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A Secret Kept

by Tatiana de Rosnay (Goodreads Author)

3.27 of 5 stars 3.27 · rating details · 11,725 ratings · 1,853 reviews

This stunning new novel from Tatiana de Rosnay, author of the acclaimed New York Times bestseller Sarah’s Key, plumbs the depths of complex family relationships and the power of a past secret to change everything in the present.

It all began with a simple seaside vacation, a brother and sister recapturing their childhood. Antoine Rey thought he had the perfect surprise for...more This stunning new novel from Tatiana de Rosnay, author of the acclaimed New York Times bestseller Sarah’s Key, plumbs the depths of complex family relationships and the power of a past secret to change everything in the present.

It all began with a simple seaside vacation, a brother and sister recapturing their childhood. Antoine Rey thought he had the perfect surprise for his sister Mélanie’s birthday: a weekend by the sea at Noirmoutier Island, where the pair spent many happy childhood summers playing on the beach. It had been too long, Antoine thought, since they’d returned to the island—over thirty years, since their mother died and the family holidays ceased. But the island’s haunting beauty triggers more than happy memories; it reminds Mélanie of something unexpected and deeply disturbing about their last island summer. When, on the drive home to Paris, she finally summons the courage to reveal what she knows to Antoine, her emotions overcome her and she loses control of the car.

Recovering from the accident in a nearby hospital, Mélanie tries to recall what caused her to crash. Antoine encounters an unexpected ally: sexy, streetwise Angèle, a mortician who will teach him new meanings for the words life, love and death. Suddenly, however, the past comes swinging back at both siblings, burdened with a dark truth about their mother, Clarisse.

Trapped in the wake of a shocking family secret shrouded by taboo, Antoine must confront his past and also his troubled relationships with his own children. How well does he really know his mother, his children, even himself? Suddenly fragile on all fronts as a son, a husband, a brother and a father, Antoine Rey will learn the truth about his family and himself the hard way. By turns thrilling, seductive and destructive, with a lingering effect that is bittersweet and redeeming, A Secret Kept is the story of a modern family, the invisible ties that hold it together, and the impact it has throughout life. (less)

Hardcover, 303 pages

Published September 14th 2010 by St. Martin's Press (first published 2009)

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Jan 08, 2012 Emily Crowe rated it 1 of 5 stars

Wow. I never read Sarah's Key, so I cannot compare. But I thought this book was written at least 50 years too late for the big reveal to actually matter. If I hadn't been listening to the audio on a long road trip, this would have been a book I put down right away. Let me just say that I'm not surprised that our bookstore didn't sell A SINGLE COPY of this book in hardcover, and though the paperback has been on the bestseller list for a couple of weeks already, we've not sold one paperback copy y...more

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Oct 04, 2011 Erika Robuck rated it 5 of 5 stars

Entirely set in France in the present day and in 1974, A SECRET KEPT begins when Antoine Rey, a divorcee in his mid-forties, takes his sister, Mélanie, to their childhood vacation spot, Noirmoutier Island, for her fortieth birthday. Passage to the island is made on a causeway called Le Gois, a road that is only passable at low tide and which becomes treacherous in moments once the water rises. They make the passage and spend an idyllic time on the island, but the devastating events following the...more Entirely set in France in the present day and in 1974, A SECRET KEPT begins when Antoine Rey, a divorcee in his mid-forties, takes his sister, Mélanie, to their childhood vacation spot, Noirmoutier Island, for her fortieth birthday. Passage to the island is made on a causeway called Le Gois, a road that is only passable at low tide and which becomes treacherous in moments once the water rises. They make the passage and spend an idyllic time on the island, but the devastating events following their holiday set in motion a search for clues surrounding the untimely death of their mother when they were children.

I found myself thinking of Le Gois often while I read the book and watched Antione and Mélanie untangle their family secrets. The more they discover the more their findings threaten to drown them. The revelation of secrets causes Mélanie to pull back the way a cautious driver would at the edge of Le Gois as the waters rise. Antione, on the other hand, races recklessly forward, unable to stop his quest, and gradually becomes empowered by his discoveries.

