The Secrets We Kept: Reese's Book Club

A Novel

By: Lara Prescott

Narrated by: Carlotta Brentan, Cynthia Farrell, Mozhan Marnò, Saskia Maarleveld, Jonathan Davis, David Pittu, James Fouhey

A HELLO SUNSHINE x REESE WITHERSPOON BOOK CLUB PICK

"This month for Reese’s Book Club, we are listening to The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott! Set during the Cold War, it tells the story of secretaries turned spies who are tasked with smuggling Doctor Zhivago out of the USSR and into the hands of Russian citizens. You’ll get to know Sally and Irina, two spies who risk it all for love and adventure." (Reese Witherspoon)

A thrilling tale of secretaries turned spies, of love and duty, and of sacrifice - inspired by the true story of the CIA plot to infiltrate the hearts and minds of Soviet Russia, not with propaganda, but with the greatest love story of the 20th century: Doctor Zhivago.

At the height of the Cold War, two secretaries are pulled out of the typing pool at the CIA and given the assignment of a lifetime. Their mission: to smuggle Doctor Zhivago out of the USSR, where no one dares publish it, and help Pasternak's magnum opus make its way into print around the world. Glamorous and sophisticated Sally Forrester is a seasoned spy who has honed her gift for deceit all over the world - using her magnetism and charm to pry secrets out of powerful men. Irina is a complete novice, and under Sally's tutelage quickly learns how to blend in, make drops, and invisibly ferry classified documents.

The Secrets We Kept combines a legendary literary love story - the decades-long affair between Pasternak and his mistress and muse, Olga Ivinskaya, who was sent to the Gulag and inspired Zhivago's heroine, Lara - with a narrative about two women empowered to lead lives of extraordinary intrigue and risk. From Pasternak's country estate outside Moscow to the brutalities of the Gulag, from Washington, DC to Paris and Milan, The Secrets We Kept captures a watershed moment in the history of literature - told with soaring emotional intensity and captivating historical detail. And at the center of this unforgettable debut is the powerful belief that a piece of art can change the world.

This audiobook features performances by Mozhan Marno as Olga, Carlotta Brentan as Irina, Cynthia Farrell as Sally, Saskia Maarleveld as The Typists, Jonathan Davis as Boris, David Pittu as Sergio, and James Fouhey as Teddy.

©2019 Lara Prescott (P)2019 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"The Secrets We Kept is simply sensational. Two gripping narratives unfold in the pressure cooker of the Cold War: passionate, courageous Olga who stands in the shadow of Soviet author Boris Pasternak yet inspires him to write a heroine for the ages, and the cynical, equally-overshadowed women of the CIA who help bring Pasternak's masterpiece Dr. Zhivago to bear as a weapon against Soviet oppression. From the gulags of the USSR to the cherry blossom trees of Washington DC, the story grips and refuses to let go. Lara Prescott is a star in the making." (Kate Quinn, New York Times best-selling author of The Huntress and The Alice Network)

"Through lucid images and vibrant storytelling, Prescott creates an edgy postfeminist vision of the Cold War, encompassing Sputnik to glasnost, typing pool to gulag, for a smart, lively page-turner. This debut shines as spy story, publication thriller, and historical romance with a twist." (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

"Delightful.... An intriguing and little-known chapter of literary history is brought to life with brio." (Kirkus Reviews, starred review)

Meh

If you are going to fictionalize true events, then you should create compelling characters, situations, and events. Unfortunately, this book did not. The overall premise is great, but if the author can't make up better stuff than these cardboard characters, then she should have stuck with non-fiction reporting of the Boris Pasternak story. Good narrators, though.

mispronunciation

I just started to listen to this great novel but as native Russian I couldn't stop cringing because of wrong placement of emphasis on a syllable in Russian names. I bet it would take just couple hours with native speaker to correct it...

Enthralling listen

Excellent! Listened over 2 days and the narrators were top notch. I loved how the story was told from different points of view. I can't wait to read more by this author. It is hard to believe this is her first novel, makes me excited to see what she does next.

Confusion at first

It was a bit confusing at first, but the different narrators brought it into focus.

Fantastic

You know a historical fiction novel is good when you find yourself pausing to look up the events that inspired the author to create such a brilliant book. I’m annoyed with myself as I had bought this a few months ago, but returned it because I wasn’t in the mood & mistook that for disliking the book overall. Thankfully, something told me to try it again because I love every narrator chosen & I was actually in the mood for historical fiction. I loved this book! It definitely lives up to the hype and each character has such life to them - I truly feel as if I know them. Definitely another great Reese Witherspoon recommendation!

To call it just a romance is a bit hilarious because that’s such a minor element though major because of the time period. The focus is definitely more on the characters, even the mistress of Boris Pasternak (author of Doctor Zhivago) moreso than Pasternak or his book, than the plot which is why I loved it so much - I’m more of a character person than plot but it definitely is plot driven as well. Overall, if someone hasn’t finished it & claims to know exactly what “type” of book it is (especially if they use the sexist term chick lit), it’s best to ignore them.

Absolutely wonderful

I loved everything about this book. It’s such a great story. I highly recommend this book.

Know thy ancestors

Two parallel stories with one happening in Russia during Stalin’s repression’s and the other in the United States. A very obvious contrast of how people lived here and there at that same time. A very touching true story of a Russian move prize writer and obstacles in professional and love life... and much more. After reading this book I bought Dr.Zhivago and don’t regret it. Worth your time!

Left too much undone.

I wanted to love this book. It was intriguing and a good premise. But became lost and undone. The mystery of the typists and what secrets they kept...really wasn't a mystery or any large reveal at the end.

Like it

What a thriller, want more of the same author in the same theme - for we have been kept outside the world by Basheer’s stupid governance

Meh...

It wasn’t bad but I kept waiting for something interesting to happen...and then it ended.