This Hidden Thing

by Dora Dueck

Beginning in Winnipeg in the1920s, This Hidden Thing tells the moving story of Maria Klassen, a newly landed Mennonite immigrant. Maria becomes a domestic for a prosperous Canadian family in order to support her family as they struggle to build a life for themselves on a farm near the town of Winkler.

Genres: Fiction

336 pages, Paperback

First published May 19, 2010

Reviews

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

amazing Winnipeg author - great story teller!

[Kristine Fileccia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book!

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't often like books with a Mennonite theme. Having that background myself, I rarely find it to be true to my own experience. But this one is different. Although it's set in the first half of the 20th century, with the main character immigrating to Canada from Russia at about the same time as my own parents, I found the cultural stuff to resonate very strongly with me. The account of Sunday dinner after coming home from church made my mouth water with remembrance. Beautifully written story.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent novel. The big twist in the middle of the book wasn't unexpected, but I was pleasantly surprised by the refusal to sentimentalize or over-dramatize the main character's decisions; Dueck's avoidance of plot cliches was refreshing. I valued the insights this book provided into the experiences of Mennonite immigrants--especially women--in southern Manitoba from the 1920s onwards.

[Bailey Olfert · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed that this story is set in my area. Although I come from Mennonite roots, I was not overly interested in that historical aspect. Maria as a young woman was somewhat interesting but as she went further into her life I found the character to be too reserved to be believable, certainly too reserved to be interesting as the subject of a story.

[Meg Bee · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I started reading this book, I loved it. The last third of it completely lost me.