Aynslee is a counsellor for her classmates, whether they like it or not. She has a reputation for solving other people’s problems, and a genuine desire to help whenever she can. Naturally, she’s distraught when she becomes the only person who Katia – a girl with an abusive boyfriend – confides in. As she struggles to tear her newfound friend from an increasingly dangerous situation, Aynslee is torn between the urge to seek help elsewhere, and the promise she gave Katia to keep the secret inside her.
Other People’s Secrets is refreshing in that the main character is neither outrageously popular or particularly eccentric. Aynslee is totally likeable, but she sometimes gets carried away with her other friends’ personal problems. Although this fact isn’t at all an important component of the story, it adds further believability to an already convincing character. The novel is written in present tense first-person (a format authors are often advised by cautious publishers to avoid) but Stacey Lee pulls it off smoothly, with only a few awkward pauses for flashback explaining. From the very first page, Aynslee’s open and no-fluff narrative draws the reader into the moment, and keeps them reading till the end.
At less than 30,000 words, it’s not surprising that occasionally weeks go by without more than a paragraph of real ’scene’, nor that dialogue takes a back-seat to Aynslee’s explaining. This would normally be a major letdown, but Lee strikes the perfect balance between letting us inside her MC’s head and moving us towards the conclusion with consistent energy – if not consistent pace.
When we are treated to more-direct scenes, Aynslee and her friends ring true. The dialogue and the action isn’t overly-confident, but it gives us material that every teen will be able to relate to. Stacey Lee, who wrote Secrets at age 22, obviously understands young people, and is able to brighten up the dark atmosphere of her first novel with believable humor that doesn’t detract any depth from the serious plot.
There aren’t any clever plot twists or big surprises, even at Secret’s climax, but it never strays far from reality, and that’s why we keep reading. Unfortunately, the end erases some of that believability by taking itself just a little too far. The last chapter’s closing statements seem a little too close to morals for a book thats strength hinges on avoiding Hollywood cliches.
Morals or no, this is still a great read, nicely packaged in a variety of formats by Wings ePress. The short, fast-paced chapters are perfect for storing in your pocket on the bus ride to school. And no doubt it will give you some things to think about before you get there.
Thanks to her debut novel, Stacey Lee will no longer be able to keep her own secret: she can write for teens with real conviction and genuine sensitivity. And that’s a lot more than can be said for a lot of ‘great’ YA authors. No doubt we’ll be seeing many more pages from this young Canadian fictionist.
Final Score: 4/5
Purchase Other People’s Secrets from Wings ePress
Reviewed for Teen eBooks by Joseph Boutilier, August 15, 2007.
