Book Review: *The Safety of Secrets* by DeLaune Michel

Back-of-the-Book-Blurb: “Now we’re just alike.” So begins Fiona and Patricia’s friendship that warm autumn morning in first grade in Lake Charles, Louisiana, their bond forged ever closer by Fiona’s abusive mother and Patricia’s neglectful one. Their relationship is a source of continuity and strength through their move to L.A. to become actresses; through Fiona’s marriage and Patricia’s sudden fame. When husband and career pressures exact a toll, the women wonder if their friendship can survive. Then a dark secret from their past emerges, threatening to destroy not only their bond, but all they’ve worked for as well.

The Safety of Secrets is a beautifully written exploration of the bonds forged in childhood and challenged decades later, of the fulfillment of dreams and the damage they can cause, and of secrets being uncovered and the truth we find inside.

She is Too Fond of Books’ Review: DeLaune Michel’s portrayal of two lifelong friends shows how shared experiences often forge the bonds that keep us attached in relationships.  The mothers of both Fiona and Patricia are neglectful/abusive to some degree, and the girls find each other for support and companionship.  In this case we see what might happen when the friendship lasts into adulthood, where their lifestyles become less similar, due to Patricia enjoying a larger measure of career success and Fiona settling down into marriage and possible motherhood.

I noted many passages as I read this book, and want to share a few excerpts that show the strength of DeLaune’s prose.  First is one of Fiona’s thoughts as she ponders what has become important to her as she grows older:

… how many wants are there, once you get right down to it?

Love, power, money, property, prestige. Family.

I want a family.  And I never used to …

DeLaune’s writing can be funny, a tongue-in-cheek look at the reality that is living in L.A.  Here she describes the job that put Patricia firmly in the spotlight, as hostess of a reality TV show:

Patricia is a hostess/judge on a network TV show called Sports Giant, a reality show where ordinary – and I mean ordinary – people compete in a variety of extreme sports, none of which they are the least able to do.  Most of the show’s appeal (who are we kidding?) is the thrilling possibility that one (or more) of the contestants will seriously wipe out and end up – well, no one honestly wants that to happen  … when a lucky contestant finally does win, he or she has to scream, “I’m a Sports Giant!  I’m a Sports Giant!” over and over while staring straight into the camera.  The winners usually accompany that with some sort of physical gesture, like pumping their fists in the air or jumping up and down, which is meant to convey extreme joy and strength, but only serves to show even more clearly how out of shape the are …

She ties in the sad reality of early years living with her mother’s disdain:

My mother looked at me as if I was a roach on her floor.  Then her features filled with a tremulous rage that something so odious could exist in her home, and a disgusted resignation that it couldn’t be made to go away.

with an explanation of the solace Fiona finds in acting (I censored, so it doesn’t come up in a Google search!):

Being an actor on a film or TV set is like having the most wonderful and conscientious parents in the entire world.  All of your needs are taken care of before you even think of them, so that you are free to do your best.  It is no wonder that most of us who end up here come from f***ed-up homes, and why the craving to be on a set is so strong and so debilitating.

I enjoyed DeLaune Michel’s writing, and was interested to see the story unfold.  It took a few chapters to get into the rhythm of the novel, as I was distracted by run-on thoughts such as:

I got outside, got in my car, and was sitting stuck on Third Street, a thoroughfare that not so long ago used to be if not barely used then at least Plan C for how to get west or east, but now is almost as bad as Beverly.

Once the real “action” started, I did get caught up in the story and was able to gloss over any futher ramblings.  I have to say that I didn’t like either Fiona or Patricia, and was frustrated that the “fatal flaw” for each of them, the inability to keep a secret, remained a strong character trait.  I suppose that’s one more way that The Safety of Secrets reflects real life.

DeLaune Michel was raised as part of a literary family in South Louisiana.  After earlier careers in modeling and acting, she turned to writing and, encouraged by Joyce Carol Oates, published her first novel, Aftermath of Dreaming.  She is creator of the critically-acclaimed Spoken Interludes, a reading series for writers.  Visit her website for more information about the author and her writing, check her book tour schedule, and subscribe to her blog.

I’d like to thank Book Club Girl for providing me with a copy of The Safety of Secrets, and for hosting the Authors on Air interview with DeLaune.  Click here to hear the interview and learn more about DeLaune, her inspirations, the writing process, and that intriguing photo on the cover of her book.