I picked up this book for two reasons: James Klise is a
local Chicago author (more about that below) and I have enjoyed his sister Kate’s
writing and was therefore curious about reading a book by him. The Art of
Secrets was a fun and intriguing read, told mainly in documents,
including letters, newspaper articles, interviews and texts/emails. I enjoyed that style of writing with its multiple
perspectives. The novel, set in a contemporary private school, deals with
issues of acceptance and social status. There’s an element of mystery with plenty
of misunderstandings and … secrets.
In The Art of Secrets Saba Khan’s apartment is
destroyed in a suspicious fire and her classmates pull together to arrange a
fund-raising auction which gets very interesting because of the high value of some
found art. Along the way, Klise
discusses immigration, fitting in and several moral/ethical questions
concerning hate crimes and greed. Who is
using whom? The list is long and ranges from free rides to/from school… to college
application essay material… to free host family and luxury housing… to insurance payments … to
more popularity at school… to better office furnishings. Opportunities for misunderstandings abound and
the reader is able to see events from many [some not so comfortable] sides. The Art of Secrets is worth the
read, especially for students in late middle school and early high school as
they try to develop their own identities and learn to build empathy for peers
and adults.
And how about **Free Pizza** for lunch this Saturday, May 31st,
at the Bookstall in Winnetka? Call 847.446.8880 for more details about this
midday Teen Pizza Party. Since James Klise is a local author, he will be
joining Philip Siegel (The Break-up Artist) to talk about books and the writing process, as well as answering
questions and signing copies of their novels. The program is free and
designed for readers age 12 and up. See
you there!
