A Brilliant Read
Rebecca’s Secrets – I really enjoyed Rebecca’s Secrets. Brilliant read: really entertaining and engaging with a thought provoking twist. Rebecca’s Secrets chart the story of orphanTommy Angel, growing up in the Jewish quarter of the East End in London in the late fifties. My favourite bits are the school scenes – when Tommy attends the grammar school. The bullying (and revenge!) makes it compulsive and entertaining reading. So do the street (gangs) episodes.
Parts of these reminded me of the hilarious ‘Heaven Help Us’ (Catholic Boys) film of 1985 which is a similar funny and touching rites of passage tale of a young bereaved boy growing up in 60s Brooklyn and sent to a catholic boys school.
Rebecca’s Secrets is full of nostalgia. I enjoyed all of the historical detail about life in the East End of London; the colourful characters – including Tommy’s family and friends are so rich. I love the device of letters in which the truth about Sylvie’s life unfolds. Each installment is like a story within the story – and these add a powerful dynamic to the book – in parallel to Tommy’s experiences. Well worth reading.
Robert hart 