"A truly fabulous and mesmerising debut set during the Cold War, with a story that spins from spies to a literary sensation."
Gosh, this is an absolute treat of a debut novel, so different, so compelling, so fabulously readable! Circling a past that isn’t actually that long ago, the Cold War battle between the USA and USSR intertwines with the background tale to the novel that became Doctor Zhivago. The prologue wonderfully and thoroughly sets the scene. The story spins and spins again, and as several tales are told from different perspectives, we hear from an unknown voice in the typing pool, from a muse, from a carrier… Women take centre stage, even when in a supportive role. Lara Prescott kept my attention as taut as razor wire throughout, the words ganging up to give my thoughts little shoves. I have been left with a thirst for more information about the history of this time, yet thoroughly satisfied by the tale on offer. The Secrets We Kept is many things, spy story, love story, cold war story, it is also an eloquent, surprising read and highly recommended.
| Primary Genre | Historical Fiction |
| Other Genres: | |
| Recommendations: |
Entrancing, intriguing, fascinating glimpse into the side of writing and publishing which is not normally thought about.
Entrancing, intriguing, fascinating glimpse into the side of writing and publishing which is not normally thought about. The perils which went with anyone trying to write, in a country that makes a very thorough job of controlling what you can and cannot do, never mind the danger when someone else suggests the book be published. The compulsive urge to write, despite the knowledge that that same writing could mean imprisonment, ran the risk of being transferred for a long unspecified time to a labour camp, or even torture and death.
An insight into the secret jobs held by “innocent typists” whilst they delivered and collected all the bits necessary to get a forbidden book delivered to one place, translated and then delivered somewhere else – even the risks run by those who did the actual translations.... Read Full Review
Doctor Zhivago - a romantic, moving, epic film and book. I didn't know until I read this fascinating and engaging novel that the background story is so amazing and powerful.
Doctor Zhivago - a romantic, moving, epic film and book. I didn't know until I read this fascinating and engaging novel that the background story is so amazing and powerful.
In the 1950s Pasternak's book was banned in Russia, smuggled out to be published in other countries and then copies were secretly sent back to Russia with the aim of stirring up dissent. This brilliant debut novel by Lara Prescott uses several different voices to tell the story. The most moving perhaps is that of Olga, Boris Pasternak's lover and muse, who suffers so much at the hands of those who want to prevent Pasternak from writing and publishing.... Read Full Review
Beautiful, exciting, daring, The Secret's we Kept is all of these things and more. What makes this book unique is that the spies are female. Doctor Zhivago was a book that had to be published, and if that meant publishing in a different country and having it smuggled back, so be it. Lara Prescott has written a beautiful novel that will sweep it's readers to Russia and America, leaving them breathless.
Doctor Zhivago, the love story set in Russia, even the title sounds magical, (well to me, a hopeless romantic) was once thought to be a dangerous weapon, yes you heard me, a weapon that could set off a revolt, East against West, so getting it published was a danger in its self.
Lara Prescott has written a beautiful novel that wraps its covers around the reader, like a lover holding you in his or her arms.
A group of typist have been enlisted to type out the book, which will then be printed, bound in blue linen covers, ready for the World Fair of 1958, so visiting Soviets could smuggle it back.
This isn't just about the book, it's also about the loved and lives of the strong women who made it possible, and Boris the author and his muse Olga (Lara in the movie.... Read Full Review
.jpg)
