I am often surprised by what I learn reading books, especially historical novels. There are so many details, and interesting things that get lost in the telling when you only talk in general terms about what happened during and after a great conflict like WWII.

In City of Secrets, O’Nan tells about what happened in 1945 in Palestine and the city of Jerusalem. The British had been given a mandate by the UN to administer a portion of the Ottoman Empire which at that time was called Palestine, in 1923. But during and after WWII, tens of thousands of Jewish refugees fled from the holocaust in Europe to Palestine. The British who already had their hands full with civil unrest between Jews and Arabs in the mandated territory, and having just quelled a major Arab revolt in 1936-39 were less than thrilled to have more Jews coming in to disrupt the uneasy peace. As a result, the refugees were hunted down by the British and when found were forcibly deported back to Europe. In response an underground resistance among the Jews living in the territory emerged and many new refugees were hidden in plain sight by giving them new identities and jobs. The new refugees, in gratitude for their new life, also became a part of this vast and competing network of various underground factions which supported the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine.

Brand is one of those refugees. He came alone having lost everyone he had ever loved. He survived, but rather than celebrate his good fortune, the guilt weighs on him and he cannot explain why he and not the others lived through this extraordinary terror. Now in Jerusalem, driving a taxi provided by the underground faction that also gave him his identity, he is able to travel throughout the city without suspicion and provides rides and other services to those who helped him.  He quickly becomes a member of a small cell, unaware of any other members in the faction’s hierarchy-a safety measure in case someone gets caught and is tortured for information.

Slowly Brand begins to put the horrors of Europe behind him and becomes engaged in the fight for Eretz-Israel or a Jewish State. He falls in love with Eva, a woman who is in his cell, and slowly becomes an integral part of the cells activities. But as he is sent on more and more dangerous missions by Asher, the cell’s charismatic leader, he begins to suspect that he is being used. Brand also begins to discern a shadowy outline of a larger hierarchy and plan within the faction as he occasionally sees meetings and exchanges that he probably wasn’t supposed to see. But by the time he finally puts the pieces together it is too late and the tragic outcome changes the course of history.

O’Nan raises interesting questions about trust and control. What happens when we give our allegiance and support to movements that are ultimately beyond our control?  Can both faith and despair lead us astray? What is the human response to tragedy and betrayal? These questions and more could not be more relevant to our world today and O’Nan’s lucid and matter of fact prose helps us see the questions with all the more clarity.

Brenda’s Rating: **** (4 out of 5 Stars)

Recommend this book to: Ken and Keith

Book Study Worthy? Yes

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