Secret Keeper (Hardcover)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: salwar kameez, small cousins, New York, Reet Asha, Osh Reet (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In an intimate and absorbing drama about a displaced Indian family in the 1970s, Perkins (Monsoon Summer) vividly highlights the conflict between traditional Indian values and feminist ideals. After Ashas father goes to America in search of a new job, the rest of the family moves from Delhi to Calcutta to live in the more restrictive household headed by her grandmother. As often as she can, Asha escapes to the rooftop to confide her woes to her secret keeper, a diary; breaking the rules of the house, she also befriends the son of the family next door, who gazes at her through a window. But their relationship changes irrevocably when tragedy prompts Asha to make a painful sacrifice for the sake of her mother and sister. Readers may not always agree with Ashas bold decisions, but they will admire her courage and selflessness as she puts her familys needs before her own. Besides offering insight into Indian culture, Perkins offers a moving portrait of a rebellious teen who relies on ingenuity rather than charm to prove her worth. Ages 12–up. (Jan.)
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From School Library Journal

Grade 7–10—In the mid-1970s, when her engineer father loses his job and leaves India to look for employment in America, 16-year old Asha; her 17-year old sister, Reet; and their mother move in with their uncle's family in Calcutta. Beautiful Reet attracts many suitors, and her uncle soon begins to look for a suitable marriage proposal. But impulsive Asha, who promised her father that she would take good care of her sister, manages to publicly humiliate the first serious candidate. Asha hopes to become a psychologist, but her aspirations are curtailed by her lack of finances and concern about the family's reputation. She finds solace writing in her diary, the "secret keeper," on the roof of the house. Here she befriends Jay, who watches her from a window in the house next door. He wants to become a painter and, to Asha's surprise, he takes a liking to her. Since conventions would not allow them to meet in public, he draws her portrait from a distance. Well-developed characters, funny dialogue, and the authentic depiction of spunky Asha's longing for romance and female self-determination, set in a culture that restrains women's choices, make this book an attractive pick for teenage girls. In the end, a surprising sacrifice by Asha demonstrates her emotional maturity and her love for her sister. An author's note explains the turbulent times during Indira Gandhi's regime that influence the narrative. Pair this appealing novel with Padma Venkatraman's Climbing the Stairs (Putnam, 2008), a similar story set in India during World War II.—Monika Schroeder, American Embassy School, New Delhi, India
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Library Binding edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers; First Edition edition (January 13, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385733402
• ISBN-13: 978-0385733403
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #599,192 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sister and the sacfrices to keep them safe..., February 3, 2009

By	Sarah Woodard (Bremerton, WA) - See all my reviews

Asha is the second daughter in a very traditional in a Bengali family in the 1970's. There are riot and jobs are hard to find. Asha's father is forced to go to America in order to find a job. Her sister Reet, her mother, and herself are going to Calcutta; They are going to live with her father's family. In Calcutta, Asia is trapped in her Grandmother's house. She is unable to go to school, because of lack of money. Her mother finds it disrespectful for her to go outside of the house, on her own. So her freedom is limited.
Asha finds relief in writing in her diary or as she calls it, her Secret Keeper. She tends to write on the roof, until she find out that her neighbor, Jay has been spying on her. He wants to paint her. Asha's sister, Reet has caught the attention of the young men in town. Many are their cousin's Raj's friends. Asha and her family are left with difficult decisions that would alter their life's.
I found this book to be well descriptive. The characters drew a hole in my heart from how life like they were and how the ending wasn't exactly what I wants. It was still amazing. If you want to discover a book, that will pull your heart strings and makes you wonder... How much would you sacrifice to save someone that you loved? It also was great at making Asha and It seem like real sisters. I really hope that you check this book out.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perkins has done it again!, January 28, 2009

By	Carl Hofmann (Boulder, Colorado) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Mitali Perkins has done it again--but this time with an added depth and poignancy. Secret Keeper introduces twists of intrigue and surprise, along with real-world issues and emotion that resonate with readers of all cultures. This is not just for young adults--all ages will appreciate Perkins' way with words and her grasp of subtle nuance. Cross-cultural richness and great writing--I see "screenplay" written all over this!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A final novel of politics and personal courage, March 16, 2009

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Mitali Perkins' SECRET KEEPER tells of Indian girl Asha and her older sister and mother, whose father leaves India to look for work in America. The women come under the jurisdiction of an uncle with all kinds of ramifications as Ma struggles with personal depression and her mother- and sister-in-law, Reet's beauty attracts unwelcome suitors, and Asha herself can't seem to hold the family together. A final novel of politics and personal courage set in India in the 1970s makes for an involving story.