A review by saraberry
The Secrets We Keep by Kate Hewitt

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I liked how this book explored concepts of class, though as someone from NYC, I thought it was kind of laughable to imply Park Slope as anything other than upper class. This book had some strong moments and touched on some important themes, but ultimately I struggled with the ending a lot.
I liked how in the end it showed that both moms were problematic and self-absorbed. But I did not like how the Park Slope Mom's daughter died while the Upper East Side Mom's child lived. I thought it was a cheap way to pull at our heartstrings. I do think there was something to be said for how the less wealthy woman had her life turned up upside down while the wealthy woman was able to move forward as if nothing happened, I do think that is in many ways a strong statement of how our society works. So for that I gave it 2 stars, even though I really disliked both children getting harmed as the ending. I also thought it was too easy that the UES mom's molester was just her uncle, and not her Dad, and that upon learning that fact, she could just move on. I don't think that was an accurate portrayal of how people who were molested grapple with the issue, even if the person that assaulted them ended up not being their father.
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