Morton, Kate ; The Secret Keeper ; Informal Buddy Read ; Start Date 20 Feb 2015

[Sara]

Just got my book in the afternoon mail. I'll start reading tonight. Can't wait to see what is underneath those spoiler tags.

[Alex]

Kristie wrote: "I'm at 16% (in chapter 7 somewhere)

@ Zee in response to your 15% spoiler! :)

[spoilers removed]"

Re: your third point: (view spoiler)[I went through many possible solutions to this as I read but the baby not being Stephen's didn't occur to me! (hide spoiler)]

[Alex]

I finished! Cannot WAIT to see everyone's reactions to this.

(view spoiler)[I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING. I had a lot of the story sussed out I thought - I figured out that Henry must have killed Jimmy as soon as the picture accidentally got posted so I was all ready to discover that Dorothy killed Henry in revenge, then I was a bit disappointed that the reveal happened with about 15% to go...

As soon as I realised that it was Dolly who died and Vivien who became "Dorothy" my mouth actually fell open in shock. Would never have guessed! Killing Henry suddenly made so much sense and of course I can completely forgive her for doing it, whereas I wasn't sure I was going to be able to forgive Dolly. Such a clever twist.

Glad that Jimmy survived in the end, even if he did seem to have a difficult few years!

Loved the characters in this although Dolly frustrated me at times. I do feel there were a couple of the sisters that we didn't see a lot of but they would have taken up even more pages. Gave it four stars although as the ending was BRILLIANT I got a little bored at times in the wartime flashbacks. (hide spoiler)]

[Sarah]

I decided to pass for now just because I have other reads I rather get to or finish up at this time. Maybe someday

[Sara]

I have made it to Chapter 16:
(view spoiler)[ I keep wondering if the key to Dolly killing Henry is what was in the briefcase. A point is made that he was carrying one when he came and then nothing else is said about it. He is known for writing autobiographical works. Perhaps he has told the "whole story" in a book that is contained in the briefcase? I'm enjoying the story so far and must admit that I, too, am not fond of Dolly. I assume what whatever she has done, becoming a mother has changed her. (hide spoiler)]

[Sara]

Finished. Hard to put it down to do what I needed to do today, but managed to finish this evening.
(view spoiler)[ A clever ending that seemed both plausible and obvious in retrospect. I could never warm to Dorothy and thought it was a stretch to have someone go from that amoral to being the kind of selfless mother she is portrayed to be by Laurel. Vivien, on the other hand, I liked immediately. Vivien's way of disappearing into herself and weaving stories for the children corresponds to Laurel's memories of her mother. The reference to being a crocodile (a very Australian tale)who becomes a woman. My biggest requirement of a twist is that it does not make me feel tricked or cheated--this twist works!
I was also glad to see Jimmy survive and become the great photographer he was destined to be. It is even good to know that Henry gets what is coming to him in the end and that Vivien is the one who gets to give it to him (although she is not the kind to take any pleasure from doing so). All around, a very gripping and fun read. (hide spoiler)]

Does Morton remind anyone else of Ian McEwan?

[Kristie]

Sara wrote: "I have made it to Chapter 16:
[spoilers removed]"

I didn't even think of that! I was wondering (view spoiler)[ what happened to the briefcase, but it was just a passing thought and I never thought of it again. (hide spoiler)]

I haven't gotten very far on this one. I got sick and thought I'd listen to it a lot while resting, but every time I put it on I fall asleep. I'm hoping to pick up my pace soon.

Sara - I haven't read anything by Ian McEwan. I've thought about picking up Atonement several times, but never got around to it.

[Sara]

Kristie wrote: "Sara wrote: "I have made it to Chapter 16:
[spoilers removed]"

I didn't even think of that! I was wondering [spoilers removed]

I haven't gotten very far on this one. I got sick and thought I'd li..."

Stick with it, Kristie, you will not be sorry you did.
I've read several of McEwan's novels and I was struck with how similar their styles seemed to me.

