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All the Secrets of the World
"The scorpion hunts while the rest of us dream. That's why he knows all the secrets of the world."
It's 1981 in Sacramento and 13-year-old Lorena Saenz has just been paired with Jenny Stallworth for the science fair by a well-meaning teacher hoping to unite two girls from starkly different worlds. The unlikely friendship they form will draw their families into a web of secrets and lies, one that sends Lorena on an unforgiving odyssey through the desert, past the gates of a religious cult in Mexico, and into the dark heart of America's criminal justice system.
A sweeping social novel, All the Secrets of the World introduces readers to a cast of indelible characters while illuminating the moment in our national history when the call for law and order became the dominant force within our public life. For fans of both Little Fires Everywhere and Breaking Bad, Steve Almond's long-awaited debut novel is a propulsive tour de force--the sheer scope, moral complexities, and piercing insights mark a writer at the height of his powers.
It's 1981 in Sacramento and 13-year-old Lorena Saenz has just been paired with Jenny Stallworth for the science fair by a well-meaning teacher hoping to unite two girls from starkly different worlds. The unlikely friendship they form will draw their families into a web of secrets and lies, one that sends Lorena on an unforgiving odyssey through the desert, past the gates of a religious cult in Mexico, and into the dark heart of America's criminal justice system.
A sweeping social novel, All the Secrets of the World introduces readers to a cast of indelible characters while illuminating the moment in our national history when the call for law and order became the dominant force within our public life. For fans of both Little Fires Everywhere and Breaking Bad, Steve Almond's long-awaited debut novel is a propulsive tour de force--the sheer scope, moral complexities, and piercing insights mark a writer at the height of his powers.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published April 19, 2022
59 people are currently reading
9697 people want to read
About the author
Steve Almond
89 books464 followersSteve Almond is the author of two story collections, My Life in Heavy Metal and The Evil B.B. Chow, the non-fiction book Candyfreak, and the novel Which Brings Me to You, co-written with Julianna Baggott. He lives outside Boston with his wife and baby daughter Josephine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 146 reviews
January 16, 2023
I’m a Steve Almond fan from two short story anthologies, his insightful political nonfiction,
Bad Stories
, and our common reverence for John Williams’s Stoner (expressed so eloquently by Almond and many other writers, a so-called group of “Stoners,” in the documentary
The Act of Becoming
). So when I heard Almond’s first novel was being published, I rushed to get an advanced reading copy.
My experience of Almond’s work led me to expect hilarity, edginess, and first-rate compassion-based philosophy and politics, so I was really surprised when the first hundred or so pages of All the Secrets of the World read like a YA novel about an immigrant Hispanic 13-year-old girl. Simply because I’m not that interested in YA, I might have abandoned this book if it were written by anyone but Steve Almond. Even though I prefer going into books blind, about 100 pages in I checked the publisher’s description for reassurance that the writer I want to read was doing something of adult substance. Yes, the copy assured me, something exciting was coming.
And boy, I’m glad I kept reading.
This is not only a book of substance, but a tour de force of technique—divided into five Book sections that intentionally and organically build from YA simplicity to no-nonsense police detective-story genre to full-on poetic literary sophistication with a gloriously transcendent ending. (If you’re a Stoner aficionado, you may recognize the narrative and character influences—I swear it’s impossible not to have them if Stoner is part of your foundation.) It’s perfectly paced, eventually weaving the genres together with a lot of journalistic narrative. There is some beautiful writing about a terrain and self-destructive human flaws reminiscent of my favorite TV drama, Vince Gilligan’s Breaking Bad (which I consider on a par with Shakespeare for its themes, characters, and poetry; I suspect this is another work that Almond and I revere). And eventually there’s some badly needed, delightfully entertaining humor in the banter of Hispanic cops (cousins) going rogue and the aforementioned Young Adult immigrant heroine.
There is nothing wrong with appropriating from great artists as long as you have fully digested the magic so that the influence morphs into your own work, from your own muse and soul. And Steve Almond has done that.
I like the contradictions in the young heroine, Lorena. She is shy, innocent, a science geek, and given to great passion and contradictory actions when her commitment to justice is tweaked. That rang true and I don’t know that I’ve read it before. (And it would be a choice role for an actress.*)
All the Secrets of the World goes to such unexpected places. Sometimes it’s like an escalating fever dream; other times it’s an exercise in exhaustion—in a good way; you feel the same wearing down that the characters are enduring. There is a detective mystery, philosophical quandaries, and perversion in many forms (personal, religious, hyperbolic frenzy resulting in “Bad Stories”). In other words, it is a gripping story of our cultural mess in the form of a big commercial multi-genre crime and unjust punishment novel.
I love the particularly Steve-Almond theme—how distorted our reality is by exaggerations, part-truths, and a lack of nuance because blanket good and bad stories fuel our lust for drama and sense of superiority. And how transformation only comes from exploring the dark matter within us (yet another obsession I share with Almond; I’m starting to wonder if we’re related).
I also loved the exposed innocence (meaning “vulnerability”) of some of the characters—people who are condemned by our American culture to stereotypes. This can break your heart if you let it.
As the tension of false truth rises, Almond sometimes gives the reader a release. Just when you want to scream or punch someone, you get to see a true truth that happens in the future and is either seeded into the narrative or is revealed by the chronology of the storytelling. Or, in the case of the scene that fueled my comment about exhaustion, you get a clinical explanation of what the character and you are feeling. These seeds of clarity not only give the reader some necessary hope amidst the frustration and pain, but act as teasers, pushing the plot forward. He didn’t borrow this from anyone I recognize; perhaps one day I’ll borrow it from him.
All in all, a really good book. And did I mention the ending is transcendent?
Thanks to Zando for the ARC.
