5 Books I definitely do not love (part 3)

3. The Little Friend Too long, not enough plot - I read about 600 beautifully written (albeit occasionally long winded) pages to discover that I was to be left hanging. Now, I know that when art imitates life, you are bound to have some loose ends which just can't be tied up, but for a novel to be so starkly set-up as 'about' a girl trying to find her brother's killer only to then fail to resolve the mystery in any way at all seems to be overstating the case a little. If the idea was for the book to be a portrayal of the times, the way of life and the using of Harriet as a character who crosses the lines which the other characters cannot, it succeeded, but I felt as though I had been tricked into reading a novel which didn't deliver what it promised. I don't need everything spelt out for me in black and white and I can live with a bit of uncertainty and having to make up my own mind about what happens, but this wasn't a novel which opened my mind and inspired me, it was one which opened my mind and then slammed it shut again by finishing without even a hint of resolution. The reason people read books is because real life is pretty much boring for large sections - this novel somehow managed to replicate that in written form. Much of the praise I have read of Donna Tartt focuses on how well she described life in the south and her ability to write convincing characters - to my mind, the fact that she was born in the south and grew up in that time frame means that was the least I would expect of her. If we start giving credit to people for knowing the basics about their own upbringing, we might as well not bother with fiction any more. Maybe my irritation at this novel was borne of the same emotions that will not accept good special effects/CGI or great dialogue as sole reasons to watch a film - I want the whole package, not just a part of it. I wouldn't enjoy a programme about an author which didn't refer to any of their work, nor would I want to see a great musician who decided to perform songs by someone else who I don't like - I don't need my hand held, but when the back cover sets up a murder investigation and what you get inside is the case of the missing plot, I feel cheated.