
Rating: 
Summary: I must be missing it, too
Review: I certainly enjoyed Secret History and waited months to get my hands on The Little Friend--boy, am I glad I got it from the library instead of paying for it! I've been reading it non-stop for the past few days and now, exactly halfway through it, it's boring the hell out of me. What's with the snake obsession? I understand that fondling them is a big deal in some religious rites, but are they supposed to be a metaphor for the evil Ratliff family? If so, I get it already! The excruciating--and nearly senseless--detail of the Odums and Ratliffs was so inundating, I felt it really took away from the momentum. I even skipped to the end of the book, which I hate doing, just for a reason to keep going. But even then, it was so convoluted that I fell asleep. I'll try to to finish it, but it's going to be difficult. If you need a sedative, feel free to wade through this tar pit. Otherwise, I wouldn't bother.
Rating:
Summary: The Little Friend is GOOD STUFF!
Review: I loved the Little Friend because Tartt was able to conjure up vivid portrayals of her characters that were deeply human without having to resort to a fast-moving plot. People are definitely missing the point when they're expecting an "ending" or closure. Life is not all about closure, and that's what Tartt is explaining. If people, in their minds, label the finding of robin's killer as the climax, then this book is definitely anticlimatic. However, the quest for solving robin's murder is really a way for us readers to try to understand the other characters' personalities and mentalities, using that jarring event in their lives and measuring their reactions. The Secret History was also written in this manner, and if people think that it was better because there was some sort of closure, then they should read the book over again. (note: SH SPOILER!) Henry's death left gaps in everyone's heart, as did Robin's. We were with Henry and the gang the when they killed Bunny... it wasn't some sort of discovery. The main type of discovery that LF and SH have is the sort that celebrates humanity, flaws and all.
Rating: 
Summary: A Little Tartt
Review: Remember,Harriet is a CHILD, not an adult, and her experiences reflect childhood perceptions. Also remember that "good endings" are best left untidy. The ending of The Little Friend is consistent and satisfying.
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