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Secrets
First published 2002 · 254 pages
A poignant, dual-perspective exploration of how a fierce friendship can become a literal and figurative sanctuary.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like being trusted with a deeply personal secret. The dual-perspective diary format creates an immediate, intimate connection, pulling you into the contrasting but equally precarious lives of two very different girls. The pace is brisk and conversational, yet it carries a heavy emotional weight as it navigates the harsh realities of neglect and abuse. Despite the underlying tension and the very real stakes of the girls' situation, the overarching mood is one of profound hope and resilience. It is a story bathed in the warmth of found sanctuary, celebrating the fierce, protective power of childhood friendship. It will deeply resonate with readers who appreciate emotionally honest, slightly gritty contemporary fiction where imagination and solidarity offer a lifeline in a difficult world.
- Mood
- precarious
- intimate
- hopeful
- tense
- Tone
- confessional
- earnest
- empathetic
- poignant
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- sanctuary of friendship · class divides · power of imagination · escaping abuse · found family
- The writing
- Told through distinct, alternating diary entries that feel conversational, intimate, and emotionally raw.
- The arc
- The narrative shifts from lonely vulnerability to the fierce, protective solidarity of a shared secret.
- Who it's for
- Readers who love emotionally honest, character-driven stories about resilient kids navigating difficult real-world problems.
Content notes
- child abuse
- domestic violence
- neglect
- running away
About the book
India lives in a large, luxurious house with a mum she can't stand and a dad she adores, though he hasn't had much time for her recently. She seeks solace in her journal, which she keeps in sincere imitation of her heroine, Anne Frank. Treasure lives on the local council estate with her loving and capable grandmother. She is devoted to her nan but lives in fear of having to go back to live with her mother and violent stepfather.
A chance meeting sparks a great friendship between the girls. And when Treasure has to run away to avoid her stepfather, India comes up with a hiding place inspired by her favourite writer. India hasn't got a real secret annexe like Anne Frank - but she has got a hidden attic...
Description from Open Library.
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