Rachel's Secret
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4.5 • 6 Ratings
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- $6.99
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- $6.99
Publisher Description
Rachel is a Jew living in Kishinev, Russia. At fourteen, she has dreams of being a writer. But everything is put on hold when a young Christian man is murdered and Rachel is forced to keep the murderer’s identity a secret. Tensions mount and Rachel watches as lies and anti-Jewish propaganda leap off the pages of the local newspaper, inciting Christians to riot against the Jews. Violence breaks out on Easter Sunday, 1903, and when it finally ends, Rachel finds that the person she loves most is dead and that her home has been destroyed. Her main support comes surprisingly from a young Christian named Sergei. With everything against them, the two young people find comfort in their growing bond, one of the few signs of goodness and hope in a time of chaos and violence.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
In 1903 Russia, a fourteen-year-old Jewish girl dreams of becoming more than the mother and homemaker that tradition dictates—she wants to be a writer. But when a Christian man is killed and she must keep the murderer’s identity a secret, events spiral out of control. As violence against Jews breaks out in what would become known as the Kishinev pogrom, she faces devastation and eventually finds love in a story that’s ultimately both moving and provocative. Rachel’s Secret effectively uses the historical record to create a compelling image of this troubled period, making meaningful points about the role of hatred and hope in society—and how young people can break free from the shackles of tradition.
Customer Reviews
Honest voice narrates a little-known piece of history
Sanders effortlessly creates a completely honest and poignant narrative in Rachel, the fourteen year-old heroine of her first novel, "Rachel's Secret." The subject matter is emotionally effective, and the plot intriguing. It is clear that Sanders sought to display two very different points of view on an extremely controversial event. The novel speeds along to a terrifically suspenseful climax, where friendships are tested, and trials surmounted. I absolutely loved this novel, and I cannot wait to see what else this fabulous new author can produce!