A review by janinesbookcorner
The Secret Letter by Debbie Rix

4.0

I was a bit nervous to read this book because it’s a little on the longer side and it’s historical fiction (which I can be picky with). But I quickly fell in love with the storytelling and the characters! It brought so many emotions to the surface and I’m glad that I took a chance on reading this one.

The book is written in a dual point of view of two young girls, Imogen and Magda. We start with them as schoolgirls and get to see them grow up in the midst of the war. Their bravery and compassion was incredibly inspiring to read about.

There were so many characters that I loved and I don’t know if I can pick a favourite! Freddie seemed like such an angel from beginning to end. I also loved Karl’s bravery, and would’ve loved to hear more about Michael’s story.

After reading the author’s note at the end, I learned that this novel is based on true stories of people involved in the war. That was so interesting to me and really reinforced the idea that people actually went through horrible events like the ones described. It’s easy to get caught up in a historical fiction novel and distance yourself from the reality that so many people once faced these tragedies.

Overall, I thought this was captivating and beautifully written. Once I started, I didn’t want to put it down!

So grateful to Forever and Debbie Rix for my gifted copy.