Book info

• Title The Little Friend
• Author Donna Tartt
• Year 2002
• Genre Mystery

One day is never, ever discussed by the Cleve family. The day that nine-year-old Robin was found hanging by the neck from a tree in their front garden. Twelve years later the family are no nearer to uncovering the truth of what happened to him. Inspired by Houdini and Robert Louis Stevenson, twelve-year-old Harriet sets out to find her brother's murderer – and punish him. But what starts out as a child's game soon becomes a dangerous journey into the menacing underworld of a small Mississippi town.

Thoughts

Twelve-year-old Harriet has an uncomfortable life after the murder of her brother when she was just a child. She’s struggling to grow up and to find her place in the world and she finds the best way to do this is to plot revenge on her brother’s killer.

Harriet is just an amazing little character, you get to see right inside her and she’s described so well, that you almost feel like you’re twelve again. Sadly, the structure of the rest of the family confused me a little.

It’s very descriptive but not overly so and no words out of place. I liked it, but I found it a little - well, I got to the end and I couldn’t really believe that was the end, I felt like it could have gone on for a long time more, but not because it was exceptionally good, just because the ending felt a little, weak.

Rating: 3 / 5