One of the most intriguing aspects of A SECRET KEPT is Tatiana De Rosnay’s convincing voice as a male narrator. Through Antoine’s family struggles with his teenagers, the wife he loves who left him for another man, and a relationship with a fierce, sexy mortician named Angèle Rouvatier, his mid-life crisis is revealed in raw, potent language.

Another strength of the book is De Rosnay’s portrayal of the difficulties of family life–from sibling relationships, to the aftermath of divorce, to the difficulty of raising children amid crises. She holds nothing back, and while some scenes are painful to read, they are authentic.

For lovers of De Rosnay’s novel SARAH’S KEY, this book is very different from its predecessor, but to me, every bit as enjoyable. In A SECRET KEPT, Tatiana De Rosnay shows her skill at tackling different kinds of fiction with originality and honesty. With a cast of characters I won’t forget and an ending that made me cheer out loud, I highly recommend A SECRET KEPT. I look forward to reading more of Tatiana’s books.(less)

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Feb 04, 2011 Marialyce rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: fluffy-in-betweens, november-books-2010

After having read Sarah's Key and somewhat enjoying the writing as well as the story, I was looking forward to this book. Unfortunately it was quite a disappointment. The story, involving a mysterious love, death, and the aftermath it left on the children involved, had fine concepts to work with. However, the story became bogged down and drawn out into what ultimately became a love story (I think) with middle aged angst with teenage angst thrown in as well.

This story was told by the narrator An...more

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Feb 08, 2011 Sandi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, 2011

I think I'm turning into a crotchety old lady. I was really looking forward to reading A Secret Kept. I had read a preview and really liked it. I loved Sarah's Key by the same author. I'm sad to say that I was disappointed.

I'll start with the positive. De Rosnay does a fabulous job of setting the scene. I've never been to France, but I was able to imagine what it was like living in Paris and visiting a resort island with a road that gets submerged at high tide. De Rosnay also gets people right....more I think I'm turning into a crotchety old lady. I was really looking forward to reading A Secret Kept. I had read a preview and really liked it. I loved Sarah's Key by the same author. I'm sad to say that I was disappointed.

I'll start with the positive. De Rosnay does a fabulous job of setting the scene. I've never been to France, but I was able to imagine what it was like living in Paris and visiting a resort island with a road that gets submerged at high tide. De Rosnay also gets people right. Each of her characters, especially Tonio's insufferable children, seems quite real. It seems that French teenagers are very much like American teens.

So, that brings me to the reasons why I gave the book three stars instead of four. (I'm trying to give fewer books 5 stars these days, so 4 stars means it's really good.) First, Antonio was such a spineless girly-man. He just let stuff happen to him and rarely stood up for himself. He was the king of non-confrontation. I just wanted to smack him and say, "Man up, dude." Even in relationships, the women take the lead. And, surprise, he's unhappy.

The other thing that I didn't like was that the mystery part of the story wasn't very mysterious. We know pretty early on that the mother was having an affair before she suddenly died. The only mystery there was who her lover was. Well, that secret is revealed halfway through the book. Then, we think that there's another, bigger secret that's part of the secret that was just revealed. But, that second secret turns out to be a big nothing. (How's that for not spoiling the plot?)

Ultimately, I think the thing that disappointed me most was that I was expecting a mystery about a big, dark family secret, and I was expecting it to follow mystery conventions in a literary way. However, this is entirely a book about feelings and about the ways in which people don't communicate with those to whom they are closest. I just wasn't in the right frame of mind for a feelings book.

___________________________________________________________________

I do need to thank Sarah at MacMillan for sending out a second copy of this book for me. I won it through FirstReads on Oct. 1 and realized in early January that it was way past due. Sarah was very helpful. (less)

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Sep 15, 2011 Barbara rated it 3 of 5 stars

A Secret Kept bears no relationship to Sarah's Key, by this author. It is also set in France, where the reader discovers the wonders of the countryside, the power and beauty of the sea and the culture and bustle of the city (mainly Paris).

De Rosnay has skillfully narrated this novel in the voice of a male, successfully capturing his emotions throughout. In addition to facing a mid-life crisis, he has unresolved feelings of loss and love for his failed marriage, his difficult relationships with...more

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Nov 18, 2011 Thomas Paul rated it 3 of 5 stars

"Sarah's Key" was such a good book that I can only hope this mediocre effort is just a sophomore jinx for Tatiana de Rosnay. So many other authors have experienced poor second efforts so this may not be a sign that de Rosnay was a one hit wonder so we will have to wait for her next book before we judge her too harshly.

