The Secrets We Kept

Content Warning: This section makes references to rape and suicide.

Irina has the broadest arc in this story and is therefore the roundest and most dynamic character. She starts out as the young ingénue just trying to find a job and suddenly finds herself in the world of international intrigue, much like a fledged bird leaping from nest to open air. Her insecurity about her clothing is relatable, which stokes reader empathy. Her wardrobe also evokes the bird symbolism that runs throughout the novel: Like Irina, birds are creatures that must “shed” their feathers to fly freely. Irina underrates her appearance, too, even when she gets attention: “Whenever I felt a man’s gaze, I assumed he was looking at my awkward gait. The other possibility, that he might’ve found me attractive, never crossed my mind” (30). Not only does she not realize that her looks might garner her positive attention, she also doesn’t want this. She explains, “I preferred fading into the background. Life was easier being unnoticed—without the whistles that trailed other women, the comments that made them cover their chest with their purse, the eyes that followed them everywhere” (39).