The Secrets We Keep - Mia Hayes 3/5 stars
I received a copy of Secrets from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Once in awhile I stumble across something that starts out mediocre, and then begins good. Not great mind you, but good. The Secrets We Keep is one of those novels you read when you don't want something light to read. I found the journal to be the most fascinating aspect here, and it shows us just how shallow all of these women are. No one here is likeable, and that's the point. At it's core, it's a book with a dark theme running throughout, but the problem is, it begins to run out of steam halfway through. The only saving grace here is the death of Sarah, and who exactly is the woman writing this journal. To me, this is the best character of the novel, but just like everyone else, she has her own secrets and I spent the entire book trying to figure out who this person was.
While I wanted to give this novel a couple of stars I began to really enjoy this book. There were quite a few curve balls thrown to keep it interesting, and by the end, I was impressed by Hayes' writing style. What she's crafted may seem predictable, and sure, maybe it is, but it's interesting and keeps you reading even when you begin to lose interest. Elizabeth is the draw here and not because of her illness. We're meant to believe that she's crazy, that because she has bipolar disorder we're supposed to believe she's an unfit mother, or that she should be treated differently. We know her marriage isn't perfect, and the cause of her illness is in fact her husband who Hayes clearly wants us to hate, and even question his motives.
It's not a literary masterpiece, but it works as a decent thriller that keeps you guessing even when you get tired of how shallow these women are. As a guy, I probably wasn't the ideal audience for this book, but what can I say? I read the blurb and thought it looked interesting. It was, even when it became tedious and preachy. The writing and plot really saved this from being a dull, lack luster read. If you like Desperate Housewives, you'll probably dig this one a lot.
I received a copy of Secrets from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Once in awhile I stumble across something that starts out mediocre, and then begins good. Not great mind you, but good. The Secrets We Keep is one of those novels you read when you don't want something light to read. I found the journal to be the most fascinating aspect here, and it shows us just how shallow all of these women are. No one here is likeable, and that's the point. At it's core, it's a book with a dark theme running throughout, but the problem is, it begins to run out of steam halfway through. The only saving grace here is the death of Sarah, and who exactly is the woman writing this journal. To me, this is the best character of the novel, but just like everyone else, she has her own secrets and I spent the entire book trying to figure out who this person was.
While I wanted to give this novel a couple of stars I began to really enjoy this book. There were quite a few curve balls thrown to keep it interesting, and by the end, I was impressed by Hayes' writing style. What she's crafted may seem predictable, and sure, maybe it is, but it's interesting and keeps you reading even when you begin to lose interest. Elizabeth is the draw here and not because of her illness. We're meant to believe that she's crazy, that because she has bipolar disorder we're supposed to believe she's an unfit mother, or that she should be treated differently. We know her marriage isn't perfect, and the cause of her illness is in fact her husband who Hayes clearly wants us to hate, and even question his motives.
It's not a literary masterpiece, but it works as a decent thriller that keeps you guessing even when you get tired of how shallow these women are. As a guy, I probably wasn't the ideal audience for this book, but what can I say? I read the blurb and thought it looked interesting. It was, even when it became tedious and preachy. The writing and plot really saved this from being a dull, lack luster read. If you like Desperate Housewives, you'll probably dig this one a lot.
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