___________
*2/16/22 Update
It was just announced that the book is being adapted into a television series. I predict a winner.
* * *
This is a mainly technical review and there are two reasons for that: (1) As I mentioned, I prefer not knowing plot before reading a novel and I am not interested in recounting it; if you want to know more plot, read the publisher’s book copy. And (2) I found myself reading this book as a writer watching another writer work his chops. So that’s what I hope I’ve conveyed. If you are a writer or a student of writing or one of Steve Almond’s students (I’ve heard he’s a fabulous teacher), you may appreciate my take more than a “real reader.”
1/16/23 Update
The Sunlight Review has published my review.
My experience of Almond’s work led me to expect hilarity, edginess, and first-rate compassion-based philosophy and politics, so I was really surprised when the first hundred or so pages of All the Secrets of the World read like a YA novel about an immigrant Hispanic 13-year-old girl. Simply because I’m not that interested in YA, I might have abandoned this book if it were written by anyone but Steve Almond. Even though I prefer going into books blind, about 100 pages in I checked the publisher’s description for reassurance that the writer I want to read was doing something of adult substance. Yes, the copy assured me, something exciting was coming.
And boy, I’m glad I kept reading.
This is not only a book of substance, but a tour de force of technique—divided into five Book sections that intentionally and organically build from YA simplicity to no-nonsense police detective-story genre to full-on poetic literary sophistication with a gloriously transcendent ending. (If you’re a Stoner aficionado, you may recognize the narrative and character influences—I swear it’s impossible not to have them if Stoner is part of your foundation.) It’s perfectly paced, eventually weaving the genres together with a lot of journalistic narrative. There is some beautiful writing about a terrain and self-destructive human flaws reminiscent of my favorite TV drama, Vince Gilligan’s Breaking Bad (which I consider on a par with Shakespeare for its themes, characters, and poetry; I suspect this is another work that Almond and I revere). And eventually there’s some badly needed, delightfully entertaining humor in the banter of Hispanic cops (cousins) going rogue and the aforementioned Young Adult immigrant heroine.
There is nothing wrong with appropriating from great artists as long as you have fully digested the magic so that the influence morphs into your own work, from your own muse and soul. And Steve Almond has done that.
I like the contradictions in the young heroine, Lorena. She is shy, innocent, a science geek, and given to great passion and contradictory actions when her commitment to justice is tweaked. That rang true and I don’t know that I’ve read it before. (And it would be a choice role for an actress.*)
All the Secrets of the World goes to such unexpected places. Sometimes it’s like an escalating fever dream; other times it’s an exercise in exhaustion—in a good way; you feel the same wearing down that the characters are enduring. There is a detective mystery, philosophical quandaries, and perversion in many forms (personal, religious, hyperbolic frenzy resulting in “Bad Stories”). In other words, it is a gripping story of our cultural mess in the form of a big commercial multi-genre crime and unjust punishment novel.
I love the particularly Steve-Almond theme—how distorted our reality is by exaggerations, part-truths, and a lack of nuance because blanket good and bad stories fuel our lust for drama and sense of superiority. And how transformation only comes from exploring the dark matter within us (yet another obsession I share with Almond; I’m starting to wonder if we’re related).
I also loved the exposed innocence (meaning “vulnerability”) of some of the characters—people who are condemned by our American culture to stereotypes. This can break your heart if you let it.
As the tension of false truth rises, Almond sometimes gives the reader a release. Just when you want to scream or punch someone, you get to see a true truth that happens in the future and is either seeded into the narrative or is revealed by the chronology of the storytelling. Or, in the case of the scene that fueled my comment about exhaustion, you get a clinical explanation of what the character and you are feeling. These seeds of clarity not only give the reader some necessary hope amidst the frustration and pain, but act as teasers, pushing the plot forward. He didn’t borrow this from anyone I recognize; perhaps one day I’ll borrow it from him.
All in all, a really good book. And did I mention the ending is transcendent?
Thanks to Zando for the ARC.
___________
*2/16/22 Update
It was just announced that the book is being adapted into a television series. I predict a winner.
* * *
This is a mainly technical review and there are two reasons for that: (1) As I mentioned, I prefer not knowing plot before reading a novel and I am not interested in recounting it; if you want to know more plot, read the publisher’s book copy. And (2) I found myself reading this book as a writer watching another writer work his chops. So that’s what I hope I’ve conveyed. If you are a writer or a student of writing or one of Steve Almond’s students (I’ve heard he’s a fabulous teacher), you may appreciate my take more than a “real reader.”
1/16/23 Update
The Sunlight Review has published my review.
May 19, 2022
I’m sure it’s an unpopular opinion, but the first 50 pages will not be excused in my eyes. The author visited my school, and the chapter he read as well as his interesting demeanor encouraged me to give this book a go. From the beginning, I could sense that something was wrong with how the relationship between Lorena and Mr. Stallworth was written—had no one told me she was 13, I would have thought she was 30. It was beyond creepy to see the relationship go both ways and I think that Almond really stepped over some boundaries in this first portion of the book. The way she is described is also very problematic; Lorena almost speaks to a stereotype of sexualizing young Latina women. After some *questionable* encounters, the relationship is over when Mr. Stallworth disappears. Still, it left a bad taste in my mouth for the ensuing 350 pages. I feel as though Almond tried to do too much in this book and it came off as not genuine and almost “edgy”. It was very much a disappointment and I would not recommend unless you are prepared to be disturbed.
April 26, 2022
I spent two entire days, and most of two nights reading ALL THE SECRETS OF THE WORLD. I couldn’t put it down. This is a seriously crazy and intense book.
There’s the backdrop of Sacramento in the 1980s and the Reagan presidency, the Fabulous Forties, the politics of the Sacramento police department, issues of race and privilege, immigration law and its devastating impact on families, up close and personal with characters you've come to care intensely about, plus astrology, astronomy, polygamy, and lots and lots of scorpions. And that’s by no means all.
