“The Things We Cannot Say” is an utterly lovely novel.

Alina, a young Polish girl, dreams of a life where she and her best friend, Tomasz, will one day be together. But when the Nazis arrived, her hopes and dreams are threatened.

Although the story has more of a romantic air than what I’d normally read, it feels like (historically speaking) that author did her research. I love historical fiction that bounces back and forth in time.

This is a must read for fans of historical fiction!

Thank you so much to Netgalley for this ARC!

I received an ARC of this book from netgalley.com.

This book has gutted me. I read a lot of historical fiction, but the devastation in this book has torn a new hole in my heart. This book shows what love can be between lovers and between family members. The POV goes between a modern mom with a 7 year old on the autism spectrum and her grandmother as a young woman in Poland. One of the best reads of 2019 for sure.

“The Things We Cannot Say” was an absolutely beautiful book. The book masterfully weaves together the story of Alina, Tomasz, and their families during the Nazi Occupation of Poland with Alice, Alina’s great-granddaughter, her family, and their lives in current times. I must say I was initially hesitant to read it, fearing it would be overly depressing in its depiction of the tragedy of World War II. And while the book, to its credit, does not gloss over the horrors of World War II, the story and its characters were infused with a strength and goodness that kept it far from depressing. It was instead filled with hope, tenderness, and determination. You will finish the book astounded at the dignity and courage of those fighting for survival and meaning in the darkest times. You will also be left with the realization that dark times, whatever form they take, do not necessarily destroy the goodness of those struggling through them but rather that goodness and grace may be what ends up shining the brightest on the other side of those dark times. That realization is a gift from the author and one of the many reasons this book is a treasure not to be missed. I was privileged to receive an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the Publisher, Greydon House in exchange for an honest review.

This is an historical romance at its finest. The story centers on Alina Dziak, a young Polish girl, who had to navigate through life during the occupation of her country during WW11. “The Things We Cannot Say” is a heart wrenching, terrifying and enlightening.

The storyline although romantic seemed closed to historical accuracy. It is told in two movements with two narratives in alternating chapters: Alina’s recounts her life and events she lived through during the war and Alice’s, Alina’s grand-daughter, present day voice recounts her day to day life and her trip to Poland to see what became of those cherished by Alina.

Much of this book is based on the romance between Alina and her boyfriend Tomasz. It is a bit mushy but I was in the right mind set for this kind of story so I really loved it. For those who read a lot the war time period will see the events developed long before it was written but Ms. Rimmer gave it her own spin and has provided powerful timelines that smoothly came together to conclude this sad but lovely story. By the end of the book I had my box of tissues near me….

It is a wonderful read, with its awesome twists that came from time to time to keep the tension on, making this book hard to put down. I couldn’t swap the pages fast enough to see where the drama would lead. Indeed I wasn’t disappointed in roller coaster story, so captivated by the level of turmoil in both stories and how that impacted the families that I stayed glues to every word…”The Things We cannot Say” also showcases the lengths one will go for those we love. Ms. Rimmer’s has an undeniable talent to draw believable and captivating players and to place them in roles true to character. Well-done.

Based on 15%: the style of writing is drawn out; there is not much to the storyline as the book begins. It is not an engaging read for me to continue with this book.

Fantastic storyline showing how life was like in Poland during the Nazi occupation. The Nazis were terrible to the Poles and I didn’t know how much so until I read this book and researched after. The author has done an amazing job.

I had to wait a few days after I finished this one to write a review. My feelings were so mixed I wanted to give them time to straighten themselves out and see if they went more towards yay or towards nay. I’m still confused so I’m going to explain why right here. I’ve read so many WW2 related novels, most based on fact or at least somewhat true to what may have happened during that time, so I sometimes feel some writers just rehash overdone storylines or, worse, overlook historical events for the sake of a storyline rather than integrity. When it comes to those aspects Kelly Rimmer was pretty much on track in her novel: the storyline is quite original in terms of where and when it takes place, and she also seems to have stuck very close to historical accuracy. I grew up with my stepfather’s family who were forcibly removed from their homes in Poland in 1940 and sent to Siberian concentration camps before being released and sent off as refugees with no home, and no country to call their own anymore, so a lack of historical accuracy would have made me stop reading the book.

I also liked the narrative style, with the two separate voices: Alina’s voice recounting her life and the events she lived through in Poland after the German invasion, and Alice’s present day voice as she navigates through her own life and then an unexpected trip to Poland. Kelly Rimmer is also a great writer, and she creates a wonderful vision of the little town in Poland, life under occupation, and also Polish farm life.

So why are my feelings so mixed? It was all just too easy, and fell into place so well. Just so predictable and slightly unbelievable too. So much of the story is based on the romance between Alina and her boyfriend Tomasz, that it actually becomes repetitive and slightly boring. Alina is portrayed as a hero when to me she is spoiled and scared of everything. Alice is even worse, I wanted to shake her several times and tell her to get out of her own head for a moment, put down the glass of whatever alcohol she was imbibing and pull herself together. So, as you can probably gather I wasn’t a fan of the characters really... And someone should have addressed the way alcohol is used as a crutch in the novel, because Alice definitely has a problem and no one seems to have an issue with it (or maybe I’m just sensitive to it having been amidst addicts all my life, I don’t know).

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.

If you like romance, WW2 stories, and don’t mind a bit of predictability, you will probably enjoy this novel.

(Side note, as I had to mention this pet peeve of mine that really bothered me in the novel: it’s “dzień dobry” not “jen dobry”. I know that is not a big issue on the grand scale of things, but for accuracy’s sake the correct spelling of the Polish word should really be used.)

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy!

This was historical fiction at its finest! The book centers around Alina Dziak, a 17-year-old Polish girl, navigating through life during the occupation of Poland during WWII. Her love for her childhood sweetheart, Tomasz, endures even with all the separation and suffering at wartime. Fast forward to modern day America, and we are immersed in the life of Alice, Alina's granddaughter, who is dealing with the stresses of being a mother to a son with autism spectrum disorder. As Alina travels to Poland to uncover the secrets of her grandmother's past, I found myself unable to put this book down. The Things We Cannot Say was heart wrenching, terrifying, and enlightening. I absolutely recommend, especially to those who love historical fiction! (less)

This has been my favorite read of the past year! The story was fascinating with an original spin on WWII historical fiction. I couldn't put this book down and had many emotional moments with the characters. Fans of The Nightingale will love this story! I can't wait to read more from Kelly Rimmer.

Thank you Graydon House and NetGalley -this was a beautiful book!

What a truly remarkable and well written book! This is my favorite genre to read but this book had me reading nonstop. I had knots in my stomach the whole time I was reading it. It is a horrific part of history and Kelly Rimmer did a wonderful job telling this story. It even had a few surprises that I had no idea were coming! Definitely worth reading and would recommend. Thank you netgalley for letting me give an honest review of this book.