I expected to be more confused than I was. It was a relief that I could follow along with the story. Rosie somewhat remembers things and her past if she puts effort into it. She plays around with words sometimes intentionally, and sometimes she forgets words, so you have to guess which word she means.
Her friend dies mysteriously, but you don't know if you should trust Rosie that it's murder or natural causes. Her residence is odd, and you begin to trust Rosie that there's something wrong. There is a mystery surrounding Rosie's relationship with her children. They're good children who visit her regularly, but Rosie is sure she wasn't a good mother. It's an enchanting book about understanding your world when you don't remember your past and words elude you.

Thank you Net Galley and Atria Books for the ARC of All the Words we know. I struggled with this book. Although, the topic is difficult and sad,I found the writing was confusing and repetitive. I understand that ageing and Alzheimer’s are both those things, but the presentation was off for me.

For me this book was absolutely wonderful! Not only did it verify the struggles I (and my elderly friends) have with words, but it brought back memories of my grandmothers, both in nursing homes and both with forms of dementia, from almost 50 years ago. I loved Rose and all the people who inhabited her world. For those of you who have never had experience with the elderly and their challenges, this book tells it the way it is. It’s sad without being maudlin, it’s humorous without being silly, it’s very true to life. Kudos to Bruce Nash for the reality, but with a smile. Delightful!

Many, many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Atria Books, for an early reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review. I highly recommend this book and will look for others written by Bruce Nash.

I really struggled with this. The writing style was disjointed, which made it difficult to engage with the story. The premise was interesting, but it fails in the execution. There is minimal character development or depth, and the pace was too slow.

DNF at 44%. I found myself furrowing my brow and cringing more and more as the book went on, and ultimately I just couldn't rationalize subjecting myself to it any further. Whatever a person with dementia may be experiencing, I certainly hope that it is nothing like the pov we are presented with in this book. The language is crass for no reason, and there is strong prejudice/nationalism trying to pass as benign or humorous. I just can't keep hating every minute of reading a book and also care about the mystery it is very slowly trying to build.

Rose suffers from dementia and lives in a nursing facility. When a friend dies after a fall, Rose is convinced it
is due to foul play. Trying to convince her son or daughter that something odd is going on is difficult due to
not being able to explain things clearly. Rose is determined to uncover the truth, no matter what.
Clear portrayal of a person dealing with dementia and the frustrations it brings.
#AlltheWordsWeKnow #AtriaBooks #NetGalley

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. Such a witty, quirky fun read. If you need a reset and want to read a different kind of story, this one is for you.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria for the ARC of this book in exchange for a review!

I really liked the premise of this story. An elderly lady with dementia trying to figure out what the heck is going on in her assisted living facility, if anything, with a cast of characters that she's nicknamed all sorts of funny things... sounds like a winner! And in some ways, it definitely was. Rose, the main character, was a teacher and her witty word play was fun. Her assessment of her adult children and grandchildren was also sharp and I appreciated the way she sometimes intentionally antagonized them just for something to do. But at some points her investigation at the facility was confusing even to me, and I didn't understand how some of the flashbacks added to the story. I sometimes found it hard to want to pick the book back up. I enjoyed Rose and her escapades but I think it went a bit off the rails. I gave it 2.75 stars.

All the Words We Know follows Rose, a woman in her eighties with dementia, who just cannot accept her friend's death after a fall. Certain that there is more to it, Rose is determined to discover the truth. Confused and paranoid, forgetful and pushy, Rose disrupts the staff and worries her children. Is there something going on at the assisted living or is it just a figment of Rose's imagination?

The issue with books that have an unreliable narrator is that they are often hard to read. The addled brain and the resulting ramblings do not come across well in printed form. Though I do like Rose, her story is very difficult to follow. Overall, the ending is projected too well by the author and ends up not being a surprise. I do like Rose, especially her perseverance, but I am not really a fan of the novel itself. For these reasons, I hesitate to recommend All the Words We Know to other readers.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy by NetGalley and the publisher. The choice to read and review this book was entirely my own.

