Shakespeare, Nicholas: *1957

Secrets of the Sea, 2007 - Thematic Parallels: Secrets

A Secret is any piece of information that someone deliberately keeps hidden from others.
Shakespeare, Nicholas: Secrets of the Sea, 2007
The novel centers on wartime espionage, love, and moral conflict, set against the backdrop of World War II.
The following books are thematically simliar. They lend themselves well to being read in groups, compared with one another, or used to teach a similar topic over an extended period with a class:
- Chevalier, Tracy: The Virgin Blue, 1997, ~300pp
  This book focuses on unraveling secrets from the past and discovering family mysteries, making it similar in its exploration of hidden histories.
  - Both works explore how buried histories and family secrets resurface, influencing the lives of people generations later. Secrets function as moral and emotional anchors—revealing them leads to pain, but also catharsis and renewal.
- Hoffman, Alice: Blackbird House, 2004, ~220pp
  This novel intertwining lives and secrets in a setting that deeply influences the characters, similar to the sense of place in “Secrets of the Sea."
  - Both novels focus on how love and loss define what it means to be human. Secrets function as both destructive and redemptive forces in both works.
- Miller, Arthur: The Crucible, 1953, ~120pp
  This play incorporate themes of secrecy, accusation, and betrayal, which resonate with espionage ambiance.
  - Both works depict how fear can distort truth and destroy trust within tight-knit societies. They show that concealment corrodes morality and that truth, when finally revealed, has devastating personal costs.
- Wyndham, John: The Chrysalids, 1955, ~180pp
  This novel includes themes of secret knowledge and survival.
  - Both works use secrecy as a central force that drives tension. The need to conceal the truth is both a means of protection and a source of internal conflict. They conclude with the possibility of redemption or growth through understanding and acceptance rather than repression.
List of general discussion questions on Secrets (pdf)
List of essay prompts on Secrets (pdf)