[Kristie]

I'm about 35% now. I'm not loving Dolly. I think she acts a bit like a spoiled brat and (view spoiler)[ all the games she is playing makes Jimmy feel like he's not good enough. She seems way to caught up in the money scene. :( (hide spoiler)]

[Kristie]

I'm about 50% (in chapter 16) I can't stand Dolly. So far, she's pretty awful of a person, just so shallow and self-centered. It's taking forever for me to get through this. I'm not super invested in this girl. I don't care what happens to her and think she would deserve most anything she got. :( I am a bit curious to see what Laurel finds out. For now that's keeping me going, but I keep thinking that the it must be something amazing for people to really love this book the way they do.

[Alex]

Kristie wrote: "I'm about 50% (in chapter 16) I can't stand Dolly. So far, she's pretty awful of a person, just so shallow and self-centered. It's taking forever for me to get through this. I'm not super invested ..."

Make sure you do tell us your reaction to the ending! I felt exactly the same way as you at the halfway point.

[Sara]

Kristie wrote: "I'm about 50% (in chapter 16) I can't stand Dolly. So far, she's pretty awful of a person, just so shallow and self-centered. It's taking forever for me to get through this. I'm not super invested ..."

Do hang in there Kristie. I will also be interested in discussing the end of the novel with you.

[Kristie]

Everyone keeps telling me that! Lol. I'm sticking with it. I'm expecting some kind of (view spoiler)[ mental illness with Dolly. I just read the part where she visited her best friend, Vivien, that didn't even know who she was! (hide spoiler)]

[Kristie]

I'm at 78% and I can't figure out (view spoiler)[ how Dolly and Vivien end up being friends. Whatever Doll does causes Viv's death and Vivien is currently in love with Jimmy, so I just can't see how they end up in a pic together and all that. (hide spoiler)] I'm sure I'll find out soon. I should be finished in a couple days.

[Sara]

Kristie wrote: "I'm at 78% and I can't figure out [spoilers removed] I'm sure I'll find out soon. I should be finished in a couple days."
I am anxious for you to finish so that we can discuss what happens...read fast. lol.

[Kristie]

I've been thinking about it and I wonder if (view spoiler)[ Vivien doesn't die, but runs away with Jimmy? I remember her saying that he had already left to Dolly at one point, so maybe they faked her death to get her out of her marriage? I'm not sure if that's a crazy thought, since she'd have to leave her money too. (hide spoiler)] I am planning to read more today and have this done some time tomorrow. Looking forward to discussing. :)

[Kristie]

I'm at 95% - Some of my thoughts were right, some were definitely not right. Some unexpected twists near the end which were good. Finishing today. :)

[Kristie]

Forgot to post! I finished yesterday. The ending (last 20-25%) was definitely the best part. I had never read anything by Kate Morton before, so I didn't know what to expect from her writing style. She is definitely a build up to the end writer. I'll be prepared next time!

I have a question about the end - (view spoiler)[ How did "Dorothy" know to ask for Dorothy's doctor, when she was really Vivien? I can't see a time that Vivien would have known about Dorothy's doctor and she certainly couldn't have been going to see him pretending to be Dorothy. Maybe it was just a minor inconsistency in the novel? Otherwise, I missed it somewhere. (hide spoiler)]

[Sara]

Kristie wrote: "Forgot to post! I finished yesterday. The ending (last 20-25%) was definitely the best part. I had never read anything by Kate Morton before, so I didn't know what to expect from her writing style...."

(view spoiler)[ Since she is going back to that time in her mind, and it was the doctor who had warned her (Vivien) about the plot Dorothy and Jimmy had hatched, his name would have been known to her. It might be a stretch, but he was one of the last people she was in contact with from that time period and caught up in her memories of what happened. He was the reason she took Jimmy the check and she believed the check had gotten him killed. (hide spoiler)]

[Kristie]

Oh!!! (view spoiler)[ That's how she new his name. I was so confused about that. lol I completely forgot that he was the one that told her about their plan. That makes sense now. (hide spoiler)] Thank you for clearing that up for me!