The main problem with the story is that nothing much happens and the main characters aren't the least bit likable. Antoine, the narrator of the story, is a jerk who moans about hi...more

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Jun 01, 2013 Stacey rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I got through this book in just a few days (accidentally left it in a friends' car, so it took a little longer). The story really caught me and I just couldn't wait to find out what happened next. So why the low rating? I would have to say that in the end I was disappointed. I guess the whole book set up some sort of expectation of what I thought was going to happen, and then it didn't. Usually a curve ball like that excites me, but this time it didn't-seemed kind of a let down.
I really enjoy T...more

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Apr 12, 2013 Ingrid Verschelling rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011

Die laatste zomer begint met de terugweg van hun vakantie op het eiland Noirmoutier, een vakantie aan het strand, die Antoine Rey heeft geregeld voor zijn zusters 40 - ste verjaardag. Op het eiland zijn ze voor het laatst geweest in 1973. Destijds was Antoine 10 jaar, zus Melanie een paar jaar jonger. Ze hebben daar als kind menig vakantie doorgebracht in hetzelfde hotel. Het jaar erna is hun moeder overleden en zijn ze er nooit weer heengegaan. Dat is al meer dan 30 jaar geleden. Als ze dan naa...more Die laatste zomer begint met de terugweg van hun vakantie op het eiland Noirmoutier, een vakantie aan het strand, die Antoine Rey heeft geregeld voor zijn zusters 40 - ste verjaardag. Op het eiland zijn ze voor het laatst geweest in 1973. Destijds was Antoine 10 jaar, zus Melanie een paar jaar jonger. Ze hebben daar als kind menig vakantie doorgebracht in hetzelfde hotel. Het jaar erna is hun moeder overleden en zijn ze er nooit weer heengegaan. Dat is al meer dan 30 jaar geleden. Als ze dan naar huis rijden en Mélanie eindelijk de moed gevonden heeft om aan Antoine te vertellen wat ze weet, verongelukken ze. Als ze herstelt in een ziekenhuis dichtbij, probeert Melanie zich te herinneren wat de reden was waarom ze de macht over het stuur verloor. Daar ontmoet Antoine ook Angèle, die hem helpt over zijn problemen heen te komen.

Op het moment, dat ze op vakantie gaan, zit Antoine in een moeilijke periode. Zijn vrouw heeft hem verlaten voor een andere man, terwijl hij nog steeds van haar houdt. Hij mist het leven met zijn gezin. Als zijn drie kinderen eens in de 2 weken op bezoek komen, worstelt hij met de opvoeding van zijn 2 pubers. Hij gaat gebukt onder zijn eigen opvoeding en wil het voor zijn eigen kinderen beter doen. Ook zijn werk als architect biedt hem geen uitdaging meer. Mélanie heeft een aantal relaties achter de rug, maar de ware Jacob heeft ze nog steeds niet gevonden. Nu ze veertig geworden is, begint de klok te tikken. Zij wil ook een gezin.

Tijdens hun verblijf op het eiland Noirmoutier komen allerlei herinneringen boven: gelukkige, maar ook minder gelukkige. Hun vader was na de dood van hun moeder snel hertrouwd, alle herinneringen werden uitgewist. Er werd ook nooit meer over haar dood gesproken.

Hier en daar staan tussendoor liefdesbrieven van hun moeder Clarisse afgedrukt. Je weet niet, aan wie ze gericht zijn. Haar echtgenoot is in een hele vakantie maar een paar nachten op het eiland, de rest van de vakantie kan ze haar kamer met iemand anders delen.

Deze herinneringen zetten hen aan tot een speurtocht naar de vroegtijdige dood van hun moeder. Antoine is vastberaden te ontdekken waarom zijn moeder in de familie Rey na haar dood is "doodgezwegen". Stukje bij beetje wordt de familiegeschiedenis ontrafeld. Thuisgekomen bezoekt Antoine diverse familieleden om na te gaan of hun teruggekomen herinneringen inderdaad op waarheid berusten.

