3.75/5 - This started off so strong but it just became a lot of build up to something completely anticlimactic at the end. However, I still loved the premise and the differences between Bonnie, Alex and Kevin. Really summed up a sibling dynamic well!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I really enjoyed this book and now I want to drive across the country again, although I probably will be more cautious than the siblings were. I love a good road trip or family dynamic novel, and the combination was enticing. I can’t quite relate to no longer knowing your siblings super well, luckily, but I can appreciate wanting to get closer to them and was cheering for that for the Chus throughout the whole book. The flashbacks added suspense and a sense of dread, and even though I wasn’t surprised by the final reveal, I thought it helped keep the pace of the story going really well. I definitely want to read more books by this author!

This is just fine. The present-day road trip is interesting, though it gets in the weeds at times. I wanted to know more about the siblings and their past. I have a younger sibling, so I related to the conflict. The pacing is uneven, and the ending is anticlimactic. I recommend for those who like historical details and family dynamics.

What We Left Unsaid is a heartwarming family story, about a trio of adult Taiwanese-American siblings driving down Route 66 to visit their parents just before their mother undergoes a major surgery. The Grand Canyon is as much a character as the siblings themselves; they'd taken a trip to the Grand Canyon when they were children, but something happened at a sketchy gas station that made their parents turn back before they reached it. Their mother's request that they come visit by car on a route that passes by the Grand Canyon is clearly also a request for healing, not just the strained relationships between the siblings themselves, but the unresolved trauma from whatever happened at that gas station all those years ago.

Li gently peels back the siblings' relationships layer by layer, revealing the sources of the rifts between them as well as the love that keeps going beneath it all. I love how Li pulls back the curtain on the racism and discrimination that Asian-Americans face, from some of the more subtle micro-aggressions that put Bonnie, Kevin, and Alex on their guard, to the flat-out threats that make them and their parents stiffen in fear. Li sets the present-day scenes post-COVID, and so there's a lot of additional layers to the racism here that are uncomfortably familiar and real.

I also like how Li explores how each sibling's role in the family helps shape their respective responses to events: Bonnie as the responsible eldest child and eldest daughter, Kevin and Alex both believing they're the ones their parents see as the screw-up of the family. All these things are shaped by both parental attitudes and societal ones, and I like how their dynamic shifts constantly throughout the story.

Finally, I love the details about the road trip itself. I'm not American and haven't driven down Route 66 myself, so while I've heard of some of the stops, I haven't ever threaded them all together in the same way an American reader may. I enjoyed learning about the various stops, their characters, and their histories. But more importantly, I love thinking about Asian Americans who'll read this, and feel connected to their country's history through the Chu family's unique lens.

+

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada for an e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

2,5 stars

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Winnie M. Li’s What We Left Unsaid, as she’s better known for her thrillers, a genre that I usually stay away from. But I never foresaw a book that would feel like one massive trauma-infused 'All-American' road trip. That’s not to say there wasn’t value in the stories of Bonnie, Alex, and even Kevin. It’s just that the three of them go through a lot, both in the present day and in the past, that they’re still trying to process as adults. The pacing is also rather slow, as for most of the novel, What We Left Unsaid is a very introspective book, though things surprisingly pick up as they near the end of their trip. However, if you’re a child of immigrants, then you’ll find something in this book that resonates with you. Personally, I found the sibling dynamics to be authentic, and as the eldest daughter, I could relate to many of Bonnie’s thought processes. And over time, I found myself warming up to Alex. While I initially viewed her as a bit self-righteous, learning about her history helped me understand her better. I particularly admire how she showcases her badass side towards the end, reminding us that the youngest sibling is not to be underestimated. While it’s understandable why each of the siblings turned out the way they did, as they all reacted differently to the built-up trauma, I still couldn’t bring myself to care about Kevin in the end. In the end the Chu siblings’ journey felt somewhat inconclusive and anticlimactic. Yet, similar to how real life can be sometimes, What We Left Unsaid left me a bit unsatisfied upon its completion.

