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gio_shelves 's review for:
Sekret
by Lindsay Smith
Goodreads: "What did you think?"
Me: "...eh."
Goodreads: "Come on, what does that mean?"
Me: "...eh."
"An empty mind is a safe mind."
I had never heard of this book, but when I saw it and read the synopsis I couldn't resist. Plus I got it for nine dollars at The Strand and well...I'm weak guys. So so weak. See, Sekret isn't a bad book, really I've seen much worse, but the problem is I've also seen much better. It's just a book that, in my opinion, could have been better. The premise is great: Russia during the Cold War, spies and a girl with psychic powers. Now the problem for me was that at some point, exactly when the book should have had my attention, I was bored. When Yulia started going on missions I lost interest sometimes.
What I liked:
- The setting. Russia always provides for an interesting setting and when I saw that the book was set during the Cold War I immediately though of spies and secret threats. (The problem is that it delivered only up to a certain point.)
- The first 100 pages or so, when everything went down and we are told that KGB is recruiting boys and girls with mind-reading capabilities. The idea upon which the book is based is really intriguing actually. Plus I wasn't bored until they started going on missions, and I liked that everyone had their own agenda. I liked the lies and the way they worked behind on another's back. It was twisted and that was what the plot promised.
- The writing style. Nothing too poetic but still it's quite good.
What I didn't like:
- Our dear main character, Yulia. She wasn't as horrible as most ya female protagonists, but she was pretty boring. That's it, she wasn't bad or anything, but she was way too plain. I couldn't connect with her at all, I didn't feel anything when she was suffering.
- The book didn't live up to the plot. Nothing is more disappointing than a book that has so much potential that isn't expressed. Sekret could have been intriguing, fast-paced and moving but in the end it wasn't for me. It was just a quick read, that kept me occupied for a couple of hours.
- Another flaw: these characters have mind-reading abilities and the way KGB uses them is nothing remarkable. And I can't believe there wasn't a way to use their abilities in other situations. I understand that they had to be trained but the plot could have been better with more...action.
- The romance. There's not a lot of romance but still, I didn't see the point of the love interest. I felt like they had no connection at all, like they didn't know each other. I mean they couldn't even trust each other, so why bother with a relationship? If there's no trust, even if it wasn't completely their fault that they couldn't trust each other, I can't feel something toward them as a couple.
It's still three stars because of the premise, the setting and the first 100 pages that I actually liked.