Die laatste zomer is een boeiende psychologische roman over relaties en familierelaties. Het verhaal wordt verteld vanuit het perspectief van Antoine Rey. Er zit een goede verhaallijn in het boek dat je aan het lezen houdt. Het is een roman waarin liefde, relaties en de dood een hoofdrol spelen. In het eerste gedeelte komen de brieven van Clarisse geheimzinnig over. Dat bouwt spanning op. Het verhaal is wat traag, maar is wel boeiend. De karakters en de emoties worden goed beschreven.

De sfeer wordt prachtig beschreven. Wij zijn zelf in 1989 in die contreien geweest, ook op het eiland Noirmoutier en Ile de Ré. De Gois bij Noirmoutier hebben wij ook gezien en zijn zelf over de gois naar het eiland Ré gereden (tijdens een tijd dat het niet meer mocht, wat het heel spannend maakte. Nu lees ik in Die laatste zomer, dat er veel mensen verongelukken, die ook zo stom gedaan hebben.)

Die laatste zomer is een verhaal van een moderne familie, de relaties binnen die familie en wat dit voor je hele verdere leven voor impact kan hebben. Een aanrader!(less)

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Jan 23, 2013 Rachel rated it 1 of 5 stars

This book is a quick read, but pretty insufferable. Aside from being poorly written - overly descriptive, convoluted perspectives, clunky use of adjectives, etc. - the plot is uneven and uninteresting, and as many reviewers have pointed out, the secret referenced in the title is not worth waiting for. The characters are one-dimentional sketches, and many of the mini plot-twists serve no point, building up to nothing, and are quickly discarded.

Strangely, for the first couple of chapters I kept p...more

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Sep 17, 2012 Mary Lou rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. A Secret Kept by Tatiana de Rosnay held my attention and prompted me to read slowly and savor the story in October of 2010, but when I turned the final page, and thought about the book, I ranked it only a three-star novel. This was a surprise and a disappointment, but listening to an audio book of it last week reinforces my reaction that the novel is an interesting diversion, but definitely not great literature. The characters, plot and themes simply do not cohere.

De Rosnay raises issues about...more A Secret Kept by Tatiana de Rosnay held my attention and prompted me to read slowly and savor the story in October of 2010, but when I turned the final page, and thought about the book, I ranked it only a three-star novel. This was a surprise and a disappointment, but listening to an audio book of it last week reinforces my reaction that the novel is an interesting diversion, but definitely not great literature. The characters, plot and themes simply do not cohere.

De Rosnay raises issues about communication, love, death, parenting, security, confidence, and more, and she creates suspense through current events and an investigation of the past, but these components spin out of her control

The basic story: Siblings Antoine and Mélanie Rey’s mother Clarice dies when they are young and their previously loving father becomes cold to them, eventually showering his only affection on their stepsister. Traces of their mother vanish from their home, and no one in the family ever discusses her as they grow up and become adults. Antoine marries and has three children, but his wife leaves him and without her, he is dissatisfied with his career, his single status and his relationship with his children. Mélanie never marries, and her long-term relationship ends just before her fortieth birthday.

To cheer them both, Antoine surprises her with a trip to the island where they played on the beach as children on summer vacations and remember happy times with their family. Images of their mother come back to both, but on the way home, Mélanie creates a serious car accident, badly injuring herself as she debates whether or no to tell him that she remembers finding their mother in bed with another woman.

In quick succession, a number of things happen: Antoine begins an affair with a mortician in the hospital where Mélanie is treated. His young teenage daughter’s best friend dies suddenly. His teenage son is arrested for drunkenness and vandalism. Antoine and Mélanie learn that their mother died in their grandmother’s home, not theirs as they have always thought. Their grandmother dies after a conversation with them during which Antoine shows his deep revulsion for his grandmother’s secrecy. Mélanie decides that she wants to forget about their mother’s life and draws away from Antoine without explanation. They learn that their father, with whom Antoine can barely have a civil conversation, is dying of cancer.