All the Words We Know by Bruce Nash is a poignant and beautifully rendered novel that explores the power of language, memory, and human connection. With lyrical prose and deeply nuanced characters, Nash crafts a story that is both intimate and expansive, drawing readers into a world where words carry the weight of history, love, and loss.

At its core, this novel is a meditation on how language shapes our understanding of ourselves and others. Nash’s storytelling is both evocative and deliberate, weaving together past and present with a quiet elegance that lingers long after the final page. The emotional depth of the narrative is matched by the author’s exquisite attention to detail, creating a reading experience that is both immersive and thought-provoking.

All the Words We Know is a testament to the beauty and complexity of human expression. It is a novel that invites reflection, conversation, and appreciation for the ways in which words define our lives. A truly unforgettable read.

All the Words We Know by Bruce Nash left me feeling somewhat underwhelmed. While the premise holds promise—a tale of language, connection, and the nuances of communication—it ultimately falls flat in execution. The writing style feels disconnected at times, and the character development is shallow, making it hard to invest in their journey. The pacing is slow, and the plot lacks the depth needed to fully engage the reader.

Though there are moments of insight, they are overshadowed by a lack of emotional depth and a tendency to rely on clichés. Unfortunately, this book did not live up to its potential.

Told from Rose’s POV, an assisted living facility resident who investigates her suspicions after her friend dies mysteriously. Rose is both witty and observant, but grappling with memory, family, and sense of self due to dementia. This was an entertaining yet poignant read, and Rose’s wit and sass charmed me from start to finish.

Thanks Net Galley for the free read. My opinions are my own and not a reflection of being given the opportunity to read for free.

I really enjoyed this quirky, funny book. It’s light-hearted in a “Man Called Ove” sort of way. It’s the perfect follow up to a heavy read or just when you need something light and easy to follow. The perspective of the main character in a nursing facility with memory deficits is quite unique and definitely helps you appreciate what our older generations may be experiencing but unable to accurately relay.

TLDR:
I loved this story from beginning to end. The mysteries you uncover as you turn the pages are all very engaging with satisfying conclusions. There is a clear sense of natural progression and discovery that I enjoyed. The story is told through the lens of a dementia patient, which is an incredibly unique perspective, one that has been written very well. The characters are told through said patient’s perspective, which gives them all a layer of complexity. Reading this was truly a beautiful and fun experience. Thank you to Atria Books, NetGalley, and Bruce Nash for providing me with the opportunity to read this as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Plot: ☆☆☆☆☆
The plot follows Rose, an elder in an assisted living facility who has dementia, and who is trying to solve the suspected murder of her best friend. She often forgets details about herself and her past which makes her character a mystery to uncover alongside the murder. I have truly never read anything quite like this book before, and it will stick with me for a long time. Despite her being a bit out of her mind, she is written in a profound way both in her moments of clarity and in her states of deep confusion, which really provides insight and perspective. There is some deciphering to do throughout the book as you navigate how much of the information you’re being given is based on reality. You have to do some mental gymnastics to uncover the reality behind her experience, which I thought was the most immersive and unique part of the book.

Writing Style: ☆☆☆☆
Bruce Nash has a way of drawing you into the main character’s reality in a very immersive way. His writing has a lot of personality and the main character really came alive through that writing. The concept of this book is a bit abstract and I imagine it would be hard to write it well, but he definitely pulls it off with flying colors. The book is a balance of humor, poignancy, and suspense, and the way he tackles each tone leaves nothing more to be desired. I found myself thoroughly invested from start to finish. My only criticism is that, at times, the portrayal of memory loss symptoms got repetitive. I don’t think that is necessarily subtractive though, as I imagine it would be repetitive and redundant at times in a person with dementia’s brain.



World Building: ☆☆☆☆
The story was grounded in the modern day, but that doesn't mean it is lacking in worldbuilding. As someone who has experience working in assisted living facilities, I thought that the portrayal of the setting was very realistic. The author does a wonderful job of showing you Rose’s experience exactly how she experiences it. This means that at times it's abstract and detached from the original concept, but it is still understandable.

