book cover

Deep Secret

by Berlie Doherty

Interest age: 12+
Reading age: 12+

Published by Penguin, 2010

  • Coming-of-age
  • Historical

About this book

Twins Grace and Madeleine are identical and inseparable. And when tragedy strikes, it seems that even their parents can’t tell them apart.

As personal devastation permeates their isolated village, a more universal catastrophe threatens a way of life unaltered for decades and cracks begin to open up in the close-knit community. Deep bonds are stretched to breaking point and long-concealed secrets are forced to the surface as the twins become a reflection of the society in which they live.

This is a beautiful, sad and compelling story of love, loss, grief, survival and the relentless march of progress. It explores the personal grief of individuals and the wider loss experienced by an isolated community trying to navigate inexorable change. This is a great example of how timeless and powerful storytelling doesn’t necessarily need a fast-paced plot to make it completely captivating.

About the author

Berlie Doherty is an English novelist, poet, playwright and screenwriter. She is best known for children's books, for which she has twice won the Carnegie Medal. She has also written novels for adults, plays for theatre and radio, television series and libretti for children's opera.

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