At least de Rosnay doesn’t whiplash from climax to climax, as Gillian Flynn does in Gone Girl! De Rosnay lets Antoine come to terms with his mother’s death and broken marriage and begin to communicate effectively with his children and his new love. The frame of a secret kept and a close sibling relationship just falls to the side.
(less)

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Jul 15, 2012 Kitty rated it 3 of 5 stars

Seemed formulaic ... a little bit of everything thrown at a divorced father as he discovers his mother's secret... At one point, I thought I had picked up a popular parent magazine with the "what to do section" (when your son is kicked out of school, in trouble at the police station, your daughter's best friend dies, and then gets her period for the first time, and you are a single, divorced Dad whose children do not speak to you, and you, still madly in love with your ex-wife, who is with her l...more

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Jul 02, 2012 Laraemilie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favourites

Bien souvent, des souvenirs d’enfance nous reviennent en mémoire, comme un boomerang… parfois accompagné de secrets gardés depuis de nombreuses années.
Le titre du roman de Tatiana de Rosnay n’est pas innocent. Pour les quarante ans de sa sœur Mélanie, Antoine décide de l’emmener sur les lieux de leur enfance, à Noirmoutier. C’est là qu’ils se remémorent des bons – et des moins bons – moments depuis longtemps enfouis dans leur mémoire. Sur le chemin du retour, Mélanie, préoccupée, est prête à rév...more Bien souvent, des souvenirs d’enfance nous reviennent en mémoire, comme un boomerang… parfois accompagné de secrets gardés depuis de nombreuses années.
Le titre du roman de Tatiana de Rosnay n’est pas innocent. Pour les quarante ans de sa sœur Mélanie, Antoine décide de l’emmener sur les lieux de leur enfance, à Noirmoutier. C’est là qu’ils se remémorent des bons – et des moins bons – moments depuis longtemps enfouis dans leur mémoire. Sur le chemin du retour, Mélanie, préoccupée, est prête à révéler un secret à son frère. Mais, au même moment, la voiture quitte la route… et elle est grièvement blessée. Antoine s’interroge et espère bien découvrir ce que sa sœur voulait lui faire partager.
Ecrit sous forme d’enquête, Boomerang raconte les démarches d’un homme qui se trouve dans une période difficile de sa vie, entre sa récente séparation, l’éducation de ses trois adolescents, son métier d’architecte qui l’ennuie et sa mauvaise relation avec son père. Le personnage d’Antoine est très complet et évolue au fil des pages. C’est un narrateur attachant, qui tente tant bien que mal de garder la tête hors de l’eau. Les autres personnages, bien que moins développés, sont eux aussi profonds et très réalistes. Aucune génération n’est laissée à l’écart et le thème de la famille est traité sous tous ses aspects. Ainsi, on a des relations parents-enfants sur plusieurs générations – qu’il est donc très intéressant de comparer – mais aussi une relation entre frère et sœur. Le divorce et la relation amoureuse sont aussi présents, nous réservant bon nombre de surprises.
C’est au milieu de ces relations parfois compliquées que le secret fait son apparition. Avant l’accident, Mélanie s’apprêtait à révéler quelque chose à Antoine que ce dernier ignorait. Alors que sa sœur est entre la vie et la mort, il décide de découvrir de quoi il s’agit, se doutant bien qu’il y a un rapport avec leur séjour à Noirmoutier. D’étape en étape, il fouillera dans le passé, découvrira des éléments surprenants et nous mènera lentement à la vérité, tout en gardant le suspense jusqu’au bout. Malgré quelques éléments prévisibles, de nombreux retournements de situation se produiront, nous conduisant de surprise en surprise. Mélanie et Antoine sont les deux personnages qui savent qu’il existe un secret, et pourtant leur réaction vis-à-vis du passé est très différente. J’ai apprécié d’avoir leurs réactions en miroir, bien que le point de vue de Mélanie soit relativement restreint – vu que l’histoire est narrée par Antoine.
Les descriptions de paysages et d’ambiances sont tout simplement magnifiques. Lors du week-end à Noirmoutier, nous apprenons de nombreux détails intéressants sur la région et en particulier sur le passage du Gois. Cela nous aide sans aucun doute à nous représenter les lieux où s’est déroulé l’histoire et l’ambiance qui y règne, nous plongeant à fond dans l’histoire.
Tatiana de Rosnay a organisé son roman de manière admirable, de manière à garder une part de suspense et en y insérant des flashbacks. Des extraits de lettres très intrigants s’y trouvent aussi et contribuent à capter l’attention du lecteur du début à la fin. Le style d’écriture, simple, est agréable à lire ; les pages se tournent toutes seules.
En résumé, Boomerang est un superbe mélange de suspense, de larmes et d’émotions, et de comédie. C’est un roman tellement varié qu’il plaira sans aucun doute à un éventail de lecteurs de différents horizons, en particulier ceux qui aiment les histoires de familles avec des relations riches de différentes émotions et les secrets plus ou moins bien gardés.(less)

