Ms. Hen reviews The Book of Living Secrets

 

The Book of Living Secrets

Madeleine Roux

Quill Tree Books

2022

Ms. Hen decided to read this novel because it was recommended to her online. She read about it, and loved the premise: it's about two girls who are swept magically into their favorite book. When Ms. Hen received this, she adored the cover right away. That might be her favorite part of the book.

This novel is about two friends, Connie and Adele, high school students in Boston. They are into the occult and otherworldly things, and their favorite book is called MOIRA, which is a bodice-ripper set in Victorian Boston. Adele wants to go to a store called The Witch's Eye Emporium to do a spell with the owner on the night of the Sadie Hawkins dance instead of attending the dance.

The spell is done, and the girls go into the book, but in different chapters. Connie gets thrust into the book in the middle, and Adele near the part of the solstice party at Moira's house. The girls have to find each other, and have a difficult time doing so. The book they land into is different from the one they read, however. It's darker, and minor characters are more prominent, such as the Penny Farthings, who are a band of criminals. A monster is in the bay, and the older people are drawn into it. Connie and Adele have to try to save everyone.

When Ms. Hen read about this novel, she was excited, but as she read it, the book became more ridiculous, and silly. She understands that it's supposed to be fantasy, but to her, it didn't make any sense. She thinks that even with fantasy, there has to be some believability to it. 

Ms. Hen didn't believe this novel, and it's difficult for her to explain that. Fiction is all made-up, but she has read other novels that she has been drawn into and the world of the piece had been created authentically. Not this novel, however.

Ms. Hen wanted this to be one of her great Halloween reads, but it wasn't. She still searches for new Halloween books to entertain her, and she'll search high and low, even when All Hallow's Eve is over, because she likes to be scared, and she dreams of worlds that she has never seen but wants to someday.