Title: Sekret (Sekret, #1)
Author: Lindsay Smith
Date Published: April 1, 2014
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Publishing Group
Synopsis:
From debut author Lindsay Smith comes an espionage thriller with a dash of both history and dystopia.
Yulia’s father always taught her that an empty mind is a safe mind. She has to hide her thoughts and control her emotions to survive in Communist Russia, especially because she seems to be able to read the minds of the people she touches. When she’s captured by the KGB and forced to work as a psychic spy with a mission to undermine the U.S. space program, she’s thrust into a world of suspicion, deceit, and horrifying power where she can trust no one.
She certainly can’t trust Rostov, the cruel KGB operative running the psychic program. Or handsome Sergei who encourages her to cooperate with the KGB. Or brooding Valentin who tells her to rebel against them. And not the CIA, who have a psychic so powerful he can erase a person’s mind with his own thoughts. Yulia quickly learns she must rely on her own wits and power to survive in this world where no SEKRET can stay hidden for long.
My Thoughts:
I have a soft spot in my heart for historical fiction, so when I read the synopsis for Sekret- a young adult book that takes place in the former Soviet Union, during the Cold War, I knew I had to read it! You see, I grew up in the seventies and eighties, and vividly remember what it was like to live in the United States during the Cold War. There was so much tension, mistrust, and fear between the US and Russia. I didn't know what to believe sometimes, but I know I was curious about the people of Russia and what life was like there. Although Sekret is considered fiction, with a little bit of sci-fi thrown in, I was hoping to get a glimpse of the Russian society during that time. Let's just say, I wasn't disappointed.
Sekret takes place in Moscow, in 1963. A young, sixteen year old girl named, Yulia, has been in hiding along with her mother and brother, and have to sell things on the black market in order to eat and to survive.
"My fears are outweighed by one simple truth: I need something and Raisa needs something, and that will keep us safe. Capitalism is alive and well in our communist paradise."
Right away we discover that Yulia has a unique and special gift. Because of that she is chased down.
I was hooked after the first chapter. The title Sekret, is so appropriately named. Yulia has an especially big secret. She's also a secretive person in general, and like many during that time, she had to be VERY careful as to who she trusted and confided in. There were also top secret government projects. I was curious if Yulia would ever crack under pressure, or if she would ever find someone she could truly confide in.
There was so much excitement in this book, and I was often scared for the characters. I was always afraid that Yulia would get in trouble, and if so what would happen to her. She was forced to do things she didn't want to do, yet she did not give up on her goal. I really admired that about her!
The only reason why I did not bump this book up to five stars, was that there were a few times that I wasn't sure if the events were actually happening, or if the author was using imagery. I had to go back a page or so, and re-read to make sure.
I am really looking forward to reading the next book in the series- Skandal. We left off with a bit of a cliffhanger, so I need to know if everything will be okay.
4.5 Stars!
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