Review of 'The Secret World of Connie Starr' by Robbi Neal

Novel due out June 1st, 2022

Publisher: Harlequin Australia

‘The Secret World of Connie Starr’ by Robbi Neal

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Reading The Secret World of Connie Starr is an experience that will take a few days to settle in me. It is such an ambitious, original, colourful tapestry composed of many lives intertwined during a period when the sad effects of war, polio, food rationing, trauma, premature death and so on turned personal worlds upside down. The pain and suffering caused by WWII will never be forgotten by those who endured it. For those who lost their loves, lives and families, this era bore tragic twists of fate. The Secret World of Connie Starr clearly demonstrates this and comes across with a setting and time that feels very real when death and life were at odds. Your heart will ache, your eyes will burn with tears as you follow the harrowing experiences of these characters to hell and back. It is a complex story exquisitely told providing a creative portrait of human suffering and how individuals stagger to find purpose, love and acceptance in gruelling times.

From the start, our protagonist Connie Starr comes into the world on a wave of chaos. She is an unusual child with unusual views. She sees angels and demons and her actions are very much influenced by them. Brought up in a strict environment, she and other family members sometimes struggle with the religious views imposed upon them and find ways to compensate. And as we see, even the most upstanding individuals battle evil within. So despite the facades that are worn to hide the truth and shame, darkness still manages to seep out in unguarded moments. Through effective characterisation and plot we learn that appearances can be superficial and do not necessarily reflect the contents of hearts that are capable of carrying both light and darkness.

This is a novel of tragic beauty, of shimmering uniqueness, a tangle of truth and lies, of tenderness and brutality, delicacy and harshness. It is an epic tale that must be read to be appreciated. A novel that will leave your heart and mind seared and softened. And thinking long after the last page. A literary triumph for Robbie Neal. 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Netgalley and HQ (HarperCollins Au) for a review copy.