The Things We Cannot Say

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.

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.

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.