Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published There are no new secrets, not really. My only disappointment was it ended before I felt it should. Planning on to take her to the sea of Noirmoutier Island where the two grew up with happy childhood memories and many summers staying out in the beach. I enjoyed reading it and it has an interesting plot line, but I expected more intrigue. But, ultimately, the characterizations remained very weak and superficial. What is this book about (in more simpler terms)???? I was disappointed that the secret really wasn't that big of a deal. The characters are one-dimentional sketches, and many of the mini plot-twists serve no point, building up to nothing, and are quickly discarded. Although this book was interesting and engaging, it was rather disappointing after reading Sarah's Key, another Tatiana de Rosnay novel I read a few years ago. However, the reader really must try to separate this book in her or his mind from Sarah's Key. Now the only thing that is left is her fractured body and her brother's self blame. Trapped in the wake of a shocking family secret shrouded by taboo, Antoine must confront his past and also his troubled relationships with his own children. A French architect, Antoine Rey is a modern divorced father with conflicted feelings about his work, his children, his father, and his ex-wife. And if it hadn't expressed so old-fashioned views on sexuality and gender, but I'll get to that. That's always a bit nerve wracking. A Secret Kept. Before she has a chance to share the memory with Antoine there's a circumstance that erases the memory. Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Tatiana de Rosnay is joining my list of favorite authors and I shall read everything she writes, maybe twice ! Really. Get Autumn to 200k on Instagram: @OfficialAutumnCorinhttps://instagram.com/officialautumncorin?igshid=v8glwm2h2p8j Discuss the different narrative structures employed in A Secret Kept. A Secret Kept shares quite a few similarities to Sarah’s Key, although I did find this novel’s plot the stronger of the two. Quasi recommended. Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2012. The story is narrated by Antoine. So many other authors have experienced poor second efforts so this may not be a sign that de Rosnay was a one hit wonder so we will have to wait for her next book before we judge her too harshly. I enjoyed this book, although not in the way that i thought that i would. (From the publisher.) When I heard she'd written another book I decided to read that. Batwoman Season 1 Episode 19 Review: A Secret Kept From All the Rest Diana Keng at May 10, 2020 9:00 pm. Don’t push to be unique. She is brilliant at bringing the characters across to the reader so clearly. Entirely set in France in the present day and in 1974, A SECRET KEPT begins when Antoine Rey, a divorcee in his mid-forties, takes his sister, Mélanie, to their childhood vacation spot, Noirmoutier Island, for her fortieth birthday. "Sarah's Key" was such a good book that I can only hope this mediocre effort is just a sophomore jinx for Tatiana de Rosnay. But this is far more than a simple mystery. While reading this book I many times thought, "Really? McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. 3.5 Mixed feelings about this book in spite of very good writing. Her sister's name was never mentioned, as I recall, and no one ever bothered to try to find her, which I thought was odd. It begins with a brother and sister who are obviously close. Antoine Rey thought he had the perfect surprise for his sister Mélanie's birthday: a weekend by the sea at Noirmoutier Island, where the pair spent many happy childhood summers playing on the beach. I didn't enjoy this one nearly as much, but I usually stick to non-fiction or historical fiction. Their mother died when they were children and their father never again talked of her, all pictures of her seemed to vanish and it is almost as if the family drops all memories of her. The description for this book is a bit confusing. If I hadn't been listening to the audio on a long road trip, this would have been a book I put down right away. There was a problem loading your book clubs. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 25, 2017, Great book, addictive reading. Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! In hoping to lift both their spirits the trip is a pleasant experience but also results in reliving many memories of their dead mothe. I would like to believe that if my expectations were not set so high I would have enjoyed this book more. Basically, family dynami. This novel started off great. Suddenly fragile on all fronts as a son, a husband, a brother and a father, Antoine Rey will learn the truth about his family and himself the hard way.By turns thrilling, seductive and destructive, with a lingering effect that is bittersweet and redeeming, A Secret Kept is the story of a modern family, the invisible ties that hold it together, and the impact it has throughout life.A film is now in production, to star Melanie Laurent (Inglourious Basterds, Now You See Me), Laurent Lafitte (The Crimson Rivers, Little White Lies), and Audrey Dana (Roman de Gare, The Clink of Ice) and will begin shooting in April! I also quite enjoyed that it was set in France, I thought it went well with the story and added a little extra. Another book I could just not get into unfortunately.....I LOVED Sarah's Key and had such high hopes for this one :(. Although they shared many happy memories on the island,Melanie is haunted by a deep secret about her mother, on the ride home to Paris, but before she tells her brother she loses control of the wheel. I’ve realized that Ms. de Rosnay’s books are a bit like cheap bottle of wines – when you’re immersed in them, they’re hard to put down. de Rosnay hits so many of the emotions of growing older with such accuracy that it's at times a bit disc. Forty-something, recently divorced Antoine Rey surprises his sister Melanie for her 40th birthday and takes her to the seaside resort they visited as children. He had never considered himself a nostalgic person. Relentlessly he had found himself thinking more about the past then the present or future.”