Research - Donna Tartt.

Donna tart, born (born December 23, 1963) is an American writer and author of three successful novels, all of which are mysteries. Her first release, The Secret History in 1992, gained huge success, and has since become a cult classic. Even before her first novels release, tart had received great praise, as an undergraduate astounding writer Willie Morris had read her work and approached her with the words, my name’s Willie Morris, and i think your a genius.” The secret history became a best seller and donna became a writer who lived up to the hype.’
“The story of a tight-knit group of classics students at an exclusive private college in Vermont, who in the course of recreating a Bacchanalian rite kill a man and then are forced to murder one of their own number to cover their tracks, it is both boldly intellectual and a page-turner in the true sense.”

Tartt has also written a collection of short stories and memoirs some of which reflect her childhood life.
- In 2002 worked on the retelling of a ancient mythology myths in series of novels, along with other contemporary authors. Tartt’s short story "The Ambush" was named to The Best American Short Stories 2006.

Considering it took tart 8 years to write her debut novel, a long wait was expected for her second. However when the highly anticipated ‘little friend’ was finally released in 2002, it didn't quite gain the same excitement as her first. Despite still getting rave reviews, perhaps the books downfall was its difficulty in forming a connection with the reader; they remain an observer. (The secret history however provides a personal perspective, and allows the readers to be participants within the story. through Richards narration the reader possibly feels more involved and engaged. this perspective is perhaps what caused her first novel to triumph over her second?)

Her third novel, The goldfinch released in 2013, was the top of the bestseller list for 7 months,and has gained much critical praise. It is her largest book yet with a lengthy 800 pages.

“The Goldfinch tells the story of Theo, a 13-year-old boy who loses his mother in a terrorist bomb in a New York museum. Theo steals the Dutch master The Goldfinch from the rubble and it sets him on a 10-year adventure, taking in Las Vegas and Amsterdam.

Tartt is famous for how long her books take to write – an average of 10 years – and she describes the first few years of writing a new book as a torturous time, comparable to trying to bring Frankenstein's monster to life.”

However this length of time allows Donna to really emerse herself within the story - which perhaps holds the success of her novels. Spending that much time getting to know and building up these fantastic characters - give us, the reader, a richer experience? She says that the writing process for her is as much of an escape as she thinks reading is for her fans. "Staying with the same characters for so long is fun, it's fun seeing how they evolve over time, being in the same world for a long time. Once I'm there I like to stay there. It's an alternate life, it's wonderful. Of course it's escapist."

The new york Book Review, “ ‘The Goldfinch’ is a rarity that comes along perhaps half a dozen times per decade, a smartly written literary novel that connects with the heart as well as the mind.”

Donna tart won a WH Smith Literary Award for ‘The Little Friend’ in 2003. The Goldfinch gained her the Pulitzer Prize (fiction) in 2014, the judges of which said, “a book that stimulates the mind and touches the heart.” In the same name she was named to the TIME 100: ‘The 100 Most Influential people.

Tartt left her home state of Mississippi, and moved to Bennington College, New England in 1982 It is here where she began to write her first novel. Following a recommendation from Morris, Barry Hanna accepted donna tart into his graduate short story course. “she was deeply literary” says hannah. “just a rare genius, really. A literary star.” 

Donna was brought up in a very bookish family, of whom she says were very ‘different’; the eccentrics. Reading has been a huge influence in her life from a very young age. Books were “the great escape”. Books were about “being somewhere else.”
She became engrossed in 19th century literature, the impact of which is clearly seen within her style of writing. Dickens was an inspiration of tarts during her early reading, who's influence can be seen within her own work today. “I was entranced by Oliver Twist. It was the fist book i read with real blood and death in it. I would worry about Oliver all day at school.” Influenced also by Russian novalists, and the greeks. She is a fan of many Irish writers, including Oscar Wilde, Frank O'Connor, Flann O'Brien and Edna O'Brien.

Style and themes within writing.
“Donna Tartt, beginning with The Secret History, has largely written in neo-romanticism-inflected prose that borrows heavily from the stylings of 19th century literature. This prose style is relatively unique in contemporary American literary fiction, particularly given a present tendency by fiction writers and literary critics to favor a more brief and to-the-point prose style.”

“A number of major recurring literary themes occur through Tartt's mystery novels. These include the themes of social class and social stratification, guilt, and aesthetic beauty.”

“By the age of 12 she was working her way through Dickens and Kipling. This enamoration with 19th-century literature and its tradition of storytelling - the almost total absence of any influence that might be described as "modern" - seems essential to understanding Donna Tartt.”

Why was ‘The secret history’ such a classic?

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/oct/18/donna-tartt-secret-history-modern-classic

- just some of the reviews that have persuaded me to choose Donna Tartt; 

Jay McInerney; “I loved it on many levels, not least because it’s a literary murder mystery, but also because it initiates the reader from the outset into a secret club, which is probably what every good novel should do.”

A haunting, compelling and brilliant piece of fiction (The Times)

So irresistible and seductive it's almost a guilty pleasure (Guardian)

Donna Tartt is an amazingly good writer. She's dense, she's allusive. She's a gorgeous storyteller (Stephen King)

Takes my breath away (Ruth Rendell)

Brilliant and compulsive (Evening Standard)

A huge, mesmerizing, galloping read (Vanity Fair)

A page-turner in the true sense (Independent)

Brilliant (Sunday Times)

"A beautifully written story, well-told, funny, sad, scary, and impossible to leave alone until I finished. . . . What a debut!" --John Grisham

"Powerful . . . Enthralling . . . A ferociously well-paced entertainment." --The New York Times

"An accomplished psychological thriller . . . Absolutely chilling . . . Tartt has a stunning command of the lyrical." -- The Village Voice

Why I have chosen donna tart?

• intriguing. mystery novels. ideals etc
• charming, unique,c and compelling story telling.
• her work ethic - writing process, - intrigued to read more. delve further into her mind.