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A review by rebeccasreadingrambles
The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott
3.0
Unfortunately, this novel just didn't work for me. It's hard to pinpoint exactly why I couldn't quite get invested in it. It's an interesting story and I did really enjoy parts of it. I would say that marketing it as a spy story is a little misleading. There are some spies. There is spy involvement with Doctor Zhivago. But that almost seemed like a side plot. This biggest plot involved Boris Pasternak's mistress's POV. And the second biggest was that of Irina and Sally, the two spies. This book is way more of a romance than a spy novel.
For me to love a story, no matter what the plot, I have to connect with the characters or at least some of them. My biggest disconnect with this book was with the characters themselves. My favorite part of the story (and the reason I'm giving it 3 stars) was Irina and Sally because they brought me through emotions! Most of the other characters were either flat or so over the top for me that I just couldn't connect - but maybe this was just me. I did love the POV of "typing pool" and thought that aspect of storytelling was really well done.
The storyline also really through me. While I found it overall interst, much of it was out of order; the time line jumping around enough to leave me a bit confused about where in "linear time" each POV was while listening. We knew things had happened and then were given a big scene that should display unease and leave us nervous - except we already know what happens thanks to another POV. That style just didn't work for me personally.
For me to love a story, no matter what the plot, I have to connect with the characters or at least some of them. My biggest disconnect with this book was with the characters themselves. My favorite part of the story (and the reason I'm giving it 3 stars) was Irina and Sally because they brought me through emotions! Most of the other characters were either flat or so over the top for me that I just couldn't connect - but maybe this was just me. I did love the POV of "typing pool" and thought that aspect of storytelling was really well done.
The storyline also really through me. While I found it overall interst, much of it was out of order; the time line jumping around enough to leave me a bit confused about where in "linear time" each POV was while listening. We knew things had happened and then were given a big scene that should display unease and leave us nervous - except we already know what happens thanks to another POV. That style just didn't work for me personally.