Characters: ☆☆☆☆☆
Every character we encounter is through the filter Rose’s illness gives her. This makes for some very interesting characterizations. We do not get to know the characters themselves, only Rose’s interpretations or remembered knowledge about them. As her perspective of them changes, so does how we perceive them as well. Despite this, they are by no means one-dimensional or underdeveloped. It makes for very complicated and engaging characters. I found myself wanting her to have more interactions with them, in order to understand the other characters better.


Overall: ☆☆☆☆☆ (4.5)
This story was incredible. The characters were intriguing, especially Rose. I enjoyed the unique insight and perspective her experiences and thoughts provided on things in my own life. The mysteries in the book were engaging and had satisfying conclusions. I enjoyed the natural progression and discovery as she revealed what was truly going on despite her illness’s discredidation of her. It is a truly unique read, unlike anything I’ve read before.

An elderly woman in a care home alternates between keen observations with punny associations and forgetfulness but suspicious activity keeps her focused on uncovering a variety of secrets in Bruce Nash’s All the Words We Know.
Spending her days roaming the halls of the care facility she calls home, the octogenarian Rose’s mind alternates between forgetting words and forging clever connections between words, sparking memories of things past as well as a sense of things just beyond her mind’s grasp amid a routine of visits from her children and grandchildren. After a fellow resident, her Scrabble-playing friend, is found dead after an apparent fall from a window, Rose becomes fixated on investigating the small, odd details around the facility that stick out in her mind revolving around people disappearing and the role of money, which is reinforced by behaviors of staff members, other residents, and her family. Though she is generally harmless, Rose’s determination and moments of lucidity prove to be valuable in exposing the truth and the secrets kept obscured under the veneer of care, as well as those within her past, intentionally or not.
The wordplay, mental associations, and roving trains of thought, punny or otherwise, navigated are cleverly crafted and entertaining, offering a sense of levity to the heavier, more frightening emotional burden of memory loss and devolution of agency affiliated with dementia. The narrative depicts the vulnerability of elderly, disabled, or otherwise impaired populations and how they may find themselves targets of schemes and scams to defraud them of the very resources meant to care for them in a plot that is presented in a manner that seems a touch outlandish given Rose’s perspective but sadly isn’t far from real situations. There’s a fair amount of repetition within the text as Rose describes her days or details her thoughts, but that would be reasonably expected in depicting the confusion and general state of her mind, which isn’t a static thing but instead a complex entity that varies from moment to moment in what she knows, remembers, and is capable of making sense of within herself and in conveying what she knows and wants to be known to those around her.
Overall, I’d give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I think this one suffers from the "clever construct" problem... It's one I've stumbled upon (and into) several times in the past year or so, and continues to confound me. Writing like a person with dementia (or a young child or a person with a very severe learning disability) may sound like a way to give voice to the unvoiced - but it makes for a very difficult reading experience and eventually starts to feel forced and disingenuous. Even if it's not, and even if it's well-meaning. That is the issue I had here. Nash holds tight to his narrator's voice - and while that stranglehold may be commendable, it makes for a story that halts and stutters and doesn't move forward well as a result. In a movie you may be able to utilize this to some advantage - or possibly even in an audiobook? - but in a print copy, it makes for a very frustrating reading experience. While that may be the point, it wasn't for me.

All the Words We Know is a hilarious whodunit where the narrator is utterly unreliable, but determined to ferret out the truth even if it costs her - but she probably will forget the cost anyhow. This book is full of witty malapropisms that kept me laughing, punny plant humor, and a beguiling inability to stay politically correct.

I’ll be honest, this is one of the most disorienting books I’ve ever read, and while I can kind of piece together what has occurred, I couldn’t confidently say one way or another. I can tell you I had fun with this book, and it definitely made me consider if I’m treating my children today how I would like to be treated as I’m aging and becoming more dependent on their care. This was a fun and thought provoking book; though, it may be an emotionally challenging read if someone close to you has walked through dementia.

I would like to thank Atria Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rose lives in a nursing home and is suffering from dementia. One day, her friend falls from a window and rose sets out to find out the truth. If only she can remember. An interesting read.

The writing style is exceptionally difficult to get through and really overpowers any possibility of enjoying the story.

This was a great read. I highly recommend it. You will fall in love with the characters and the writing style. This is my first book from this author. I will definitely be reading more.