Keeping Secrets

by Bina Bernard

For fans of All the Light You Cannot See and The German Girl, Keeping Secrets is a remarkable debut, by a veteran American magazine journalist exploring her own family's flight from Poland.

Hannah Stone, now a successful New York City journalist, was smuggled out of Poland as a child with her parents after surviving the Holocaust. They remade themselves in America, harboring the deep scars of stories never told. Now in her thirties, Hannah learns a family secret that sends her back to where she came from, on the investigative journey of her life.
 
Replayed in cinematic flashbacks, of the family’s immigrant experience and war years on the run, alternating with the contemporary family drama in the U.S. and Communist Poland,  Keeping Secrets  hinges on the mystery of a sister who was left behind.
 
In this sweeping, suspenseful debut,  Keeping Secrets  reveals the agonizing choices World War II thrust upon so many, examining the enormous price of guilt and the very heart of identity.

Genres: Historical Fiction, World War II, War

336 pages, Hardcover

First published January 19, 2021

Reviews

[MicheleReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s 1976 and Hannah Stone, a journalist living in New York City, is haunted by memories of her early childhood years in Poland during WWII. Hannah and her Jewish parents, Dr. Harry and Molly Stone, formerly Hershel and Malka Stein, survive WWII by passing themselves off as Gentiles with the help of friends, eventually enabling the three of them to come to the United States. Weakened by illness, her father opens up and reveals a tragic family secret. Hannah’s older sister, hidden from the Nazis, disappeared and was left behind in Poland. He asks Hannah, now in her thirties, to use her journalistic skills to find her sister.

The emotional story of the family’s wartime experiences in Poland and their early days settling in the U.S. is told in flashbacks. This moving book will tug at your heartstrings.

Rated 4.25 stars.

Review posted on MicheleReader.com.

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't seem to find words to describe this novel.

Let me try these:
1)Amazing
2)Emotional
3)Eye-opening
4)Breathtaking
5) Tear inducing
6)Heart-breaking
7)Stirring
and lastly
8)Impressive


First, let me say that this work is semi-autobiographical "Bina Bernard reported on political figures and writers for People Magazine. Keeping Secrets is her first novel. Born in Poland, her immigrant experience remains central to her view of the world. She lives in New York, where her parents settled after World War II, with her husband, graphic designer, Walter Bernard." Quoted from the Simon and Shuster website.

I have no clue how to tell you how I feel after reading this novel or explaining why you should read it, but I can say this - this book is defiantly going onto my re-read shelf. The first time I read this, I read it quickly; the next time, I want to read it to savor it. And, of course, to see it through eyes that now know how the novel ends.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
This book grabbed me at the start and did not let up. Every time I thought I had figures something out, something new came to light. It kept me guessing and interested.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping, heartbreaking and profound.

This book was a slow start but really picks up once the story moves to Poland. It was sad but hopeful. The writing was incredible and it was different from other novel about the sane subject. I suggest you give this historical novel a chance to captivate you too.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hannah Stone, now a successful New York City journalist, was smuggled out of Poland as a child with her parents after surviving the Holocaust. They remade themselves in America, harboring the deep scars of stories never told. Now in her thirties, Hannah learns a family secret that sends her back to her roots, on the investigative journey of her life.

[LeAnne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written saga of a family holding heart-wrenching secrets from WWII and the aftermath that plays out in life and relationships. It is a story about the resilience of love, never giving up hope and forgiveness.

The characters are well-written and believable. The writing is smooth and easily put me in the middle of the story. I understood Hannah - the passion for her job, her duty to her parents, her confusion of her marriage and her drive to care for others — all while trying to make sense of her feelings and her own purpose.

It was a fine author debut!

[Kathy Bernard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very special book ~ I may be a “bit” biased because the author is my husband’s Aunt. I can only imagine what an emotional journey it was to write this novel which is loosely based on her own life. Not only is the story riveting but the vulnerability required to place her heart into every description, every analogy and every word was tremendous and resulted in a powerful way to share her story. I never tire over learning about the countless ways that lives, families and communities are forever changed by war making me all the more convicted to do my part to encourage peace wherever I can. Thank you Bina Bernard for baring your soul to reveal an honest glimpse at life surviving and emerging in the wake of war. Highly recommend!

[Sydney Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

First and foremost, thank you to NetGalley and Bina Bernard for access to this terrific novel! It got my attention from the very first page and didn’t let go until I reached the end.

Hannah Stone is a thirty something journalist in New York in the 1970’s. She’s also a refugee from Poland who along with her parents managed to flee their homeland and the Nazis during WWII. Throughout her life, her relationship with her father has been strained to say the least. She spent years wondering what she did wrong. But...when her fathers health suddenly begins to decline, he reveals a secret that he’s carried with him for 30 years that weighed so heavily on him, it effected his relationship with Hannah. The secret is that she has a sister whom they weren’t able to find before they fled Poland. Hannah has no recollection of her sister but talking with her parents, memories long since buried deep begin to come back to the surface. Her father knows his time is winding down and he begs Hannah to find her sister.

This story is incredibly emotional on so many levels. Your heart breaks for this family and all they went through during the war and after. The time during the war is written as flashbacks and I loved that. They were so descriptive and I truly felt as though I was sitting on the couch next to Hannah as she shared her memories!

Highly recommend this story for WWII fiction fans!

[Maralie Toth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was drawn into the story really quickly, I found the writing to be nice and smooth and it moved through the events of the story. It was a nice change in pace as well, as I found that the story had a really nice pace to it and I found it rather difficult to predict what was going to happen next.

Just when I thought I had things figured out, a new piece of information would come to light and it would take on a new twist, will different angles to it.

I found myself rooting for characters and for things to pan out in a positive way. I found myself drawn into the story, on the edge of my seat wanting to know what was going to happen. The events of the story also tended to pull at the heart strings, as events unfolded and more secrets came to light, I found myself experiencing a lot of emotion along with the characters.

With all of that said, the story was great and everything I would want from a story like this, the only reason why I found myself taking a star or point off the rating, is because I found myself wanting more from the ending. It was very well written, easy to follow and connect with the story, but as I said, I wanted more from the ending!

Further details about my thoughts on this story can be found in my book blog.
skysbookblog.wordpress.com

[Mica's Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Edelweiss+ for the advanced copy.

Hannah Stone left Poland as a very small child and while she remembers many things from her time surrounding the Holocaust, the one thing she cannot remember is what she did to make her father not love her. Hannah discovers the family secret as her father's health worsens and it has to do with a sister that she does not remember.

The Stone story is told through a series of flashbacks as memories occur which helps lead the story in a well-put-together manner. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and was happy with the ending. I have read many stories based around the Holocaust and its atrocities but this is a different kind of story that, while paying homage to what happened there, shows that survivors were able to remain together and move forward.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hannah's parents kept a lot of secrets from her, chief among them the fact that they were unable to bring her sister with them when they fled Poland for the US. Imagine if this were you- what would you do? Hannah, who is struggling in her marriage, decides she will find her. The story of the Stone family is told in flashbacks- which works in this context. It's not a unique story but no spoilers from me on what happens. Hannah is well fleshed out but less so the other characters. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC.

[Rachael Westbrook · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent read and I once I started reading it, I couldn’t stop. I truly can’t imagine the sacrifices people made in the war. People were so brave and did what they had to do to keep their families safe.

[Caroline Pfeiffer · Rating 3 out of 5]

such a good story, just didn’t think the writing was there

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good compelling read.