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Jun 21, 2012 Samantha rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: nobody

Shelves: owned

I was first introduced to Tatiana de Rosnay after reading her other novel "Sarah's Key." I thought that novel was wonderful and decided to read yet another novel by Rosnay. I was disappointed by what I had read

"A Secret Kept" is about a man who struggles within his family life. His wife had recently left him for another man and he was unable to connect with his children. His life was falling apart and to take a slight break, he decided to help celebrate his younger sister's birthday in a specia...more

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Jun 09, 2012 Dolores Ayotte rated it 3 of 5 stars

Tatiana de Rosnay is a very talented author. However, I do not believe that A Secret Kept does justice to her ability as a bestselling author. After reading Sarah's Key and writing a 5 star review, I may have had higher expectations than a first time reader of de Rosnay's novels.

I think that A Secret Kept lacks depth. Although, I must admit that it is very hard to not compare it to her previous work. In doing so, I find it difficult to relate to the main character, Antoine Rey. Perhaps, de Rosna...more Tatiana de Rosnay is a very talented author. However, I do not believe that A Secret Kept does justice to her ability as a bestselling author. After reading Sarah's Key and writing a 5 star review, I may have had higher expectations than a first time reader of de Rosnay's novels.

I think that A Secret Kept lacks depth. Although, I must admit that it is very hard to not compare it to her previous work. In doing so, I find it difficult to relate to the main character, Antoine Rey. Perhaps, de Rosnay's intention is for the reader to "not" be overly fond of this somewhat weak-charactered man who seems to have a fascination with describing the physical appearances of the people he encounters. If so, she succeeded in her goal. De Rosnay creates a shallow discription of this man which manifests itself in almost all of his personal relationships. The up side to Antoine's story is that he does manage to find a unique liason with a mortician by the name of Angele Rouvatier who adds some much needed spice to his life.

I think de Rosnay did a bit of a disservice to herself in A Secret Kept. The plot is not nearly as developed as her time and effort spent in describing Antoine's silly observations of green tea or caffeine stained teeth, hair on some woman's upper lip, food caught in a friend's teeth, the size of a young girl's breasts etc. In depicting Antoine this way, he comes across as a petty man overly concerned with the superficialities of the physical presence of others as well as his own. I would have much preferred to see de Rosnay develop his character into a man I could actually respect.

Also, I'm not convinced that Antoine Rey truly exemplifies the majority of men....especially the ones I know. Therefore, he did not come cross as authentic to me. Let's put it this way, I'm relieved to say I don't know too many men like Antoine, if any at all, with such keen observational skills and I'm glad I don't. In my opinion, her main character is not that likeable but....once again, perhaps this is what de Rosnay's intended. If so, kudos to her. (less)

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May 11, 2012 Angela Fratianni rated it 1 of 5 stars

I gave it one star because it was an easy read. De Rosnay really doesn't know how to tell a story properly. I really dislike her writing style. Right off the bat I was annoyed because she starts off writing in the first person, then randomly changes to the third person for two chapters, and then back to the first person. Equally annoying she throws a few random love letters in at the start of several chapters, but then stops. This was so distracting and it added nothing to the story.
Overall, I...more

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May 09, 2012 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Out of the books I have reviewed in my quest to reach 1,776, Tatiana de Rosnay's Sarah's Key has been my favorite bar none. I loved it so much, that I am very hesitant to see the movie. Movies are rarely as good as the books they are based on. I had such a profound experience reading Sarah's Key that I do not want the movie to change the images I have in my mind. Readers who think that A Secret Kept will be like Sarah's Key (even though the covers are very similar) will be surprised.