The best part? I never once stopped reading and thought, seriously? Or, what! Nor was I ever confused or disoriented. Worried, upset, outraged, sad? Sure. But I kept turning the pages, compelled to find out what would happen next.
This novel will make your brain work, and Lorena, the young female protagonist, is a powerful and empathetic character, shaped, but not defined by the life she inherits and the people whose paths she crosses.
Having said all of that, it’s hard to believe that ALL THE SECRETS OF THE WORLD, is Steve Almond’s debut novel. You gotta read this novel. It's both entertaining and important.
There’s the backdrop of Sacramento in the 1980s and the Reagan presidency, the Fabulous Forties, the politics of the Sacramento police department, issues of race and privilege, immigration law and its devastating impact on families, up close and personal with characters you've come to care intensely about, plus astrology, astronomy, polygamy, and lots and lots of scorpions. And that’s by no means all.
The best part? I never once stopped reading and thought, seriously? Or, what! Nor was I ever confused or disoriented. Worried, upset, outraged, sad? Sure. But I kept turning the pages, compelled to find out what would happen next.
This novel will make your brain work, and Lorena, the young female protagonist, is a powerful and empathetic character, shaped, but not defined by the life she inherits and the people whose paths she crosses.
Having said all of that, it’s hard to believe that ALL THE SECRETS OF THE WORLD, is Steve Almond’s debut novel. You gotta read this novel. It's both entertaining and important.
July 27, 2022
(2-3 stars) Look, I'll say this: Steve Almond remains one of the most talented, generous, compassionate, quirky and profound writers I've ever come across. I find his writing (and teaching, if you've ever taken a workshop with him) astounding and inspiring. There's so much about him and his approach to craft that just works. Which is why it very much disappoints me to not fall head over heels in love with this novel.
It's certainly an ambitious effort. There's so much juicy and hard-hitting stuff in here: scorpions, science, Mormon sects living in Mexico, Reaganism, the 80s, child molestation, the prison system, racism, misogyny, teen angst, drugs, illegal immigration... perhaps it was too ambitious? I'm not sure all of these themes got equal weight and I often found myself adrift by the scope of the storytelling.
I also had a hard time connecting with these characters, if I'm honest. The only character that I truly followed with any curiosity was Detective Pedro Guerrero. In fact, if Guerrero was the protagonist to the story and not Lorena, I might have felt more invested overall. The middle section of the novel, where Guerrero is trying to do some serious detective work and go around his boss (and trying to take Lorena's word seriously but also protect her), was the strongest part of the book with true stakes, and Guerrero just came off as a more developed and nuanced character than the others. I cared about him and wanted him to succeed.
I mean, was I supposed to care about Marcus Stallworth, self-proclaimed child predator/abandoner of family/all around boring individual at all? The story hinges on his disappearance and only Lorena (after a too brief interaction with a map where she seems to solve the mystery of his whereabouts way too quickly), really, seems to care.
Different sections of the novel felt tonally all over the place, given such heavy themes. I wasn't sure where I supposed to land emotionally. The story of Tony Saenz and his treatment by the police and FBI is heart wrenching. Plus, his mother Graciela's constant fear of deportation was intense. But then we get little scenes with Nancy Reagan consulting her astrologer on how she (and the President) should handle major affairs (which is apparently factual), and it comes off as humorous and a little wacky - too light, in some ways, for the full weight of such a novel.
What I think ultimately kept me from fully sinking into the story, however, was the format. There are no chapter breaks, just aspects of the story, not always linear, told by different points of view, and separated into 5 “books.” I needed chapter breaks! There is so much to take in here and my reader brain felt quite overwhelmed by the constant shifts in POV, location, facts, time lapses, etc.
I'm probably in the minority on this read but perhaps my expectations were high too, since this is his first published novel. Writing wise, Almond still crafts beautifully intricate and vivid sentences, even though I wasn't a fan of the actual story. For the location, he definitely captured California and the 80s quite well. I did feel transported back in time.
I'm looking forward to what's next!
It's certainly an ambitious effort. There's so much juicy and hard-hitting stuff in here: scorpions, science, Mormon sects living in Mexico, Reaganism, the 80s, child molestation, the prison system, racism, misogyny, teen angst, drugs, illegal immigration... perhaps it was too ambitious? I'm not sure all of these themes got equal weight and I often found myself adrift by the scope of the storytelling.
I also had a hard time connecting with these characters, if I'm honest. The only character that I truly followed with any curiosity was Detective Pedro Guerrero. In fact, if Guerrero was the protagonist to the story and not Lorena, I might have felt more invested overall. The middle section of the novel, where Guerrero is trying to do some serious detective work and go around his boss (and trying to take Lorena's word seriously but also protect her), was the strongest part of the book with true stakes, and Guerrero just came off as a more developed and nuanced character than the others. I cared about him and wanted him to succeed.
I mean, was I supposed to care about Marcus Stallworth, self-proclaimed child predator/abandoner of family/all around boring individual at all? The story hinges on his disappearance and only Lorena (after a too brief interaction with a map where she seems to solve the mystery of his whereabouts way too quickly), really, seems to care.
Different sections of the novel felt tonally all over the place, given such heavy themes. I wasn't sure where I supposed to land emotionally. The story of Tony Saenz and his treatment by the police and FBI is heart wrenching. Plus, his mother Graciela's constant fear of deportation was intense. But then we get little scenes with Nancy Reagan consulting her astrologer on how she (and the President) should handle major affairs (which is apparently factual), and it comes off as humorous and a little wacky - too light, in some ways, for the full weight of such a novel.
