Review by laciscott -- Veil of Secrecy
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laciscott
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- Latest Review: Veil of Secrecy by Margaret Franceschini
Review by laciscott -- Veil of Secrecy
[Following is a volunteer review of "Veil of Secrecy" by Margaret Franceschini.]
One fateful day in the 1950s, there was a young girl located in a small fishing village in Newfoundland. The young girl, Julie, was only seventeen years old and was an avid poet. She fell in love at the bakery she worked in, with an older man who was married. She fell for his loving words, and after making love, his seed took root and she bore his child. Being a small village, Julie knew the consequences she faced for early pregnancy and begged her parents for help. She was sent off to finish her education and give birth in secrecy, placing the babe up for adoption. Years later the cycle repeats itself when that very child, Marina, is seventeen and falls in love with a museum curator. She loves his knowledgeable character and charm, soon finding herself carrying his child. He is angry and leaves her scared and alone. She is sent off to have the babe and finish her education. Much like her mother, Marina puts the baby up for adoption.
For years they go about hoping and praying that their baby is growing up in good hands, wondering where and when they might one day meet them again. In the hands of fate, they live amongst the others, never knowing but always close. Six years later, Marina falls in love with a lawyer named Michael, who flies her to his family in the south. She meets his sister, who shares a strong bond with her. Tragedy strikes, drawing out secrets that have been hidden for many years. Love is churned in with deceit and anguish as Marina and her family try to figure out the past.
Veil of Secrecy was heartfelt and tear-jerking. This novel took me on a journey through emotional distress and tragedy, through the bonds of love and family, and intertwined me in a triangle of love. The characters you meet in this story are such strong women who face many challenges. Based around the time when adopting out and abortion was how young women dealt with pregnancies,Veil of Secrecy dives deep down into the roots of society and really draws out on the obstacles women face with bearing a child; especially young women. These issues are still being faced today, so no matter the age, any woman can relate to this novel. Veil of Secrecy shows us how self-sacrificial these girls had to be. The challenges the women would face raising the babies would be detrimental to the mothers and the child, yet the emotional pain is incomprehensible and takes a huge toll on their mental health landing them in severe depression.
I felt a strong connection to Julie Gagnon and felt all the heartbreak she went through. Reading Veil of Secrecy broke my heart because I understand the emotional connections that are formed with young children; they are so dependent on us to take care of them. Though I have never had children, I could feel the heartache as Julie’s and Marina’s babies were taken from their hands, leaving an empty space in their hearts. I could hear the mothers cry out for their babies with such pain and sorrow, it left a pit of sadness in my stomach.
Margaret Franceschini did an absolutely stunning job of capturing love, heartache, and motherhood in Veil of Secrecy. It was well thought out and executed. It was emotional and raw, really grasping my attention throughout the entire novel. I could not lift my eyes off the pages and felt a real attraction to the characters. I do rate this book a 4 out of 4, because I saw no spelling or grammar errors, and because this book was exceptional. I recommend this book to any woman, young or old. There are some romantic scenes, but not vulgar or crude. This novel was beautifully written, well-detailed, and overall a wonderful book to read.
******
Veil of Secrecy
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
One fateful day in the 1950s, there was a young girl located in a small fishing village in Newfoundland. The young girl, Julie, was only seventeen years old and was an avid poet. She fell in love at the bakery she worked in, with an older man who was married. She fell for his loving words, and after making love, his seed took root and she bore his child. Being a small village, Julie knew the consequences she faced for early pregnancy and begged her parents for help. She was sent off to finish her education and give birth in secrecy, placing the babe up for adoption. Years later the cycle repeats itself when that very child, Marina, is seventeen and falls in love with a museum curator. She loves his knowledgeable character and charm, soon finding herself carrying his child. He is angry and leaves her scared and alone. She is sent off to have the babe and finish her education. Much like her mother, Marina puts the baby up for adoption.
For years they go about hoping and praying that their baby is growing up in good hands, wondering where and when they might one day meet them again. In the hands of fate, they live amongst the others, never knowing but always close. Six years later, Marina falls in love with a lawyer named Michael, who flies her to his family in the south. She meets his sister, who shares a strong bond with her. Tragedy strikes, drawing out secrets that have been hidden for many years. Love is churned in with deceit and anguish as Marina and her family try to figure out the past.
Veil of Secrecy was heartfelt and tear-jerking. This novel took me on a journey through emotional distress and tragedy, through the bonds of love and family, and intertwined me in a triangle of love. The characters you meet in this story are such strong women who face many challenges. Based around the time when adopting out and abortion was how young women dealt with pregnancies,Veil of Secrecy dives deep down into the roots of society and really draws out on the obstacles women face with bearing a child; especially young women. These issues are still being faced today, so no matter the age, any woman can relate to this novel. Veil of Secrecy shows us how self-sacrificial these girls had to be. The challenges the women would face raising the babies would be detrimental to the mothers and the child, yet the emotional pain is incomprehensible and takes a huge toll on their mental health landing them in severe depression.
I felt a strong connection to Julie Gagnon and felt all the heartbreak she went through. Reading Veil of Secrecy broke my heart because I understand the emotional connections that are formed with young children; they are so dependent on us to take care of them. Though I have never had children, I could feel the heartache as Julie’s and Marina’s babies were taken from their hands, leaving an empty space in their hearts. I could hear the mothers cry out for their babies with such pain and sorrow, it left a pit of sadness in my stomach.
Margaret Franceschini did an absolutely stunning job of capturing love, heartache, and motherhood in Veil of Secrecy. It was well thought out and executed. It was emotional and raw, really grasping my attention throughout the entire novel. I could not lift my eyes off the pages and felt a real attraction to the characters. I do rate this book a 4 out of 4, because I saw no spelling or grammar errors, and because this book was exceptional. I recommend this book to any woman, young or old. There are some romantic scenes, but not vulgar or crude. This novel was beautifully written, well-detailed, and overall a wonderful book to read.
******
Veil of Secrecy
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Latest Review: Veil of Secrecy by Margaret Franceschini