The narrator...more

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May 07, 2012 Karyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Excellent, engrossing read from author of "Sarah's Key." Luckily, not as horrifying as S.K. Takes place in Paris and environs - Antoin takes his sister on a weekend holiday for her 40th birthday to a seaside resort they used to go to when children. During that visit, the sister has a terrible recollection about an event there during her childhood and this results in and interesting series of plot developments. Antoin is trying to recover from a divorce, still in love with his ex-wife, who has mo...more

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Apr 19, 2012 Anna rated it 1 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 10, 2012 Jodi rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was a totally different book then Sarah's key. I liked the first book better. This book was about a man who stilled loved his ex-wife, had no relationship with his teenage children and no love interests to spend time with. He did not like his job, never stood up to his father and bascially was unhappy. He plans a trip with his sister to surprise her on her 40th birthday. They go to the place their family use to vacation every summer when they were children. They have a nice time, but they s...more

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Aug 18, 2011 Cindy rated it 2 of 5 stars

It's not that this book is as bad as the two stars seem to indicate. It's just that I didn't like it...maybe I just wasn't in the mood for another depressing book. Antoine faces sadness after sadness. And maybe it's a good thing that, in reading, I went through the same emotions as Antoine but I also felt frustration. It certainly showede the realities of life, marriage, divorce, childreng growing into adolescence and rebellion, death illness, loss...but I thought there was simply too much death...more

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Jul 13, 2011 Elaine rated it 1 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. So slow moving and boring until the last few chapters.
Mom dies and 30 years later son finds out she was gay.

A strong woman outshines a wimpy man!

Haussmann's Renovation of Paris, or the Haussmann Plan, was a modernization program of Paris commissioned by Napoléon III and led by the Seine prefect, Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann, between 1853 and 1870. Though work continued until the end of the 19th century, well after the Second Empire's demise in 1870, it is often referred to as the "Second Empir...more

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Jul 10, 2011 Nancy rated it 2 of 5 stars

I thought, through the early part of the book, that the story had promise, Antoine's incessant whining aside. But, ultimately, the characterizations remained very weak and superficial. Characteristics and conflicts were introduced and just more-or-less went away without any real insight into the characters: Melanie, found a man and didn't want to know the secret; Arno underwent a sudden change; the father, who suffered a major personality change at his wife's death, alienating his children, was...more

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Jan 06, 2011 Lauren rated it 3 of 5 stars

I’ve realized that Ms. de Rosnay’s books are a bit like cheap bottle of wines – when you’re immersed in them, they’re hard to put down. Then you finish them, have some time to think things over, and realize they really weren’t that great and it was more that you were caught up in the moment. A Secret Kept shares quite a few similarities to Sarah’s Key, although I did find this novel’s plot the stronger of the two. Following a car accident that leaves his sister seriously injured, a man spirals i...more

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Nov 24, 2010 Cheryl rated it 2 of 5 stars

This novel started off great. I even had to return it to the library and checked it back out as soon as I could, so that I could finish it and see what happened.

Sadly I should have just let it go, and let it be one of those books that I remembered I wanted to finish. Antoine and his sister, Melanie visit a hotel by the beach for the her birthday. A hotel they use to visit every summer with their parents before their mother passed away in 1973. On the way home Melanie crashes the car just after s...more

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Oct 20, 2010 ICPL Staff Picks added it

Shelves: kara, fiction, staff-picks-blog

Sarah’s Key author, Tatiana de Rosnay’s new book, A Secret Kept, is the story about a family unable to communicate because of past secrets and unresolved grief. Because Sarah’s Key is one of my favorite books (if you haven’t read it, you should – see my previous blog post if interested), I was very curious about de Rosnay’s second book. Although it did not have the emotional impact of Sarah’s Key, it is a wonderful work of fiction.

Antoine Rey decides to give his sister, Mélanie, a 40th birthday...more

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Oct 01, 2010 Kathleen Hagen added it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010-audio-books, 2010fiction

A Secret Kept, by Tatiana de Rosnay, Narrated by Simon Vance, Produced by Macmillan Audio, downloaded from audible.com.