What I think ultimately kept me from fully sinking into the story, however, was the format. There are no chapter breaks, just aspects of the story, not always linear, told by different points of view, and separated into 5 “books.” I needed chapter breaks! There is so much to take in here and my reader brain felt quite overwhelmed by the constant shifts in POV, location, facts, time lapses, etc.
I'm probably in the minority on this read but perhaps my expectations were high too, since this is his first published novel. Writing wise, Almond still crafts beautifully intricate and vivid sentences, even though I wasn't a fan of the actual story. For the location, he definitely captured California and the 80s quite well. I did feel transported back in time.
I'm looking forward to what's next!
March 2, 2022
All the Secrets of the World sucked me in like a Hoover! It was complex, riddled me with anxiety, and had me staying up all hours of the night dying to know what happens next. It begins like an unraveling teen girl drama: we see the world through Lorena’s eyes as she visits the sprawling Stallworth home, admires the family dynamics so unlike her own, and develops a dynamic love/hate friendship with Jenny (but also Mr. Stallworth). That teen drama seamlessly switches to detective tale as we follow Pablo Guerrero through his investigation--and this is where all the anxiety began to kick in.
Reading through the Hispanic lens is something I love to see out of a book because there are so many different experiences in any given ethnicity. Plus, we love to root for our gente! So this book tore at me when Lorena and Guerrero sat on opposite sides of the law. I wanted to root for Guerrero but I couldn’t help but feel like he was in the wrong, making horrible decisions that had me freaking out a bit. Not to mention the crooked cops that controlled him and their motives as well. To be honest though, that made the book so much more exciting because it had me questioning what was real and what wasn’t. So anxious to know what the outcome was going to be. And still, rooting endlessly.
My only issue was that I felt it did a bit of telling instead of showing, especially regarding characters’ thoughts and feelings. Telling us nuances that could be picked up or inferred through their behavior instead of outright saying why they did what they did. Sometimes it’s fun to draw those conclusions on your own as a reader and it felt like the book did all the thinking for me.
But that’s very minor in the grand scheme of an exciting story. This book was unafraid, fun, and frustrating, but man was it a damn good read. I highly recommend to anyone who loves adventure, deserts, and complex human experiences.
I received an eARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
Reading through the Hispanic lens is something I love to see out of a book because there are so many different experiences in any given ethnicity. Plus, we love to root for our gente! So this book tore at me when Lorena and Guerrero sat on opposite sides of the law. I wanted to root for Guerrero but I couldn’t help but feel like he was in the wrong, making horrible decisions that had me freaking out a bit. Not to mention the crooked cops that controlled him and their motives as well. To be honest though, that made the book so much more exciting because it had me questioning what was real and what wasn’t. So anxious to know what the outcome was going to be. And still, rooting endlessly.
My only issue was that I felt it did a bit of telling instead of showing, especially regarding characters’ thoughts and feelings. Telling us nuances that could be picked up or inferred through their behavior instead of outright saying why they did what they did. Sometimes it’s fun to draw those conclusions on your own as a reader and it felt like the book did all the thinking for me.
But that’s very minor in the grand scheme of an exciting story. This book was unafraid, fun, and frustrating, but man was it a damn good read. I highly recommend to anyone who loves adventure, deserts, and complex human experiences.
I received an eARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
April 30, 2022
This author is one of the best living American short story writers, but I didn't feel the same mastery, nuance, and poignance in this novel. It's possible that I was holding him to a higher standard, demanding that his novel rank among the very best in the world. It's also possible that I've read too many novels lately where an aging white male teacher or authority figure falls in love with a 16-year-old girl to kick off the storyline. Of course, there's a great amount of brilliance here, but I just can't recommend this prolonged work, when his short fiction dazzles so brightly and incredibly.
December 6, 2021
All the Secrets of the World by Steve Almond
As I was reading this book, I asked myself: Why do I read? The answers I came up with are: (1) to become informed or better informed on a topic (2) escape to another world (3) solving a mystery and (4) coming back to a writer whose books I have enjoyed in the past. I think this book by. Mr. Almond fits 1-3. Not #4 since this is the first of his books I have read. This is quite remarkable especially because of after the first 50 pages or so I almost quite reading! Why? I was very uncomfortable with the story at that point of a brown 8th grade girl who has fantasies about a wealthy father of a girl in her class. But I continued and this young girl – Lorena ends up getting through this issue as well as in many ways overcoming her background and insecurities for the most part.
I was very impressed that Mr. Almond, a white middle-aged male ability to believe I am reading and learning about this 13 yr. old girl from a disadvantaged family struggling with all the uncertainties of growing up. Bravo!
I will not give away the story but it was moving and still ended without turning into, “and everyone lived happily ever after.” I have looked on Mr. Almond’s website and see he has a distinguished career as a writer and a teacher. This book is a wonderful addition to he resume.
As I was reading this book, I asked myself: Why do I read? The answers I came up with are: (1) to become informed or better informed on a topic (2) escape to another world (3) solving a mystery and (4) coming back to a writer whose books I have enjoyed in the past. I think this book by. Mr. Almond fits 1-3. Not #4 since this is the first of his books I have read. This is quite remarkable especially because of after the first 50 pages or so I almost quite reading! Why? I was very uncomfortable with the story at that point of a brown 8th grade girl who has fantasies about a wealthy father of a girl in her class. But I continued and this young girl – Lorena ends up getting through this issue as well as in many ways overcoming her background and insecurities for the most part.
I was very impressed that Mr. Almond, a white middle-aged male ability to believe I am reading and learning about this 13 yr. old girl from a disadvantaged family struggling with all the uncertainties of growing up. Bravo!
I will not give away the story but it was moving and still ended without turning into, “and everyone lived happily ever after.” I have looked on Mr. Almond’s website and see he has a distinguished career as a writer and a teacher. This book is a wonderful addition to he resume.
