The Things We Cannot Say: A WWII Historical Fiction Novel

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The story is told in a dual timeline, something very trendy apparently nowadays in WWII books. One during the war in Poland and the other in the present day. And obviously, the two timelines will connect. Like any mother, she’s doing the best she can for her child. Add in a child with special needs, a daughter who has a mind of her own, a husband busy with work, a demanding mother & an ill Grandmother. Alice is at max capacity. Sharing Alice’s reality of mothering a child with special needs is another place Kelly Rimmer shines. Seamlessly, Rimmer is able to write about Alice’s undying love for Eddie & in conjunction shows the harsh realities day to day life often offers for those of us who love a child with ASD. Then & Now As for the audiobook, I had a (minor?) issue with it. I am not sure if affected my enjoyment a lot but it's still worth mentioning. So we have a narrator for Alina and another for Kelly. From the author of Truths I Never Told You, Before I Let You Go , and the The Warsaw Orphan, Kelly Rimmer’s powerful WWII novel follows a woman’s urgent search for answers to a family mystery that uncovers truths about herself that she never expected.

Book Review: The Things We Cannot Say - Literary Quicksand Book Review: The Things We Cannot Say - Literary Quicksand

At the end of the book there is a list of discussion questions. The last question asks what will you remember most about this book. I will remember how important it is that we don’t forget what happened. I will remember this very beautiful love story, the goodness of people reflected by characters like Tomasz. The story is told in two timelines, both equally compelling. It is 2019 when Alice's Polish grandmother suffers a stroke and has little time to live. Unable to speak, she desperately conveys the urge to seek out Tomasz in Poland. But Tomasz was Alice's grandfather, who died last year. Is Grandma suffering from a memory lapse or is she hiding a bigger secret? So, all in all, there were many things about the story that irritated me, some things I liked, but I still stayed up reading it way past my bed time, because I did want to see what happened in the end, even though I kind of predicted it. I think this novel will appeal to a lot of people, I just needed something a little meatier, a little less romance, and a little more depth for myself.

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It has been almost a year since The Things We Cannot Say came out yet life has made it impossible for me to read it before now. So many friends recommended it and they were not wrong. It's a beautiful devastating story. One that will be impossible to forget. In Poland, separated from her family, Alice begins to uncover the story her grandmother is so desperate to tell, and discovers a love that bloomed in the winter of 1942. As a painful family history comes to light, will the struggles of the past and present finally reach a heartbreaking resolution? Alina is the youngest daughter of the Dziak family. Truda her oldest sister is married to Mateusz. Alina's twin brothers, Filipe and Stanislaw help her father, Bartuk, and her mother, Faustina with farming. Alina, being the youngest, gets away with doing less work and uses any free time she has to spend it with Tomasz, her true love. The second timeline features Alice, in modern times, and the mother of a child with autism. She also cares for her aging Babcia to whom she is very close. Babcia has secrets, and after having a stroke, she wants to talk and make requests at a time when she it’s not easy for her. The plot was interesting, but a little slow at times. Also, the progression sometimes felt forced and not organic. But the slowness and the rough parts were small and did not detract from my enjoyment of the book. Thankfully there were not too many coincidences . . . coincidences have tainted other books like this for me before.

The Things We Cannot Say [Book Review] - Reading Ladies The Things We Cannot Say [Book Review] - Reading Ladies

This captivating tale was my introduction to the breathtaking storytelling of Kelly Rimmer, and it was an exceptional and epic experience. I was immediately embroiled in the vastly different situations and timelines that consumed and defined Alice and Alina’s worlds, with each storyline cast with curiously and uniquely fascinating characters and circumstances. Although I enjoyed this book, it feels a little too long for my taste. Also, Grandmother never had two weeks to go on vacation to Poland to get some answers for herself? I find this very hard to believe. This beautifully crafted story weaves together the present and the past seamlessly with threads of heartbreak, sacrifice, and love! At the beginning of the book, there are several secrets that the readers are trying to discover. At some point, I figured out the big reveals. The big reveal is then explained by Alina. Then, Alice’s section also repeats the big reveal. Needless to say, there is a bit too much repetition and over explanation.

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Life has a way of shattering our expectations, of leaving our hopes in pieces without explanation. But when there’s love in a family, the fragments left behind from our shattered dreams can always be pulled together again, even if the end result is a mosaic. Don't miss Kelly Rimmer's next novel, The Paris Agent, where a family's innocent search for answers brings a long-forgotten, twenty-five-year-old mystery to light—coming July 2023! The story of Alina and Tomasz, tore my heart in two, the horror of the Holocaust being a reality, a simple life becoming an unrelenting, constant bombardment of brutality and death. And it is through Alice that we find out the secrets that Hannah has hidden from her family. Secrets that she and her husband Saul could never bring themselves to reveal about their days in Poland, during the Holocaust. In 1942, Europe remains in the relentless grip of war. Just beyond the tents of the refugee camp she calls home, a young woman speaks her wedding vows. It's a decision that will alter her destiny...and it's a lie that will remain buried until the next century.

The Things We Cannot Say: A WWII Historical Fiction Novel The Things We Cannot Say: A WWII Historical Fiction Novel

I’m not sure I can put into words how much I love Kelly Rimmer’s T he Things We Cannot Say. I will do my best. What’s That Book I Keep Hearing About?

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The tears that I cried as I read the climax of this story would probably rival the Niagara. Although Kelly Rimmer is an established author, this was my first experience with her storytelling and now I am hungry to read more. I felt that the author's note was deeply fascinating and the fact that it is inspired by some of Rimmer's own family history makes this book so memorable. Meanwhile, Kelly's narrator read at a much faster pace and her voice was fresh and full of life. I have to admit that made me look to her parts more than Alina's. From the author of Truths I Never Told You, Before I Let You Go , and the The Warsaw Orphan, Kelly Rimmer's powerful WWII novel follows a woman's urgent search for answers to a family mystery that uncovers truths about herself that she never expected. I am Really Into This book! Yes, The Things We Cannot Say is a beautiful historical fiction novel. For me, it’s more than that. Kelly Rimmer writes a deeply meaningful novel about time, acceptance, understanding & the deeper meaning of unconditional love.

The Things We Cannot Say: A WWII Historical Fiction Novel

In the present day, eighty five year old Hannah is dying. She's having strokes, is in the hospital, and will probably never leave alive. Despite the fact that she can't communicate verbally, she has something she wants her granddaughter, Alice, to do for her. Alice, who is in a daily struggle to meet the needs of her son Eddie, seven years old, nonverbal, and on the autism spectrum. Eddie's means of communication becomes a way for Hannah to communicate her wishes with Alice and soon, Alice knows that Hannah has something very important for her to do. Extremely engaging!!!!!EASY - ADDICTING LISTENING...the type of story that involves readers so personally - the book never needs to end. I especially loved the historical part... but the modern part becomes equally moving the closer we get to the end. Fans of The Nightingale and Lilac Girls will adore The Things We Cannot Say ." —Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author

As farmers, Alina and her family live a hard yet comfortable life until the invasion. When the Nazis invade, everything changes drastically. Our two heroines Alice, Alina are coming from different generations. Alina is young, good hearted and always protected by her family. During the struggling war times, she loses her loved ones and her family comfort zone which pushes her take braver decisions for her life. The love she has for Tomazs help her gather her strength, fight for all the obstacles by taking dangerous risks.