Review of The Secrets She Carried
I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
The Secrets She Carried is as beautifully-written as the love story between Adele and Henry. In this novel where the plantation becomes a living entity as vital to the plot as any of the other characters, the story alternates between Leslie and Jay’s story and Adele and Henry’s, showing Peak’s past as well its future. Though the Gone with the Wind cliché is inevitable (and unnecessarily mentioned), the setting’s charm makes visualizing the farm and town as easy as sipping a glass of iced tea on the veranda. The characterization is fantastic. Each character’s motivation becomes intensely clear, Leslie’s obsession with finding her history, Jay’s denied desires, Adele’s need for Henry’s love, and Henry’s passion for Peak.
While the past/present narration is interesting, I was somewhat thrown by the chapter organization in the beginning. There didn’t seem to be a definitive pattern to the way in which the chapters were laid out; however, as the plot progressed, I could see how events in the chapters mirrored each other, creating an interesting contrast and connection between past and present, Adele and Leslie. I question the need for Jay’s POV, though. The theme of female suffering and strength seems diminished somehow by having Jay’s chapters. The story could have been just as powerful and told just as artfully without his point of view. Also, I wanted more of Adele’s story. I found myself disappointed when her chapters ended and Leslie’s began.
Overall, it is a fantastic story of love, loss, and life’s journey.
4 stars
The Secrets She Carried is as beautifully-written as the love story between Adele and Henry. In this novel where the plantation becomes a living entity as vital to the plot as any of the other characters, the story alternates between Leslie and Jay’s story and Adele and Henry’s, showing Peak’s past as well its future. Though the Gone with the Wind cliché is inevitable (and unnecessarily mentioned), the setting’s charm makes visualizing the farm and town as easy as sipping a glass of iced tea on the veranda. The characterization is fantastic. Each character’s motivation becomes intensely clear, Leslie’s obsession with finding her history, Jay’s denied desires, Adele’s need for Henry’s love, and Henry’s passion for Peak.
While the past/present narration is interesting, I was somewhat thrown by the chapter organization in the beginning. There didn’t seem to be a definitive pattern to the way in which the chapters were laid out; however, as the plot progressed, I could see how events in the chapters mirrored each other, creating an interesting contrast and connection between past and present, Adele and Leslie. I question the need for Jay’s POV, though. The theme of female suffering and strength seems diminished somehow by having Jay’s chapters. The story could have been just as powerful and told just as artfully without his point of view. Also, I wanted more of Adele’s story. I found myself disappointed when her chapters ended and Leslie’s began.
Overall, it is a fantastic story of love, loss, and life’s journey.
4 stars
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