Hidden

by Mary Perrine

Perham public library (via MNLink) paperback 337 pages

Published: 2020

Genre: fiction

 

The coolest thing about this book is that I know the author! Mary and I worked together in ISD 112. She's an amazing person.

 

I wasn't sure what to expect when I got this. Initially I thought it was for middle school readers (the blurb sounded like the protagonist was ten years old, which is young for this group of readers) . . . because we both taught at that level for many years. I quickly realized that the book is geared more toward adults.

It is primarily about domestic and sexual abuse, living in the past vs. the present, and keeping secrets. Honestly, I didn't enjoy it very much. *** There are spoilers below, so stop if you don't want them!***

Page 49 - after a scene where adult Claire cries herself to sleep rather than confide in her husband, I stuck a post-it note on which I wrote "Get therapy!" Anyone who has had a traumatic childhood *needs* therapy. My childhood wasn't traumatic and I found therapy for a few months in my young adulthood to be extremely helpful!

Page 56 - when child Claire puts a tiara upon her head - "Instantly, her shoulders rose and her back straightened. She lifted her chin and glanced into the distance as if looking at her royal subjects." Yes! My sisters and I are firm believers that every woman should have a tiara! It's a great feeling to put it on.

Page 123-124 - When Roy violates young Claire. Cringe. So awful. Perrine writes clearly without being graphic, but as a reader to know that this poor girl is being terrified and violated is so horrible.

 

Page 153 - When adult Claire got the phone call about her mother in the hospital and she called Karen, I thought - Wait! She's been in a funk for weeks, not buying groceries, showering, etc. and her BEST friend and next door neighbor is just waiting around for a phone call? That doesn't make any sense! Why hasn't Karen been in her face, asking what's wrong? 

 

Page 174 - When adult Claire decides she's going to go after Will for revenge . . . instead of going to police or doing any other rational thing . . . with only vague notions . . . but I did like the line, "He had chosen the wrong person to tangle with - no one got between a mama bear and her cubs - no one." 

 

Page 182 - Hmmm. She's planning revenge. Violent, active revenge. She has planned for it. . . . Then she goes to her mom's old room in the nursing home to pack up her stuff? What? I get that what she finds helps develop the plot, but it was just too weird. If I decide to go off on a murderous rage, responsibilities aren't going to stop me.

 

Page 202 - Okay, this almost made me sick. In her mom's letter to her, Claire reads, "The night Roy molested you - I was there. I saw him touch you, hold you down, . . . " I get that an abused woman can feel trapped, but wouldn't any normal woman defend her child? This wasn't her abusive husband hurting her daughter, it was her husband's friend. Yuk.

 

Page 265 - "Invisible! Jade had become invisible and she had let it happen. Hell, she had made it happen." No. No, she hadn't made her daughter become invisible. Jade's experience was *not* like that of Claire as a child. 

Page 270 - She found Jade's diary. I thought, "No! Don't violate her privacy!" But it turned out all right. 

I definitely liked how the story wrapped up. It was well-written throughout, but it was a book I made myself read instead of really wanting to pick it up and read it.