Telling Secrets

With a light and effective touch, Lichtman takes the reader through traumatic times in the lives of two college roommates, Sharon and Toby. When Toby's father goes to jail for embezzlement Toby's mother makes her swear to tell no one. This estranges her from her best friend Sharon. Toby struggles with her anger and fear alone, sometimes desperate to tell, other times afraid that by telling Sharon she would only drive a wedge between them. Toby realizes she cannot live by the strict code of silence and ""all's well'' that had been a hallmark of her family's life, and accepts the responsibility of making her own decisions and taking the consequences. When she tells Sharon, the comfort and support derived from this justifies breaking her promise. The resolutions in this story are not simple or trite. Toby's father's release is not a return to the easy past. But the bond of friendship between Toby and Sharon (the underlying strength of the novel) provides them with the resiliency they need to face the difficulties of their adult lives. (12-up)