June 26, 2022
On one hand, the criticisms about race and the justice system made in this novel are incredibly worthy and presented in a compelling way.
On the other hand, the structure of this novel had me scratching my head at times and the way that a middle-aged, male writer writes as an early-teenage girl and her sexual desire for a middle-aged male is a little cringeworthy.
The entire time I was reading I bounced back and forth between liking this novel and just wanting it to be over with...so, ultimately, I'm not really sure how I feel about it.
On the other hand, the structure of this novel had me scratching my head at times and the way that a middle-aged, male writer writes as an early-teenage girl and her sexual desire for a middle-aged male is a little cringeworthy.
The entire time I was reading I bounced back and forth between liking this novel and just wanting it to be over with...so, ultimately, I'm not really sure how I feel about it.
February 26, 2022
3.8. This was the first book I've read by this author and was pleasantly surprised. The author did a great job with drawing you in and kept me on my toes with the plot twists. Someone said if you liked breaking bad you would like this read. I agree with that.
I looked up the authors other books after reading this one. Recommend
I looked up the authors other books after reading this one. Recommend
April 14, 2022
This book somehow manages to be both a suspenseful thriller and a moving, harrowing, and sometimes funny coming of age story. It's also enviably erudite - early 1980s politics/Reaganism, scorpions, the California desert, the natural world. I had the chance to interview the author for The Millions - forthcoming this spring.
February 21, 2023
It’s hard to write anything about this novel that isn’t in some way a spoiler. True, I’m more sensitive than most to what constitutes a spoiler. For me, anything that affects the experience you would’ve had, had you not known the shared info, counts. And this read is a gravelly but precise tread. Steve Almond is one of our smartest. He’s clever and deliberate and human and in tune. This was very well done. But it was also…, well…, I’ve already said enough.
December 7, 2024
I was not expecting this to be lowkey Nancy Reagan fanfiction but I was entertained
April 25, 2022
A complex and intricate satirical novel that sheds light on the Reagan years and what they lead to.
It's the early 80's and 13 year old Lorena, a child of undocumented parents is paired with an affluent and popular girl for the science fair project. Jenny Stallworth's father happens to be a somewhat famous scientist focusing on the study of scorpions. Scorpions and the dangerous desert landscape provide much of the metaphors to this novel of cultural commentary. Jenny is hoping to work on an astrology themed project however and the current First Lady Nancy Reagan is references as an astrology believer.
Many, many events transpire and none of them good. This novel is crackling with energy and a true page turner. As advertised, this novel has similarities to the book Little Fires Everywhere with underlying themes of race, law, and politics. I highly recommend this novel to those who enjoy sharp commentary in their novels, this is one of the best of the year!
It's the early 80's and 13 year old Lorena, a child of undocumented parents is paired with an affluent and popular girl for the science fair project. Jenny Stallworth's father happens to be a somewhat famous scientist focusing on the study of scorpions. Scorpions and the dangerous desert landscape provide much of the metaphors to this novel of cultural commentary. Jenny is hoping to work on an astrology themed project however and the current First Lady Nancy Reagan is references as an astrology believer.
Many, many events transpire and none of them good. This novel is crackling with energy and a true page turner. As advertised, this novel has similarities to the book Little Fires Everywhere with underlying themes of race, law, and politics. I highly recommend this novel to those who enjoy sharp commentary in their novels, this is one of the best of the year!
May 6, 2022
A masterful, nervy, complex and confrontational work that flays the white beasts of power, excoriates the American dream, and serves up a ferocious indictment of the Fourth Estate, all while encased inside a brilliant Gobstopper of a book that changes flavor, shape and hue the longer it sits on the tongue, staining us with its unflinching, irresistible honesty. Full review, at the Chicago Review of Books: https://chireviewofbooks.com/2022/05/...
November 19, 2023
Promising first third….
January 4, 2023
this book was wild! there were so many through lines and specific themes that tied to different points in the story. I really enjoyed the different perspectives of understanding both how one person is viewing what is happening to them currently and then zooming out to a greater understanding of the situation from a different character's perspective. there were interesting themes that I haven't read much about, including life on the Mexican-American border, inherently evil victims, prison life, and disparities in American socio economic lives. However, there were a lot of characters to keep track of and the story felt slow at times.
May 9, 2022
So many wrongs do not make a right. Disturbing on many levels, but a believable story. I couldn’t put the book down and read within 24 hours. Would recommend for anyone looking for a brief escape.
February 27, 2022
I rarely read novels, but ATSOTW was a reminder of why I enjoy them. Cinematic and quick-paced, fantastical but grounded in the harsh realities of class, race, age, and gender, Almond reveals the intricacies of 1981 society while spinning a tale that had me using a bookmark maybe five or six times. I devoured this book. I hope this becomes a series for the small screen; my teenage daughter and I would both feast on it.
May 22, 2022
An incredible first novel, from one of my favourite writers. Brilliant and engaging.
June 27, 2023
what was nancy reagan doing here
January 13, 2023
Wow - just wow! Almond takes readers on a journey through Reagan era issues that have intensified since his time.
Immigration. Class warfare. Our penial system. These are just the highlights.
And for my writer friends, a class in suspense building.
Immigration. Class warfare. Our penial system. These are just the highlights.
And for my writer friends, a class in suspense building.
May 14, 2022
I'm not surprised to find out that Steve Almond is mostly known for his political non-fiction. In fact, this is his first novel. I was astonished by his writing style. It seems like everything I have read lately has been a little dumbed down, but then, look at the world we are living in now. However, this book evolved as the novel unfolded. The first part of the book is mainly about Lorena and Jenny - two teenage girls who have been partnered for a science fair project. Lorena, Lo, is from a poor family with no father and a non-documented mother and brother. Jenny is from a wealthy family and is seemingly the exact opposite of Lorena. When I first began this book, I thought that it could perhaps be YA, but oh, no! The book quickly becomes extremely adult and covertly political. I loved it!