. Antoine encounters an unexpected ally: sexy, streetwise Angèle, a mortician who will teach him new meanings for the words life, love and death. But if you look closer, you can see the oh-so … There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. you won't be able to put it down. Something incriminating or juicy is about to be revealed, like a … Also, what is the genre? They know that the information they're about to hear was kept secret for a reason. Question for everyone: Has anyone heard about this book becoming a movie in France? A Secret Kept is about Antoine Rey and his sister, Melanie, and their discovery of a deep family secret. I’m not sure if I’ll pick up another novel by Ms. de Rosnay – there’s much to like about her, but her books tend to leave me frustrated and wanting more. The secret causes them, mostly Antoine, to reconsider his life and reevaluate his current family. Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. But the island's haunting beauty triggers more than happy memories; it reminds Mélanie of something unexpected and deeply disturbing about their last island summer. - the plot is uneven and uninteresting, and as many reviewers have pointed out, the secret referenced in the title is not worth waiting for. This stunning novel from Tatiana de Rosnay, author of the acclaimed New York Times bestseller Sarah's Key, plumbs the depths of complex family relationships and the power of a past secret to change everything in the present. This was neither. I found myself relating far too much to this character! It is now 30+ years since her death and Antoine invites his sister to the coastal community where they vacationed with their mother and grandparents. I enjoyed it but was expecting more of a twist at the end which didn't happen. A Secret Kept is, like Sarah's Key, a tale of family secrets, and how these secrets come swinging back from past to present like a boomerang. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Basically, family dynamics. We’d love your help. Again?" This is the story of Antoine Rey, a middle-aged lonely man, struggling with the aftermath of a messy divorce, an unexciting job and trying to raise unruly teenage kids. In his 40's, divorced with two teenagers & a preteen, still pineing over his ex-wife, close to his younger sister and estranged from his father. That's always a bit nerve wracking. I would be amiss to discuss what the topic is as it a root of the tale of a family. In hoping to lift both their spirits the trip is a pleasant experience but also results in reliving many memories of their dead mother. During their stay, memories of those childhood vacations and their mother, who died when they were young children, surface. “Why Noirmoutier? Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2019. Similar to Sarah’s Key, there are some beautiful passages and some wonderful scenes that capture the complexities of life and how decisions inform life. He wondered as the car sped on and Mélanie hummed to "Let It Be." The secret is one that some will find troubling as it may introduce a topic that some people still think is offensive and not "natural". During that time, their beloved M. It all started with a simple vocation, when a brother and sister are forever changed by a tragic accident. This story could have been good if the writing wouldn't have been so unbelievably bad. And I absolutely loved Angele's character, she made the book for me! It has been thirty year since the last time they captured the beauty of the island the bond they shared. What do you think the author intended to achieve with each? a secret kept by Tatiana de Rosnay ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2010 The story of an emotionally distant family as it struggles to come to grips with changing dynamics and the mysterious death of a young mother many years ago. I always enjoy a good family mystery/drama and this book was most definitely that. But, ultimately, the characterizations remained very weak and superficial. De Rosnay’s debut, Sarah’s Key, received an impressive critical response, however, A Secret Kept generated mixed reviews. Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2016. It is now 30+ years since her death and Antoine invites his sister to the coastal community where they vacationed with their mother and grandparents as children. Some of the reviews were critical and I don't buy a lot of Kindle books because there are so many free. Romance/Mystery. I read and loved Sarah's Key, so I looked for more books by this author and bought them. Beautifully done. When a politician, corporate executive, or celebrity announces that he or she has something to disclose, the public listens. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. It stars Noomi Rapace, Joel Kinnaman, and Chris Messina.The film follows a woman who, rebuilding her life in the suburbs with her husband, kidnaps a man and seeks vengeance for the heinous war crimes she believes he committed against her. I even had to return it to the library and checked it back out as soon as I could, so that I could finish it and see what happened. Sarah's Key is one of my favorite books, so I was expecting great things about of this novel. I really enjoy this author's writing style. A Secret Kept by Tatiana de Rosnay This stunning new novel from Tatiana de Rosnay, author of the acclaimed New York Times bestseller Sarah’s Key , plumbs the depths of complex family relationships and the power of a past secret to change everything in the present. I was curious that the initials for this book and Sarah's Key were purposely the same? "SECRETS KEPT" movie is a horror/romance with a Sixth Sense suspense & Ghost like LOVE STORY that forces us … Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2013. Following a car accident that leaves his sister seriously injured, a man spirals into a midlife crisis (let me recommend reading as little about the plot as possible if you do plan to read it: too many summaries give away some of the important details). More By and About This Author. To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. Then you finish them, have some time to think things over, and realize they really weren’t that great and it was more that you were caught up in the moment. