The Last Secret by Maia Caron is a historical fiction novel with a dual timeline.
The story follows the lives of two women, Savka, caught between the Germans and the Russians in World War 2 Ukraine, and Jeannie, a scarred women hidden away on a remote island in late 1960s/early 1970s Canada.
I had a hard time connecting to or liking any of the characters in this novel, with the exception of Taras near the end of the novel. I was also not a fan of the KGB agent with a personal vendetta chasing down people 25 years or more after the end of the war.
I was hoping to see more of Savka’s struggles, but there was a Lot of skipping ahead during her portion of the story, and some of it seemed a bit repetitive, with her just starting to get settled somewhere when her nemesis would show up. Jeannie’s character was irritatingly naïve, or just in denial, throughout most of the book.
I did enjoy the ending of the book, that really saved it for me.
All that said, I think there are lots of people who will love this book. Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if I had read it at a different time, I don’t think it was terrible, it just wasn’t for me. I would recommend it for lovers of historical fiction set in the World War 2 era.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Last Secret will be published on September 24 2024.
Life, Tea, and Everything 