Had the potential to be a good family drama. I love cultural pieces and inclusion of cultural details, but in this novel those details overshadowed the actual story. The reading became tedious and D R A G G E D.
I really wanted to like this, and I did in the beginning....
I received an ARC from netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Interesting story! Enjoyed all the facts about the famous Route66. Good storyline involving three siblings each coping with their own life challenge, when maybe it is their mother who is trying to heal from a traumatic event from years ago.

What a beautiful story. Families aren’t perfect; they all have their conflicts, and that’s precisely what makes them so real. I loved the characters and how the author narrated and carried the story. The way it was written completely immerses you in the experiences of these three siblings on their journey back home. Three siblings with distinct personalities and three different ways of seeing life. Without a doubt, it’s a story I’ll remember for a long time.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

3.5 stars

This story follows three estranged siblings, Bonnie Alex & Kevin. They learn that their mother in California is sick and would like to see them all together. At their mother's request, the siblings get together and road trip across the US to visit the Grand Canyon to complete a vacation gone bad back in the 90's.

The first bit I was really invested in the story, but as I got further along, I just found myself skimming because there was just so much filler and detail that I found unnecessary. The ending was a little rushed, I wish we got to know the family more.

However, it was still a good story, and I did enjoy this one.

I like this book in concept, but not in execution. What We Left Unsaid tackles a lot of issues - politics, gun rights, racism, historical segregation and alienation, colonialism, exclusion laws, misogyny. All of these issues are handled with care and healthy discussion and I did learn a lot from this book.

That being said, I came here for a fictional story about the complexity of these three siblings who grew up together but became estranged over time. While we do dig into some of their issues, I felt like a lot of this book was trying to check every box on the trauma and politics list and it became tiring. I slowly started zoning out for whole sections and caring less about the characters because every moment was a learning opportunity of sorts. I wanted more emotion, reconciliation, more history of their childhood together (beyond the famed trip), as well as more detail into the family and the generational effects of trauma.

In the end, I didn't even really get a full answer to the original question, which is fine, but because I didn't get it I wanted something else. Instead, it kind of just peters out into the final end of the story, which felt anti-climatic.

All in all, this book does an amazing job touching on the history of America and the otherness and strangeness felt by Chinese Americans in a land that doesn't include them in their history classes. However, I don't think it fully delivered on the story the synopsis sets out for us, and that is where the story falls short.

TW: lesbophobia, misogyny, classism, racism, micro-aggressions, guns, assault; mentions miscarriage, colonialism

Plot: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
World Building: 4.5/5
Writing: 4/5
Pacing: 3/5
Overall: 3/5

eARC gifted via NetGalley by Atria Books in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, Atria Books, for providing a copy of What We Left Unsaid by Winnie M Li. I loved how the siblings learned about each others’ strengths and weaknesses and were able to recognize their own. The flashbacks about the original family trip to The Grand Canyon chopped up the story and although it gave more insight into the siblings, it didn’t have the emotional impact I expected. Even though at times the story was scattered and lost its focus, it was still a good read. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

What We Left Unsaid follows three adult siblings who, at their ailing mother’s request, take a road trip to the Grand Canyon on their way back home to visit her — a trip they were supposed to take as a family when they were kids but that was abruptly cancelled without explanation. The story shifts between their perspectives and slowly unpacks a long-buried event from their shared past.

Many of the family dynamics resonated with me since, similar to the characters, I am Asian American, close to their age, and part of a girl-boy-girl sibling trio.

The emotional arc lands well by the end — things come together neatly and in a way that feels satisfying and true. That said, I struggled a bit with the writing style. It felt a little heavy-handed at times, with more telling than showing. The flashbacks dragged a bit for me. The setting also felt a little off in terms of timing: it’s post-COVID, but the characters are still using standalone GPS units and relying on the radio, even though they presumably have smartphones and access to streaming — not a deal breaker, just a bit distracting.