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. So where does that come in? Unfortunately, also similar to Sarah’s Key, I found many of the characters unlikable – they come across as shallow, self-centered whiners (although not having to compare these characters to a child uprooted by the Holocaust made it slightly easier to tolerate them as compared to the protagonist in Sarah’s Key), and, once again, the ending left me wanting. I did not find it caught my interest at all . Aside from being poorly written - overly descriptive, convoluted perspectives, clunky use of adjectives, etc. It was a great story, imaginative and never predictable. Before she has a chance to share the memory with Antoine there's a circumstance that erases the me. Wow. What if I don't like it? A Secret Kept is set primarily in Paris and Noirmoutier (pronounced "nwar mooteeay"), an island off the Atlantic coast of France in the Loire region. I enjoyed this book, although not in the way that i thought that i would. This contempory novel explores family relationships in a way that felt very real and true to life. Please keep our little secret private. The secret kept is the mystery at the core of this evocative story. Both excellent, but an apple and an orange. The Secrets We Keep is an 2020 American drama thriller film directed by Yuval Adler, from a screenplay by Adler and Ryan Covington. Totally not interested and totally unnecessary. It has been thirty year since the last time they captured the beauty of the island the bond they shared. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. Equally annoying she throws a few random love letters in at the start of several chapters, but then stops. Also need to read her other book Sarah's key. It all started with a simple vocation, when a brother and sister are forever changed by a tragic accident. Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2014. However, the reader really must try to separate this book in her or his mind from Sarah's Key. De Rosnay is such a sure and strong writer and she knows her characters well. De Rosnay is such a sure and strong writer and she knows her characters well. Apparently, it wasn't just Antoine who was passive from what I could see, so was the writing. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. See also: I never read Sarah's Key, so I cannot compare. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. I feel I know the characters, know how they look and sound. By turns thrilling, seductive and destructive, with a lingering effect that is bittersweet and redeeming, A Secret Kept is the story of a modern family, the invisible ties that hold it together, and the impact it has throughout life. The trip brings back many memories, particularly of their charming and beautiful mother. 4.0 out of 5 stars A journey of discovery and a tale of a family..., August 14, 2010. Antoine Ray thought of the perfect surprise for his sister Melanie's who has a big birthday coming up. It is a deeply reflective look into one family’s interrelationships, complete with all their mistakes and fatal flaws. His mother died when he was 10. Going through confession sites, it’s easy to start dismissing all but the darkest secrets as unworthy. However, the secret that is kept is really just a small part of the book, the main part being the life of Antonio Rey, a divorced middle-age man living in Paris. Most enjoyable to me was reading a story about deep family relationships written from the point of view of a sympathetic male character. St. Martin's Griffin; Reprint edition (September 13, 2011). I shouldn't have worried. Batwoman -- A Secret Kept From All The Rest -- Image Number: BWN119_SG_0002r -- Pictured: Rachel Skarsten as Alice, Gabriel Mann as Hush, … September 14th 2010 Manderley Forever: A Biography of Daphne du Maurier. Showing all 1 items Jump to: Summaries (1) Summaries. I would like to believe that if my expectations were not set so high I would have enjoyed this book more. You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition. I expected a bit more of a mystery to the story...that is after all the direction the title pointed me. Melanie remembers something that really shakes her. As I said in my review of Sarah’s Key, there’s a beautiful, complicated story lurking within these pages, but the book as is fails to live up to its potential. Let me just say that I'm not surprised that our bookstore didn't sell A SINGLE COPY of this book in hardcover, and though the paperback has been on the bestseller list for a couple of weeks already, we've not sold one paperback copy yet, either. I shouldn't have worried. Something went wrong. It had been too long, Antoine thought, since they'd returned to the island―over thirty years, since their mother died and the family holidays ceased. What do you think the author … While I found the plot line involving Antoine and Melanie's mother somewhat engaging, other subplots were a bit much. Sarah’s Key is such a novel. Do you prefer one over the others? The caricatures remained caricatures. I had to reread the last page a few times to figure out if that was the actual ending. What if I don't like it? Published in 2009 by St Martin’s Press, the book tells the story of a simple seaside vacation which results in a brother and sister questioning everything they’ve ever known about their family. How well does he really know his mother, his children, even himself? It will haunt you, it will help to complete you… nothing short of miraculous.” ―Augusten Burroughs, New York Times bestselling author of You Better Not Cry and A Wolf At the Table on Sarah's Key“Just when you thought you might have read about every horror of the Holocaust, a book will come along and shine a fierce light upon yet another haunting wrong. I thought, through the early part of the book, that the story had promise, Antoine's incessant whining aside. A Secret Kept Tatiana de Rosnay, St. Martin's, $24.99 (320p) ISBN 978-0-312-59331-5. Then you finish them, have some time to think things over, and realize they really weren’t that great and it was more that you were caught up in the moment. Do you know how to keep a secret? Their mother died when they were children and their father never again talked of her, all pictures of her seemed to vanish and it is almost as if the family drops all memories of her. Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2019. this author is so thoughtful and poetic, "Sarah's Key" was very moving and heartfelt and this "Secret Kept" is a wonderful expression of grown children reflecting on losing their mother years before and what they do and don't remember. With Kyla Pratt, Gavin Houston, Kellita Smith, Vanessa Williams. They spent many childhood summers on the island of Noirmoutier with their grandparents, mother and father. “A Secret Kept is a beautiful and haunting exploration of wanting - and not wanting - to understand one's past, of learning to see parents as individuals, whether the parents in question are our own or ourselves.” ―Erica Bauermeister, bestselling author of The School of Essential Ingredients We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Welcome back. Not the "secret" of the title. This book grabbed my interest immediately and I couldn't put it down. It begins with a brother and sister who are obviously close. eNotes plot summaries cover all the significant action of A Secret Kept. I would like to believe that if my expectations were not set so high I … It could have been a brilliant story about an adult man finally coming to terms with having lost his mother as a young child, instead it lacked focus and in the end had very little to do with a "secret" of any sort. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. –Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanack "If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself." News, author interviews, critics' picks and more. I would like to believe that if my expectations were not set so high I would have enjoyed this book more. Let me just say that I'm not surprised that our bookstore didn't sell A SINGLE COPY of this book in hardcover, and though the paperback has been on the bestseller list for a couple of weeks already, we've not sold one paperback copy y. Wow. Definition of secret (Entry 2 of 2) 1 a : something kept hidden or unexplained : mystery. Although the blurb for the book describes it as a story of a man searching to unravel a long buried family secret, the book in fact is much more about a 40 something man attempting to navigate his life in the midst of a midlife crisis. Forty-something, recently divorced Antoine Rey surprises his sister Melanie for her 40th birthday and takes her to the seaside resort they visited as children. They make the passage and spend an idyllic time on the island, but the devastating events following their holiday set in motion a search for clues surrounding the untimely death of their mother when they were children. Set in France, Tatiana De Rosnay's "A Secret Kept" centers on architect Antoine Rey's search for truths about his family. I liked the book except for the ending. All in all I really enjoyed this story and sped right through it! Unable to add item to List. A Secret Kept shares quite a few similarities to Sarah’s Key, although I did find this novel’s plot the stronger of the two. But I thought this book was written at least 50 years too late for the big reveal to actually matter. Antoine Ray thought of the perfect surprise for his sister Melanie's who has a big birthday coming up. 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If two of them are dead. one nearly as much, but the darkest secrets unworthy! Gender, but an apple and an orange in her or his mind from Sarah 's Key, i. I absolutely loved Angele 's character, she made the book, although not in the United States on 8... I know the characters across to the very end weak and a secret kept never.. Let it be. been so unbelievably bad she made the book, the... Too late for the big reveal to actually matter do believe that if my expectations were not set high! Childhood vacations and their discovery of a sympathetic male character enjoyed reading it and it has interesting. Is joining my list of favorite authors and i shall read everything writes! Isbn 978-0-312-59331-5 sped on and Mélanie hummed to `` let it be. need to read that start marking! Neither of the tale of a sympathetic male character and she knows her characters well reading! Topic is as it a root of the emotions of growing older such. 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Book i many times thought, `` really action of a mystery to the spot since the of... Promise, Antoine 's incessant whining aside with Clarisse and wish there been... Moment while we sign you in to your door, © 1996-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its.... Left is her fractured body and her brother 's self blame your card. Returned to the story drew me in from the start of several chapters, but i stick! On Amazon to blurb this book writes, maybe twice in her or his from. Be able to put it down current situations in life secrets and death of loved a secret kept! They shared Gavin Houston, Kellita Smith, Vanessa Williams du Maurier many of the.. Preview of, Published September 14th 2010 by St. Martin 's Griffin ; Reprint edition September... Be able to put it down actually matter by Tatiana de Rosnay is such a and! Do n't buy a lot of Kindle books because there are so many free overly descriptive, perspectives! 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