Chanda's Secrets

5Q 4P

I felt this book was heart wrenching, frustrating, and deeply compelling. I immediately felt a deep connection with Chanda and wanted to protect her. She is a well rounded protagonist both strong and oddly vulnerable. Stratton does a wonderful job illustrating the deep taboos that surround the AIDS epidemic in this fictional sub-Saharan village, and the culture of silence and shame that surrounds the disease.

I feel this book is accessible to a broad range of people, and can help anyone who is either struggling with AIDS, know someone who is struggling, or simply wanting to better understand the emotional toil of the disease gain a better perspective.

At times I found this book frustrating to read. I wanted to strangle characters, show more to tell them to accept the help that is being offered, or at the very least to tell someone about their problems, to not just accept it and literally run away to die, but I believe that's the brilliance of the author's writing. As a reader I became so invested in the community that I couldn't help but see how a society can cause its own destruction, and how difficult it is to break through a wall of perpetuating shame.

Quote:
"I'm tired of lies and hiding and being afraid. I'm not ashamed of AIDS! I'm ashamed of being ashamed!" (Stratton, p. 181) show less

5Q 4P

I was immediately drawn into Chanda's voice and Stratton's style of narrative. I love the way Stratton explored the inner struggle of Chanda's desire to grow up with her realization that being grown up is not all it's cracked up to be. Chanda goes through things I would never wish on my worst enemy, and Stratton does a good job of giving them the proper reflection later in the story--something a lot of writers fail to do. The overall "message" of the book was quit uplifting, even if I was in tears while reading it. What a rollercoaster of emotions and what a brilliantly told tale. Any of us could have been Chanda, and Stratton does a great job of positioning the book that way.

4Q, 2P (my VOYA codes)
A well-written, heartbreaking story about a 16 year old girl who bears the burden of holding her family together while the AIDS disease threatens to tear them apart. Although the subject matter of the story is really heavy the believable characters keep the reader invested and helps them continue reading when one tragedy strikes after another. I gave the book a 2 for popularity because I don't believe a teen is likely to pick this up on their own and even with pushing I don't think it will easily appeal to teens. That being said, I do think that teens should read this book as it is very thought provoking and a good way for them to learn about the AIDS crisis.

5Q, 4P

This book was unexpectedly beautiful. It began with tragedy after tragedy, and I was sure I knew what Chandra's secrets would be. However, by the end of this book I realized that though the expected did happen, the unexpected happened as well. That is the reality of dealing with AIDS; not only those who are expected to fall ill are the ones who suffer, and good people are not immune to sickness. Chanda and her family's misfortunes drew me in, and I couldn't help but feel drained at the end of this book. I was wishing for a happy ending when there often isn't, but I was glad there was an epilogue and a positive beginning to Chanda's life as an adult. I rated this book as 4P because I don't believe it is sought after as much as it show more should be, but I believe it would not take much prodding to convince teens to read it. show less

5Q 4P (my VOYA rating). "Chanda's Secrets" is a beautifully written coming of age story about a teenage girl in sub-Saharan Africa (based on Botswana and Zimbabwe) who comes to terms with the reality of AIDS and the affect it has on the people she loves most. Chanda, the story's protagonist, is full of spunk with a heart of gold and a strong will. The cast of characters we meet, like Chanda's best friend (Esther), her gentle mother (Lilian), and nosy neighbor (Mrs. Tafa), are fully realized and ignite strong feelings for better or worse. Most of all, Chanda and her story puts humanity at the center of bravely living and loving while being surrounded by AIDS. This story might have the power to open one's mind and heart to those living, show more and who have lost the battle, with the HIV virus and AIDS. show less

Sixteen-year-old Chanda must take on the harrowing responsibility of planning her baby sister's funeral, nursing her sick mama, mothering her little siblings, and sheltering her abused best friend--not to mention trying to keep up with school. Compounding her struggles are an obnoxious busybody of a neighbor and an oppressive aura of secrecy and shame surrounding the family. Ultimately Chanda must overcome her own fear of AIDS before bravely confronting the superstitions of her community. With vivid first-person narration portraying the complex emotions of an adolescent, Stratton effectively evokes a fictional Sub-Saharan Africa and chronicles the action of the story at an intense pace.

My VOYA ratings: 4Q ("Better than most, marred by show more occasional lapses") and 4P ("Broad general or genre YA appeal"). This is a well-written, absorbing book that addresses many serious issues--first among them the AIDS epidemic in Sub-Saharan Africa, but also sexual abuse, prostitution, alcoholism, and the death of parents and siblings. The narrator's point of view will surely resonate with young adults from all walks of life, and the gripping plot will keep many glued to the page.

My me rating: 2-1/2 stars ("It was okay, I guess"). I was excited to read CHANDA'S SECRETS, because I have been seeking out fiction set in Africa and did not yet have young adult books on my radar. My expectations were probably way too high. The same narration that may well appeal to many readers just did not work for me: I wanted a wider view of Chanda's world, with less inner monologue. (THE HUNGER GAMES irked me for the same reason.) I also wish the author had set the story in a real place and adopted a more authentic style of language. Perhaps I would be less fussy if my reading had not come on the heels of THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN (set in real towns near Spokane, with an utterly convincing adolescent narrator) and THE NO. 1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY (set in real Botswana, with a female protagonist my own age). Or perhaps not: I was hooked by the first part of the book, which intimately depicts Chanda's experience planning and attending her sister's funeral and tells the heartbreaking history of her family, but I felt betrayed by the Spielbergian climax and ending. show less

5Q 4P
A quick, engaging, thought-provoking read. I thought Chanda's Secrets was very well-written, and loved it for the character of Chanda. Chanda is bright, brave, compassionate, loyal, and strong as the head of her family in a society where people spread AIDS and rumors like wildfire and a cloud of stigma prevents any open, honest conversation - even between family members. Sex is a recurring topic, but it isn't graphic and I found it very easy to deal with. The story has a theme of AIDS education (Chanda frequently mentions some form of knowledge on the topic, asking her friend if she uses protection during sex and noting how the disease spreads) but it is not overpowering for the sake of the story. There are multiple occasions where show more female characters are raped, and Chanda's reaction is extremely relevant to readers who are real-life victims of sexual abuse/assault. However, the way rape is treated in the book seems like it was meant to encourage victims to speak out, or at least show to the reader that it was not that character's fault, just as it is/was not the reader's fault and I thought that was extremely important to see. show less