However, the story had some genuine surprises, and by the final chapters, the emotions felt earned. Disconnected siblings and frustrating parent dynamics aren’t uncommon, but the added cultural nuance offers a fresh perspective that many readers may connect with in different ways. Overall, a thoughtful read that anyone interested in complex family relationships—and fresh perspectives—will appreciate.

Thank you to Atria Books for providing this ARC via NetGalley for an honest review.

This was a very emotional read, loved it so much. So many topic and my heart was heavy after it. a must to your TBR

Estranged siblings take a road trip across the country to the Grand Canyon and to Ca to visit their mother who has had a stroke. This book is an exploration of their relationships with each other and their life choices. It is also a look at a traumatic repressed memory of a childhood road trip. Issues of racism, classism, homophobia, Asian immigrant children's experience and healing.

This is a beautiful story about identity and the security of knowing that regardless of circumstances or disagreements, you have a family that loves and supports you.

Thank you to Atria Books via NetGalley for the ARC.

What We Left Unsaid was quite a lovely book, but I admittedly have mixed feelings.

We start with the Chu siblings’ mom having a stroke and her request for them to come visit her after they make a trip to the Grand Canyon. She wants them to finish the trip they attempted in 1991.

It is important to note that the parents are immigrants from Taiwan, but the children were born in America. This does come up time and time again, as it does inform the story. The siblings are Bonnie, the oldest and responsible one. Married to a generational man. Kevin, the son, also well off in his own right. Since he is the son, there is a higher view of him. And Alex, the youngest, the free spirit.

Throughout the sibling’s journey to the Grand Canyon, you see how much of their relationship is fractured. You also see how they fall into their roles. Bonnie trying to make peace, and Kevin and Alex going back and forth sniping at each other.

What this book does well:
1. The sibling bickering. That was so realistic! It took me back to fighting with mine.
2. The sibling arguments (different from a bicker). The blame and resentment has built up, and that was an incredibly visual argument that puts you in the moment. You are in their shoes.
3. Accurate societal and familial expectations. We know what it’s like to have certain expectations put on us, and we know the impact and pressure it creates. We see it play out on their journey.
4. The message of belonging vs an outsider. Can you belong even if you were born there? What does belonging even mean? Do their parents feel like they belong? How do you make space for yourself and say I’m here and belong?

What this book doesn’t do well:
1. The amount of messaging. I need this to be said: There are so many important messages in this book. It talks about racism, misogyny, homophobia, immigration, politics, and sexual assault. I agree with these very important messages. HOWEVER, there are so many messages that I wonder if it was doing too much?
2. The ending. The book had a very strong and tight narrative in the beginning, that the ending sort of fell flat. It didn’t have the same strong narrative, and it was too neat of an ending that it was almost unbelievable for me.

A solid 3.75 stars, and I would recommend as I did enjoy the story

This was a rich and engaging novel. It tells the story of three somewhat estranged Taiwanese siblings taking a road trip on Route 66 at the behest of their cancer-stricken, presumably dying mother. The chapters move between the present day and 1991, when their parents took them on a road trip to the Grand Canyon--a trip that was ultimately aborted for reasons that remain hazy in the siblings' minds today. As we gradually come to see, the siblings were all impacted in varied ways by that aborted trip. I found the characters interesting, even though they could be a bit annoying at times. There was a fair bit of sibling bickering along the road trip, which may not be to everyone's taste but was believable to me. Some of the plot twists were a bit outside the realm of believability, but not so much that they compromised my positive assessment of the novel.

We all should take a trip like this! Families are ALL in need of this book. I'd love to be able to travel with sibs, j: ust to understand everyone different views. perception is a wonderful thing!

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A trio of siblings go on a road trip to visit their mother after she suffered a stroke. The trip helps them deal with emotional trauma they suffered during a brutal incident during their childhood.

Absolutely excellent read the author has a lyrical voice that drew me in.The characters come alive I hares to put the book down.This is a five star read for me. #netgalley#atriabooks