Month: September 2013
Book Review on The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty
I remember vividly how I got hold of this book. My sister, Claudette, asked me if the bookstore where I’m working already had a copy of The Husband’s Secret. I did not bother reading it at first thinking it’s more on the women’s field which I rarely (no offense intended) find time reading. I finally gave in and read it after my sister convinced me. Liane Moriarty has done a great job in masterfully crafting this novel. No wonder it’s one of the bestselling books in Amazon UK. It emphasises the intricacies in a relationship: trust, secrets, love and forgiveness. I’d say it’s definitely thought-provoking and can be emotional at some levels.
What would you do if you find a letter that should only be opened in the event of your husband’s death? In this event, Cecilia finds the letter and is very keen to open it even if her husband, John-Paul, is still very much alive. However, she does not want to betray her husband’s trust or wishes and decides that the letter stays unopened as long as John-Paul is still alive. But after mentioning the letter to him, John-Paul begins to act as if he’s hiding something making Cecilia even more inquisitive. He made plans to destroy the letter but Cecilia gets to the letter first.
‘My darling Cecilia, if you’re reading this, then I’ve died…’
The letter unfolds John-Paul’s darkest secret. What Cecilia found will forever change her life and the people around her. The book is mischievously humorous even with its dark subject matter. Moriarty perfectly shows the overwhelming consequences of keeping secrets from others and even from ourselves. I enjoyed the shrill twist and turns brought about by reading the book. It’s not the kind of story as I thought it would be. It will leave you thinking about the story even after you have done reading it. Although I must say that I already deciphered the truth behind the title at the beginning. Yet, this book is still intriguing until the end part due to the inescapable consequences of keeping secrets (big or small) that has been given emphasis in the story. The lives of John-Paul, Cecilia and the others are surely never going back the way they were.