June 22, 2022
Creepy relationship described between 13 yr old girl and her friend's father--author writes it so the girl is completely into it, so apparently we as readers are supposed to go along with it. (After all, she's into him--the hairs of his arm inadvertently brushed against her belly, and she liked it [!}, so it really is okay.) No. Just no.
June 19, 2022
All the Secrets of the World is the story of two families drawn into dangerous waters by an unlikely and erratic friendship. When a well-meaning teacher assigned Lorena Saenz, the daughter of a single mom who is undocumented, to work with Jenny Stallworth, the daughter of a socialite realtor and a university professor) on a science project, she probably congratulated herself when they became friends. Jenny, of course, held the power in the relationship, they were friends when Jenny invited her over. Jenny’s mother was as warm and welcoming as Lady Bountiful and probably for the same reason. Jenny’s father, though, talked to Lorena as an adult, respecting her intelligence. This made him seem irresistible. She was drawn to him and he was drawn to her.
All the Secrets of the World is made up of five books and they are very different. The first is told from Lorena’s viewpoint. It was, for me, the most compelling part of the book even though presenting Lorena as a Lolita rings false to me. It absolves Jenny’s father of his predatory behavior. Lorena is too innocent to see how he is seducing her and blames herself when it all blows up in a confrontation between her brother and Jenny’s father.
Later, when Mr. Stallworth disappears, that altercation looms large. We see this through the eyes of the Latino investigator who is dependent on the approval of a racist white detective he is working under. As the story progresses, it shifts from showing to telling and its themes explore racism, police corruption and incompetence, and even religious cults. And the more it tells, the less interesting I found it.
I read Book 1 of All the Secrets of the World straight through, captivated by Lorena’s story though repulsed by Mr. Stallworth and distrustful of a narrative that put too much agency on her and too little on him. It reminds me of “Don’t Stand So Close to Me,” the victim-blaming song from The Police. As the book progressed, though, I found myself putting it down more often. I think it has important things to say and it was well worth my perseverance. Steve Almond had a point to make and he pounded it in rather than letting it slide in by itself. Almond places it in the Reagan 80s, which probably makes its lessons more palatable to all who read it, but if we think we have progressed since then, we are fooling ourselves.
I received an e-galley of All the Secrets of the World from the publisher through NetGalley
All the Secrets of the World at Crooked Media Reads | Zando
Steve Almond
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
All the Secrets of the World is made up of five books and they are very different. The first is told from Lorena’s viewpoint. It was, for me, the most compelling part of the book even though presenting Lorena as a Lolita rings false to me. It absolves Jenny’s father of his predatory behavior. Lorena is too innocent to see how he is seducing her and blames herself when it all blows up in a confrontation between her brother and Jenny’s father.
Later, when Mr. Stallworth disappears, that altercation looms large. We see this through the eyes of the Latino investigator who is dependent on the approval of a racist white detective he is working under. As the story progresses, it shifts from showing to telling and its themes explore racism, police corruption and incompetence, and even religious cults. And the more it tells, the less interesting I found it.
I read Book 1 of All the Secrets of the World straight through, captivated by Lorena’s story though repulsed by Mr. Stallworth and distrustful of a narrative that put too much agency on her and too little on him. It reminds me of “Don’t Stand So Close to Me,” the victim-blaming song from The Police. As the book progressed, though, I found myself putting it down more often. I think it has important things to say and it was well worth my perseverance. Steve Almond had a point to make and he pounded it in rather than letting it slide in by itself. Almond places it in the Reagan 80s, which probably makes its lessons more palatable to all who read it, but if we think we have progressed since then, we are fooling ourselves.
I received an e-galley of All the Secrets of the World from the publisher through NetGalley
All the Secrets of the World at Crooked Media Reads | Zando
Steve Almond
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
August 8, 2024
Hm.... Hmmm. Well I enjoyed the act of reading this, especially going back and forth between ebook and audiobook. Both were good ways to engage in the text!
BUT. The ending of this. Was not for me. I don't know if it was for anyone.
Ok, so Steve Almond is apparently an amazing amazing teacher and a lauded short story writer. About the third time I heard an author I like refer to how invaluable he was as a teacher, I decided to stop waiting for his instructional book to move up the libby waitlist (well, I am still waiting...) and check libby for his other work. Hence, I found this.
Well, I probably should have looked into him as a short story writer first.
the text +
The characters +
The development of plot +
Book 5/the ending - - - - - - -
I understand that some writers are like. You have to listen to what the characters are telling you. Or maybe Steve Almond wanted the ending to really ring true to how unfair the police, carceral system, deportations, etc. can be... IS.
But. The rest of the book was not like that. The rest of the book did not feel like it was scratching to get at the true world reality of suffering and time and blah blah. And the book got REALLY complicated, of which I followed loyally, but.
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS
But it was all for nothing??? In the world of the book, NOTHING got resolved. Only worsened. And then to end on a false-ringing full circle type of moment with Lorena's future and Marcus's... future. The last 60 or so pages ... 10%?? (hard to say cuz ebook+audiobook) was . well. I was along for the ride (though not as enthusiastically as that phrase usually indicates). But the last 10min or idk, 5ish pages? I'm... honestly kind of a hater! Why go to such drastic lengths to create a "reality", kill the brother, deport the mother, upend Lorena's life (don't worry, everything was chill and fine for every single cop character, no sweat), only to end on something that felt so false to me. Surprising and inevitable? Not even a little bit. I feel let down, like wow. That was a lot of time I invested. for that.
