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REVIEW
Wow. What an inspiring and incredibly powerful WW2 story! It had me pinned to the pages between Dot’s secret missions (personal and professional) and Dash’s harrowing adventures (in the hangar and in the air). But at the centre for both women, is constant danger with a capital D. As they say, nobody is ever safe in war. Then there are two courageous men, Gus and Pete, who both play important roles in the battles against Hitler and in these women’s lives. I truly enjoyed seeing the chemistry spark between them and the enduring love that sustained these four people through some very trying circumstances.
This is a heart wrenching heroic story about major secrets and twin girls who are extremely close but also opposites in personality. Dot is the shy quiet type – even a bit ‘nerdy.’ She is a genius with puzzles, loves books and experienced at Morse code and languages. Dot has a very close connection to her father, a war veteran who harbours secrets of his own. Then there is Dash, the other twin—quick moving, adventurous and mechanically inclined. She loves airplanes, fixing engines, dancing and keeping active with new challenges. When Dash decides to join the WRENS, Dot is filled with fear. She does not want her sister to leave her. They have always done everything together but she cannot think of doing what Dash desires. But once Dash is gone for a while, studying and working on aircraft, Dot begins to question her own position. Should she become active, too, and help fight the war? To her own surprise, in a moment of courage, she applies and is accepted but her journey is very different from Dash’s. Soon her talents move her from typist to enviable heights and positions that lead to taking a secret oath. She will not be able to tell her sister or any family member what she really does for 40 years. It is a hard thing for someone who shares everything with her sibling. And when a personal tragedy strikes, and Dot’s job prevents her from joining Dash at home, hurt seeps in and causes a division between the sisters.
I have a great respect for Ms Graham with her flawless writing style, unforgettable characters and ability to bring Canadian history alive on the page. I was drawn in immediately with the dual viewpoints of sisters Dot and Dash. I enjoyed learning about each of them, observing and appreciating their strengths and weaknesses. They are believable characters with fears, desires, aspirations and faults—like the rest of us. This makes them human and allows us to connect with them easily. Presenting the story through two perspectives, gave me a unique vantage point of getting inside their hearts and heads which made the journey with both women engaging. To see their differences and how they each react in various situations at the start and then to see the changes as their new lives unfold, (particularly in Dot), made it a satisfying reading experience. Development in characters is important and with what these ladies go through, they could not help but change. We want to see progress and we do. I think the main characters Dot, Dash, (and these are clever names that are so appropriate!), Gus and Pete, along with the twin’s father, are true heroes. (Others, too, perform acts of bravery.) They reach inside and find the courage they need to redeem the moment, endure the suffering and ascend the challenges.
A good portion of the story is set in Canada (other settings are England and France). There was even a small section of the story focused on New Brunswick where I was born and raised. So it was easy for me to visualise that physical environment. But for some reason, I had either forgotten or never knew of HMCS Coverdale (Special Wireless Station) below Moncton where some great work was accomplished during the war. To learn that the first allied person in the world to hear of Hitler’s death on April 30th, 1945, was a HMCS Coverdale operator who intercepted a message sent by a German Admiral Doenitz was quite a surprise! And I never knew Canada had a spy training centre (Camp X)!
Although the focus is on the WRENS, Genevieve Graham introduces us to other areas of work where women helped in the war. The Canadian Car and Foundry in Fort William built world-class fighter planes under the leadership of Elsie MacGill, Queen of the Hurricanes. ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary) where Dash eventually worked was in many ways a dangerous task ferrying planes. These were civilians transporting aircraft where needed with unloaded guns. The risk of death (crashes) or being captured were possible scenarios. This novel shows what could go wrong and did. Many of the women were pilots who were quite brave flying with no maps or radios and within sight of the ground. There were many obstacles and we see this in the story. I felt I was on board with such vivid descriptions and detail. This may be a work of fiction, but The Secret Keepr is built on facts with a creative dash of insight where needed. Sometimes there are gaps in history so it is an author’s right to imagine what might have been to make everything flow together seamlessly, and Ms Graham has achieved this and covered all the bases.
I have reviewed a large number of excellent and deeply moving WW2 novels but The Secret Keeper is the most compelling, comprehensive and riveting story I have ever read and as mentioned, I learned many new things about Canada’s part in the battle against Hitler. The magnitude of knowledge on all the topics covered is astounding. Genevieve leaves no stone unturned. This fully packed story soars on its impeccable details, covering many fascinating areas in which women worked during WW2. In the author’s notes (which are just as captivating as the novel), she makes it clear during the research stage she used experts to get true answers. This is obvious when comparing story incidents with historical accounts. And while reading this novel I was often motivated to look up the events, practices and locations.
Sacrifice, Secrets and Service melded together in my mind while reading this breathtaking novel. For me, these words represent those who fought in the war at every level and this novel delivers in all areas. I truly loved The Secret Keeper from the first page to the last and feel quite honoured to have had an opportunity to read and review it. This is one novel that cannot be missed. It will bring tears to your eyes, make you squirm and create huge lumps in your throat. There are some pretty horrific details of the war camps and suffering of those captured. These sort of horrors changed people forever. This novel also paints a picture of hope and healing. It is a real tribute to not only the women and men who played their part in helping to win over the enemy but also of the amazing establishments set up in Canada that contributed impressively. 5 Shining Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada and Netgalley for my review copy.
