Secrets My Father Kept in Aussie Readers

Jul 15, 2021 Helen rated it it was amazing

Shelves: review-copy-from-publisher

This is a captivating and compelling story set in Krakow Poland 1939 just before the start of World War 2, it takes in what a parent will do to keep their child safe and shows the strength and courage that comes with keeping them safe and loved, I hope you pick this one up and come along for the journey, it is sure to keep you turning the pages.

Marie Karska is seventeen, she is a very bright young woman who lives with her father Dominik in the town of Krakow where he is a well- respected and pio ...more

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Jun 27, 2021 Tien rated it really liked it

Shelves: for-review, historical-fiction, australian-author, poland

The older I get, the more picky I find myself to be with my reads. Although the past year and a half may have something to do with my taste in reading. I just won't put up with anything that really upsets me and lacks patience with slow paced book or ones where I'm pretty sure I know how it will end. I would usually checked the ending of the book before I DNF'd. I pretty much figured out the 'secrets' in Secrets My Father Kept before I'm halfway through and that's the reason it took me so long t ...more

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Jun 10, 2021 Bree T rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, historical-fiction, cultural, world-war-ii, historical-fiction-challenge-2021, poland

Set in Poland, before the beginning of WWII but with a lot of rumblings and rumours and the like coming from Germany and the country seems half torn about whether or not it’ll really happen – and if it does, how quickly such a thing would be quashed.

Dominik is a doctor and single father to Marie and his sole aim is to protect her. If the worst does happen and Germany does invade, Dominik seems to feel that he may not be in the best position to protect her and so his desire is to see her married Set in Poland, before the beginning of WWII but with a lot of rumblings and rumours and the like coming from Germany and the country seems half torn about whether or not it’ll really happen – and if it does, how quickly such a thing would be quashed.

Dominik is a doctor and single father to Marie and his sole aim is to protect her. If the worst does happen and Germany does invade, Dominik seems to feel that he may not be in the best position to protect her and so his desire is to see her married into a wealthy, influential family with the hope that might keep her safe. Unfortunately for Dominik, Marie has other ideas.

The only man she wants to marry is Ben Rosen, her childhood friend, whom she has just discovered is back in a nearby neighbourhood after studying at university. Ben didn’t let her know that he was back but when Marie is told by someone else, she can’t help herself and has to go see him. For lots of reasons, the first of which is that Ben’s studies might help her remember something about her mother. But when they see each other again, Marie knows that Ben is the only one she wants to marry but Dominik’s reaction is less than warm. He’s not a bigot or against Jewish people but he knows that being married to one will only place Marie in more danger, not less if/when Germany does invade. He cannot dissuade her from her choice though and so Dominik must look to other methods to try and ensure Marie’s safety.

As well as Marie and Ben’s relationship, another part of this novel concerns a secret that Dominik is keeping and the potential threat of this being exposed (which he seems to feel is inevitable, especially if war arrives) and how this would impact upon Marie and the fallout. I have to admit that I had an inkling about Dominik’s secret – there was something in a couple of his remarks to Marie that made me wonder if it might be a certain thing but I was still very much in two minds about it for much of the book, until it is finally revealed.

I really enjoyed the way this is told, focusing on both Dominik and Marie and in different timelines as well. Marie has always found Dominik a difficult person – he’s not warm or demonstrative and although he’s always provided well for Marie, including cooking her meal each night, he isn’t vocal and Marie realises that she doesn’t even know her own mother’s name. Questions are rebuffed or ignored completely and now that she’s older, Marie has had enough and wants to know things – did her mother really leave? And if so, why? Or did something more sinister happen?

Marie’s search for what happened to her mother is interspersed with Dominik’s story and his quest to set in place things that will hopefully, keep Marie safe. Although Dominik is portrayed in a certain way and Marie has her frustrations with him, you can really see just how much Dominik is focused on his daughter and how much he wants to protect her from any harm. Books I read in Poland are usually set around the time of war being declared or just after – the separation of Jewish people and moving them into certain areas, for example but I really liked this little look at the just before. Where the rumours are circling, the mix of opinions about what might happen, about whether or not Poland could rebuff such an attack if it happened or if Britain and France would slap it down swiftly.

I found this a really engaging story – both Dominik and Marie’s portions although I think I enjoyed Dominik’s slightly more. He was just a very interesting character and had made so many decisions that prioritised others and the further the book dug into the history, the more I found it fascinating.

***A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for the purpose of an honest review*** ...more

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Apr 09, 2023 Janine rated it it was amazing

Excellent historical fiction novel. I had really enjoyed Jane in Love and have had this one sitting on my shelf for far too long. The novel will keep you engaged from start to finish with the story of Marie and her father. The author has done a great job of depicting the time setting in the book and the descriptions of the hardships endured were heartbreaking.

Wonderful read, and I look forward to the next book from this author.

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Jul 28, 2022 Kathryn rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, audiobooks, australian-authors, 2022-reading-list, 2022-aty

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