Review of Whispered Secrets Whispered Prayers

[Dana Lawrence Lohn]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Whispered Secrets Whispered Prayers" by Donna Mack.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Rarely in this century’s literature has so severe and unforgiving an American landscape – the icy North Dakota prairie in the 1940s – played host to a book of such delicate beauty and restraint, such sparing language and stunning beauty. Mack’s Whispered Secrets, Whispered Prayers tells the story of a family in a second marriage struggling on a tenant farm, mother Margaret pregnant and undiagnosed preeclamptic, son Danny captivated by an adulterous love affair, father Urs haunted by childhood trauma and amputation, daughter Annie embracing farm life at a young age, and landlord Chris looking at a life transformation. Sounds like a lot, right? Sounds bleak? It isn’t.

Mack caught the attention of the National Endowment for the Arts decades ago with her gifts and the metaphor, allegory and multi-dimensionality of each paragraph of this book illustrate why so powerfully. Sampling out an example to treasure:

“Those nights, Margaret had disjointed dreams of climbing up and up to a gilded place where lovely white birds leapt from a golden sill, falling, falling as they sang in the vast blue sky. Then Margaret would step to the golden sill. Her turn to leap. Whether to death or to freedom, she never knew.”

And another:

“The falling light, the cool bank, the warming air – the combination brought to Annie’s mind an earthenware bowl being filled with fresh cream.”

I did not imagine when I opened this book the beauty that springs out of it and wraps itself around the reader, even as the protagonists suffer, even as the seasons change and tragedies abound within it. Loose open threads are left for pondering after, for example, the chicken nests were treated with DDT to eliminate lice, which damaged at least some eggs thereafter. Risking a spoiler warning, was Margaret’s daughter also a casualty of this, with the retroactive benefit of environmental knowledge?

Pivoting to a happier open thread: the ending is just gorgeous, one so filled with hope for Annie. I gladly give this book a 5 out of 5 rating. It is the best book I’ve read in months.

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Whispered Secrets Whispered Prayers
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[Ludovica Peruzzi]

What a beautiful review. I can really tell how much you've loved this book, and I feel like I've got such a good feel of it already without having read a single page. I'll definitely consider reading it. Bravo!

[Amy Luman]

I really enjoy reading your writing. I do question whether this would be a goo fit for me, however, because of the metaphors included. I think that they might be wasted on me. Thanks!

[Stephen Christopher 1]

Wow Dana, best book you've read in months and a 5/5 star rating. I like historical fiction and while this one sounds interesting, it also sounds a little bit heavy (despite the uplifting ending). I might park this one for now. Thanks for the thorough review.

[Sia_young]

What a great review. I got a good glimpse into the book and what to expect from it. From the review you've given, I can say you absolutely enjoyed reading this. Hoping to have a similar reading experience for myself. Thanks for your insights!

[Harshitha G B]

You beautifully collected the thoughts about this book. It's impressive and I can see how much you loved this book. I will add this book to my reading list.