This is one where if I had reviewed it 30 min before finishing it vs... now. You'd get very different answers. But after finishing it, I'm sad to say that, despite all the political/global commentary which the author clearly put a lot of work into presenting... this just felt. unfortunate.
Still looking forward to (hopefully) enjoying Almond's short fiction (and teaching book, knock knock libby!) in the future.
BUT. The ending of this. Was not for me. I don't know if it was for anyone.
Ok, so Steve Almond is apparently an amazing amazing teacher and a lauded short story writer. About the third time I heard an author I like refer to how invaluable he was as a teacher, I decided to stop waiting for his instructional book to move up the libby waitlist (well, I am still waiting...) and check libby for his other work. Hence, I found this.
Well, I probably should have looked into him as a short story writer first.
the text +
The characters +
The development of plot +
Book 5/the ending - - - - - - -
I understand that some writers are like. You have to listen to what the characters are telling you. Or maybe Steve Almond wanted the ending to really ring true to how unfair the police, carceral system, deportations, etc. can be... IS.
But. The rest of the book was not like that. The rest of the book did not feel like it was scratching to get at the true world reality of suffering and time and blah blah. And the book got REALLY complicated, of which I followed loyally, but.
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS
But it was all for nothing??? In the world of the book, NOTHING got resolved. Only worsened. And then to end on a false-ringing full circle type of moment with Lorena's future and Marcus's... future. The last 60 or so pages ... 10%?? (hard to say cuz ebook+audiobook) was . well. I was along for the ride (though not as enthusiastically as that phrase usually indicates). But the last 10min or idk, 5ish pages? I'm... honestly kind of a hater! Why go to such drastic lengths to create a "reality", kill the brother, deport the mother, upend Lorena's life (don't worry, everything was chill and fine for every single cop character, no sweat), only to end on something that felt so false to me. Surprising and inevitable? Not even a little bit. I feel let down, like wow. That was a lot of time I invested. for that.
This is one where if I had reviewed it 30 min before finishing it vs... now. You'd get very different answers. But after finishing it, I'm sad to say that, despite all the political/global commentary which the author clearly put a lot of work into presenting... this just felt. unfortunate.
Still looking forward to (hopefully) enjoying Almond's short fiction (and teaching book, knock knock libby!) in the future.
September 27, 2022
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 4.5 of 5
Steve Almond has written a novel? That's really good news. It's better news that this is a really powerful, epic novel.
The book begins almost as a YA angst story when two 13 year-olds from very different social and economic backgrounds are assigned to work together on a school project. The teacher believes it is good for the girls to get to know one another and see what life is like for the other. They do form a friendship which binds together not only them but their families.
But this isn't a YA novel and it twists, turns, and convulses into an anxiety filled police thriller with families torn apart, a criminal justice system that run amok, and cops that straddle the line between 'good cop' and corrupt. There are no easy answers here, and that's part of what Almond smacks the reader over the head with ... we don't always get the right answer, or the good answer, of the easy answer. And sometimes life has to go on for the survivors. And yeah, that really sucks.
The book identifies and crosses boundaries - territorial, social, gender, moral - making this a terrific social exploration that is both physically and figuratively expansive in its coverage.
I first got turned on to Steve Almond's works when I randomly picked up his collection of short stories, My Life in Heavy Metal, and I've been a fan of his work ever since (I even showed up for an in-person author discussion with Steve Almond - something I generally don't do).
Although Almond has typically written short fiction and nonfiction (Candyfreak is a must read for anyone who's ever had a favorite candy treat) this novel, sort of a debut novel if you don't count the co-authored Which Brings Me to You (and I don't), is a spectacular achievement. Its scope is broad and topical. It is no wonder that this has already been picked up to become a television series. Read it now so that you can tell your friends you read it before it was a popular show!
Looking for a good book? All the Secrets of the World by Steve Almond is a thematically heavy book but the author brings the reader into the story gently and with great curiosity before showing us the underside of the world.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Steve Almond has written a novel? That's really good news. It's better news that this is a really powerful, epic novel.
The book begins almost as a YA angst story when two 13 year-olds from very different social and economic backgrounds are assigned to work together on a school project. The teacher believes it is good for the girls to get to know one another and see what life is like for the other. They do form a friendship which binds together not only them but their families.
But this isn't a YA novel and it twists, turns, and convulses into an anxiety filled police thriller with families torn apart, a criminal justice system that run amok, and cops that straddle the line between 'good cop' and corrupt. There are no easy answers here, and that's part of what Almond smacks the reader over the head with ... we don't always get the right answer, or the good answer, of the easy answer. And sometimes life has to go on for the survivors. And yeah, that really sucks.
The book identifies and crosses boundaries - territorial, social, gender, moral - making this a terrific social exploration that is both physically and figuratively expansive in its coverage.
I first got turned on to Steve Almond's works when I randomly picked up his collection of short stories, My Life in Heavy Metal, and I've been a fan of his work ever since (I even showed up for an in-person author discussion with Steve Almond - something I generally don't do).
Although Almond has typically written short fiction and nonfiction (Candyfreak is a must read for anyone who's ever had a favorite candy treat) this novel, sort of a debut novel if you don't count the co-authored Which Brings Me to You (and I don't), is a spectacular achievement. Its scope is broad and topical. It is no wonder that this has already been picked up to become a television series. Read it now so that you can tell your friends you read it before it was a popular show!
Looking for a good book? All the Secrets of the World by Steve Almond is a thematically heavy book but the author brings the reader into the story gently and with great curiosity before showing us the underside of the world.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
May 19, 2022
In All the Secrets of the World, all of Steve Almond's many gifts as a writer and humanist are on full display. He uses the story of what happens to a fractured immigrant family's encounter with a splintering wealthy established US family to explore a variety of issues in all of our lives. He sets the story during the Reagan presidency because so many of the social and political issues that haunt us today took flower at that time. As we've come to expect from Almond, his portrayal of these issues and the many and diverse (and beautifully drawn) characters who struggle through them is nuanced and, without exception, sympathetic.
