Keegan Connor Tracy recommends 3 books about mothers with big secrets
Actor, writer and booklover Keegan Connor Tracy is always fascinated by stories where family secrets are slowly revealed.
As a mother, she's particularly drawn to books that play with the expectations of motherhood and discuss the parts that are kept hidden from children.
On The Next Chapter, The Once Upon A Time star and former Canada Reads panellist shared three novels that feature mothers who break convention and hold information close to their chest.
"What fascinated me about each of these books is the judgment of these mothers," said Tracy.
"The zooming out gives us more information that allows us to have different ideas about the reasons for these big secrets and how they happened and why they kept them — and the grievous effects that they sometimes can have on the children."
The Nix by Nathan Hill
In The Nix, Samuel Andresen-Andreson was abandoned by his mother when he was a child. When she reappears decades later, after committing an absurd crime, he's forced to reevaluate everything he's ever known about her — and embarks on a journey to save her.
"It's this sprawling, satirical story of family dynamics and politics and lore and how secrets have tendrils that can reach across decades and oceans," said Tracy.
It's this sprawling, satirical story of family dynamics and politics and lore and how secrets have tendrils that can reach across decades and oceans. - Keegan Connor Tracy
Tracy appreciated the author's strong voices and learned a lot from the novel's exploration of the Chicago Riots 1968, that Samuel's mother was involved in.
"There was a bit of a historical education in this for me," said Tracy. "I didn't understand the forces that swelled up at that time."
"Samuel's mother's part in it really has a big impact on you as a reader and how you feel about her."
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
"If you like explorations of character but also world building, this is a great book for you," said Tracy.
The Fifth Season is the first novel in N.K. Jemisin's three-time Hugo Award winning Broken Earth series. It follows Essun, who lives a quiet life with her husband and two children. When a cataclysmic climate event reveals her as a powerful origin, meaning someone who can control energy and geological forces, she has to answer for the secrets she kept hidden — and find her daughter across the continent.
While The Fifth Season is science fiction, Tracy noted that there are many parallels that can be drawn between the novel and our current society.
"This book is really rooted deeply in the same human forces that we have in our world. And that's why it was very recognizable," she said.
"It really feels rooted in something that we can understand, and I think brilliantly holds up a mirror to the kinds of things that we're also experiencing in this world."
Lola on Fire by Rio Youers
Lola on Fire is an action thriller that tells the story of two siblings, Molly and Brody, whose mother left them when they were teens and father died soon after. Desperate for money, Brody robs a convenience store and finds himself involved with a dangerous, seductive woman, with ties to one of the country's most vindictive crime bosses. Against their will, they become pawns in a terrifying and mysterious game and cross paths with a notorious enforcer, Lola Bear, who is more connected to them than they could have ever imagined.
"It's sort of Tarantino-esque," said Tracy. "You're hanging on for the ride, is what I'm saying. It has this great cross-country race against time and evil."
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