This is a compelling book by the author who wrote “Sarah’s Key”, and it is narrated faultlessly by Simon Vance. Publisher’s note:
This stunning new novel from Tatiana de Rosnay, author of the acclaimed New York Times bestseller Sarah's Key, plumbs the depths of complex family relationships
and the power of a past secret to change everything in the present.It all began with a simpl...more

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Aug 14, 2010 Denise rated it 4 of 5 stars

4.0 out of 5 stars A journey of discovery and a tale of a family..., August 14, 2010
By Denise Crawford "DC" (Missouri, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: A Secret Kept (Hardcover)
I really enjoyed this very interesting story about a French family and the unraveling of the "secret" that was at the heart of the mystery in this novel. Although set in modern day France, the narrative has a timeless quality about it as a forty-ish, newly divorced man, Antoine Rey,...more 4.0 out of 5 stars A journey of discovery and a tale of a family..., August 14, 2010
By Denise Crawford "DC" (Missouri, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: A Secret Kept (Hardcover)
I really enjoyed this very interesting story about a French family and the unraveling of the "secret" that was at the heart of the mystery in this novel. Although set in modern day France, the narrative has a timeless quality about it as a forty-ish, newly divorced man, Antoine Rey, starts investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of his mother, Clarisse, after his sister Melanie is injured in an automobile accident after suddenly remembering something dramatically suspicious about their mother while the two of them are off on holiday.

While his sister is hospitalized and during her recovery from her injuries, Antoine becomes compelled to find out more about his mother and who she was and how she died since both of her children feel as if they never really knew her and the subject has never been talked about within the family. In the course of his inquiries, he discovers and faces the truth about a mother he loved deeply but lost far too soon.

Antoine is a very complex man who is simultaneously dealing with his love and longing for his ex-wife and their three children-- two of whom are surly and distant teenagers -- and with the sudden urge to finally know more about his mother. He suffers loneliness and self doubt, bored with his career as architect, and morose about his lack of close relationships with his children and his father's family. I found him an interesting character with a lot of depth and sentimentality that led to many moments of self examination and introspection. The other supportive characters were not so well drawn, but did provide the means for Antoine to interact with and to push the narrative along.

I read the novel in one sitting. I don't think the story is so much about the revelation of the secret or even the nature of it, but more about the process of discovery and about the importance of exploring the bonds of family relationships and about knowing each other. Do children really ever know their parents -- and should they know everything? It is human nature to question and to want answers to the age-old question -- "why"...

Recommend. (less)

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Jul 27, 2010 Mary rated it 4 of 5 stars

A French architect, Antoine Rey is a modern divorced father with conflicted feelings about his work, his children, his father, and his ex-wife. In a kind brotherly gesture, he decides to surprise his sister with a weekend on the sea for her fortieth birthday. They spent many childhood summers on the island of Noirmoutier with their grandparents, mother and father. In hoping to lift both their spirits the trip is a pleasant experience but also results in reliving many memories of their dead mothe...more

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Nov 26, 2011 PenNPaper52 rated it 5 of 5 stars

When I first started reading the book, it was very slow moving, written from Antoine Rey's prospective... a middle aged divorcee who is sitting in a hospital waiting for news on his sister Melanie. They were in an accident, his sister was driving and just before she stepped off the highway she was about to reveal some deep dark secret to her brother. The book gives the ambiance of those old classy French movies in which there is a whole lot of silent body language that expresses the emotions and...more

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Sep 11, 2011 Dana rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: didn-t-finish

I thought I'd read another book by the author of "Sarah's Key" but I didn't even make it past page 30. Doesn't really belong on my "read" shelf but I wanted to review it so that my friends don't bother picking it up.
The book starts off interesting (the excerpt that's included in Sarah's Key) but then continues on with a whiney male narrator who recently found a video clip on his wife's camera with her having an affair. It continues on later with him thinking of the recent affairs he's had, marri...more

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About Tatiana de Rosnay

My new book The House I loved (Rose in French) will be published in the USA by Saint Martin's Press on Februaary 14th 2012.

Follow me on Twitter at
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http://www.tatianaderosnay.com/

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TATIANA DE ROSNAY was born in the suburbs of Paris and is of English, French and Russian descent. She is the author of 8...more

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