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kebreads's review against another edition
5.0
It was great to read this book once again. It never gets old. And since it has been awhile since I read it, some things I had to rediscover. This book is well-written and has great characters.
Content: Clean - unwed pregnancy
Content: Clean - unwed pregnancy
kay34's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
aggressive_nostalgia's review against another edition
It was good - definitely packed with lovable characters and a solid dose of intrigue. Believe it or not, I think i actually preferred The Truth-Teller's Tale; that wasn't as quick a read and it seemed less...I don't know...odd...? The Safe-Keeper's Secret just seemed a little disjointed in comparison. And I was kind of confused as to whether Reed was actually falling in love with Fiona by the end of the story. But I still enjoyed it. I'll probably continue checking out Sharon Shinn's works. I love the way she's constantly playing around with characters' identities and throwing in unexpected twists. Surprisingly action-packed, even though their heroines never leave their hometowns, and certainly absorbing. This was good, but I do like the second book better.
jackiehorne's review against another edition
3.0
Perhaps I've just read too much Shinn, but I sensed the big secret around which the book hinges right from the prologue. Made it far less rewarding to read than if I hadn't had a clue...
tani's review against another edition
3.0
This took me a while to get into, but I did end up caring about the characters quite a bit. Maybe it was too simple for my current mood? I feel like I would have liked it better when I was 12.
castleauburn92's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
singsthewren's review against another edition
5.0
THIS BOOK WAS SO COZY AND WARM AND LOVELY! I just wanted to curl up inside of it and have a nap as the soothing conversation washed over me. It was so lovely and what a great setting! I can't wait to read the rest although I'm not sure it's a real trilogy, I think it might be three disconnected books in the same world. Which is sad, I liked this character so much and I wanted to see the romantic storyline wrap, which it didn't. But otherwise it was sheer perfection!
bookishblond's review against another edition
3.0
This book makes me so sad because I LOVE Sharon Shinn but I really didn't like this one.
The Safe-Keeper's Secret has a simple plot. In this world, you have (1) safe-keepers that can be told secrets they never tell; (2) truth-tellers that always tell the truth and never lie; and (3) dream-makers that suffered horrible tragedies but now make dreams come true (and there is only one dream-maker at a time).
So that sounds fine, like a nice, cozy fantasy. But the world-building was so off. I could not get a feel for what era this was supposed to be. I assumed it was a quasi-medieval type world, like Shinn's other books, but little details kept throwing me off. The village kids go to school. They have birthday parties where everyone brings them presents. The village witch makes hot chocolate. It was incredibly distracting.
As the other reviews have mentioned, the main romance is between two teenagers who were raised together as brother and sister although they are not related by blood, and no one in the book questions this. That's just icky. And, it was icky in 2004 (when this book was written), too. Also as the other reviewers have mentioned, a disabled/chronically ill character is vilified (and her husband is the victim who she can't give sons to). This plot point is questionable, but it was handled so callously, I couldn't get over it.
The simple, cozy plot never progresses, and when the story builds up to the conclusion, there's absolutely no tension or resolution. Everything is set up so nicely that you know exactly where the story is going and what the "twist" is. I have recently learned that a lot of people like books like that, but I am not one of them.
2.5 stars rounded up because of my love for Sharon Shinn.
The Safe-Keeper's Secret has a simple plot. In this world, you have (1) safe-keepers that can be told secrets they never tell; (2) truth-tellers that always tell the truth and never lie; and (3) dream-makers that suffered horrible tragedies but now make dreams come true (and there is only one dream-maker at a time).
So that sounds fine, like a nice, cozy fantasy. But the world-building was so off. I could not get a feel for what era this was supposed to be. I assumed it was a quasi-medieval type world, like Shinn's other books, but little details kept throwing me off. The village kids go to school. They have birthday parties where everyone brings them presents. The village witch makes hot chocolate. It was incredibly distracting.
As the other reviews have mentioned, the main romance is between two teenagers who were raised together as brother and sister although they are not related by blood, and no one in the book questions this. That's just icky. And, it was icky in 2004 (when this book was written), too. Also as the other reviewers have mentioned, a disabled/chronically ill character is vilified (and her husband is the victim who she can't give sons to). This plot point is questionable, but it was handled so callously, I couldn't get over it.
The simple, cozy plot never progresses, and when the story builds up to the conclusion, there's absolutely no tension or resolution. Everything is set up so nicely that you know exactly where the story is going and what the "twist" is. I have recently learned that a lot of people like books like that, but I am not one of them.
2.5 stars rounded up because of my love for Sharon Shinn.
bookgirl4ever's review against another edition
2.0
In the middle of the night, a safe-keeper delivers a baby to another safe-keeper's home. A safe-keeper's duty is keep secrets until the appropriate time for a truth-teller to tell the truth. Damiana and her sister Angeline keep the secret of the identity of the baby, Damiana raising the baby with her own.
Recommended junior high.
Recommended junior high.
nelsonseye's review against another edition
4.0
The Safe-Keeper's Secret was a very quick but enjoyable read. Not much happened in the story in terms of action, but the day-to-day goings on were quite engrossing. I think this was due to the the likability of the characters. However, my actual rating is probably more of a 3.5 stars, because I would have liked a more developed resolution.