The Secret Victory

"The Secret Victory" by Stephen McKenna is the story of Eric Lane, a famous playwright coming home to England after being away for a very long time, where he has to face difficult situations in his life and with his work. The story seems to be about finding yourself, how complicated relationships can be, and how war changes a person's mind. At the start, Eric is in New York after the war, trying to deal with being successful while also feeling sad inside because of things that happened in the past, especially with Lady Barbara Neave. When he finds out his father is sick, Eric doesn't want to, but he goes back to England, where he has to deal with the high society he tried to avoid. Everyone there loves and criticizes his plays very closely. As he tries to fit back into society, he realizes he's not happy, and the past keeps coming back to him, like his unresolved feelings for Barbara who is now married. This sets the scene for his journey to grow as a person, deal with what people expect of him, and find real connections in a world that has changed.