I especially appreciated the artful way Almond reveals the essential ugliness of the Reagan presidency's vilification and dismissal of poor people and people of color by ramping up fear of a dubious crime wave and the way political pressures effect people at every level to create a system of cruelty and oppression that persists to this day. His use of Nancy Reagan as a character is inspired in its insidious evil, providing us with comic relief that feels like a guilty pleasure.
And the writing is uniformly clear, precise, and in many many places absolutely gorgeous, from the descriptions of the desert landscape and its creatures to the philosophy-infused closing passages. The experience of being in the grip of a master of his craft for the length of the novel is a revelation, and leads one to ask "What the hell took you so long?" and "When can we see the next one?"
I especially appreciated the artful way Almond reveals the essential ugliness of the Reagan presidency's vilification and dismissal of poor people and people of color by ramping up fear of a dubious crime wave and the way political pressures effect people at every level to create a system of cruelty and oppression that persists to this day. His use of Nancy Reagan as a character is inspired in its insidious evil, providing us with comic relief that feels like a guilty pleasure.
And the writing is uniformly clear, precise, and in many many places absolutely gorgeous, from the descriptions of the desert landscape and its creatures to the philosophy-infused closing passages. The experience of being in the grip of a master of his craft for the length of the novel is a revelation, and leads one to ask "What the hell took you so long?" and "When can we see the next one?"
June 8, 2022
This was very a interesting book. I have not read anything by Steve Almond yet and I definitely enjoyed this book and wanted to see what happened at the end ASAP! It is kind of an odd story and the ending was a little disappointing to me I guess, as I thought the main character would end up doing more as she got older. Regardless, Lorena is a 13 yr old Honduran student in 1980's Sacramento attending a mostly white school. In science class she gets intentionally (by her teacher) paired with Jenny Stallworth who is wealthy, popular and comes from an upper class family as it appears. They become friends and Jenny's family takes Lorena in because her mom (an undocumented immigrant) works around the clock and her brother is supposedly in the Navy. Lorena has several encounters with Jenny's dad Marcus, who she seems to have a rush on and he her as well, but they never actually act on it or do anything although their interactions are very intense and somewhat disturbing. The current political environment with Ronald Regan as president figures prominently in the story with his crackdown on crime and deportation of illegal immigrants. So many events happen as the story progresses that I do not want to spoil anything for readers. The writing is wonderful and the book is shows the effects of these issues on families and how they are sadly torn apart because of them. Somewhat epic as it occurs over a period of time between families with different backgrounds. Do not miss this one!! Thanks to NG for the ARC!!
May 13, 2022
In 1981, the science teacher has Lorena and Jenny are paired for the science fair hoping to pair two girls from different worlds. They do become friends. They go camping with Marcus, Jenny’s father and brother. Marcus introduces Lorena to scorpions. She is fascinated by the neon-like colors of scorpions. However one day Jenny wants to go to Lorena’s home. It’s an apartment that is not the best part of Sacramento. Jenny can’t believe that Lorena has not taken advantage since her mom usually works two shifts. She calls a boyfriend to come over which makes Lorena uncomfortable. After that, they go their separate ways. When Lorena’s troubled brother, Tony picks up Lorena at Jenny’s home, Tony and Marcus has tense words which drawn them into Lorena’s family
Into the criminal Justice system of America. Lorena wants the truth so she goes on a dangerous journey into the desert and through the gate of a Mexican religious cult. She discovers shocking secrets. What are they?
It’s a story that I didn’t expect. It is a true page turner. It is a coming-of-age story, procedural police, racial discrimination, and lust. With an emphasis of being barely legal. As much as I liked it, I was surprise of what was included in the novel. It’s a book I won’t forget.
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review or any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
Into the criminal Justice system of America. Lorena wants the truth so she goes on a dangerous journey into the desert and through the gate of a Mexican religious cult. She discovers shocking secrets. What are they?
It’s a story that I didn’t expect. It is a true page turner. It is a coming-of-age story, procedural police, racial discrimination, and lust. With an emphasis of being barely legal. As much as I liked it, I was surprise of what was included in the novel. It’s a book I won’t forget.
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review or any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
March 6, 2025
I really liked this book overall. I was interested by the story telling structure of this book and how different character's perspective of events were told for a chunk of the book and then intersected with another character and then we have to continue on to see how/why those two story lines come together. Most importantly this just made me incredibly angry at the american justice system and very sad that little has changed. I really wanted there to be justice served and was hoping that since this is a book and books tend to have happy endings that that would be the case here. But it didn't and once I got over that disappointment I realized that had to be the way this book ended because there aren't happy endings for POC who are wrongfully accused of crimes they didn't commit. I was happy that Lorena went on to live a somewhat successful life after all the shit she went through, although it wasn't the ending I wanted for her and her family we gotta take what we can get lol.
When I started reading this book I was annoyed by the fact that it was written by a white man, like I think that experiences like these are best told by the demographics who experience them. And it's hard for me to not see it as a bit of a white savior complex. But then I confuse myself because white men have the privilege to have their stories be heard and maybe its a good thing for them to use their privilege to write about it. IDK. Anyway 4 starts!
When I started reading this book I was annoyed by the fact that it was written by a white man, like I think that experiences like these are best told by the demographics who experience them. And it's hard for me to not see it as a bit of a white savior complex. But then I confuse myself because white men have the privilege to have their stories be heard and maybe its a good thing for them to use their privilege to write about it. IDK. Anyway 4 starts!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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