Things We Didn't Say

I really enjoyed this epistolary WWII novel about a WWII POW camp that was being built in Ironside Lake, MN, former home of Johanna Bergland, a student of linguistics at the University of Minnesota. Johanna had a full-ride scholarship to the college and was looking forward to graduating and moving to London to be a translator of books. The US Army wanted her to be the translator at Camp Ironside for the German POWs. Johanna was offered the job which she rejected a couple of times until her full-ride scholarship was mysteriously revoked. The pay was very good so she finally decides to leave college for a year and take the job. The town was very hostile about having a POW camp there and they are not very welcoming to Johanna. As Johanna begins working with the prisoners, she starts to see them in a more sympathetic light which causes her to wonder who she can trust and who she can't.

Thank you NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers for the ARC of this fantastic page turner in exchange for an honest review.

This fabulous book is a must read for fans of the “Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.” It’s about small town life in Minnesota during World War II told entirely in letter correspondence. Johanna Berglund is our heroine and is being forced to leave university life behind and return home to live with her parents. Her scholarship was cancelled so that she would agree to work as an army translator at the German POW camp that is opening up not far away. Johanna is sarcastic and witty and her directness definitely rubs her neighbors the wrong way. At the beginning of the story, you also realize that she’s going to eventually be on trial for treason. The reader spends the rest of the novel trying to figure out why.

This was definitely a page-turner and also sheds some light on some of the little known aspects of war-time American life. There were German POW camps across the United States and Japanese-American translators embedded with army units fighting in the Pacific theater while their parents were incarcerated in Japanese internment camps. This book delves into the history of both.

Oh what a beautiful story told in the epistolary (letter writing) style of historical fiction. Things We Didn't Say made me laugh, cry and gave me all the feels.

Set during WWII, the story follows Jo (Johanna) a translator sent to work in the POW camp built in her hometown. Reluctant at first, she soon begins to see humanity in places many people could not during the war; in the faces of "enemies." But how can she know who or what to trust as her emotions guide her near unknown "enemy" lines?

As the story unfolds we get a glimpse of what life was like for the Americans and prisoners inside these camps. What I loved was the story of the war was told from many different points of views in the letters throughout the book, We were able to get a glimpse into the lives of Americans who served in the POW Camps, and the Germans who lived there, a story not often told in fiction.

This story had intrigue, mystery, romance and history but in my opinion, one of the most successful parts of Things We Didn't Say was the layers of faith and God's role in wartime that lead our characters as they questioned what an enemy truly is. When I read letters that spoke of kindness and hearing God in the silences, I had the I-just-read-something-powerful kind of chills that are still lingering as I write this review now.

Great book, I highly recommend it, especially for historical fiction fans!

Travel back in time to 1944. Ironside Lake, Minnesota has been chosen as a German POW campsite. During the day, the POWs will be day laborers on local farms. Jo Berglund has been hired as the translator for the camp-she'll translate letters and notices from German to English and vice versa. When a scandal erupts, the town will be forced to confront issues of prejudice, loyalty and faith.
I really enjoyed the epistolary format, Green was able to capture the individual voices of Jo, Peter, the town residents and the soldiers. I really liked Jo-she's intelligent, has strong opinions and has some awkward social interactions. I would love to return to Ironside Lake and catch up with Jo and Peter. Things We Didn't Say deals with themes of faith, segregation and love. Readers who enjoy historical fiction will want to read Things We Didn't Say.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion. All opinions are my own.

What an amazing debut novel!
I've not read very many epistolary novels, and find the quality in this book simply outstanding.
It did remind a bit of "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society", but perhaps only because that's the only other book I've read in recent times of a similar style.
Johanna Bergland is strong, smart, and determined, and is just an all-around wonderful heroine.
She gets derailed from her plans to attend college because of the war.
Her scholarship is removed, and she is forced to take a position as secretary at a POW camp close to her hometown of Lake Ironside.
The story is written with humor, funny little quirks, very realistic characters, and gives a look at a place and time during the war that is not often talked about. The descriptive details brought this scene to life, and I could almost watch it play out in front of my eyes.
This is a story that will linger in the corners of my mind for a long time.
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

The story starts with treason. Johanna Berglund, an opinionated language genius happily enjoys her life at the university studying dead languages. After all, dead languages seem much less confusing than living, breathing people. But when the army decides to build a prisoner-of-war camp for Germans in her tiny Minnesota town, Johanna’s life changes. Whether she wants it to or not.

Everyone pressures her to return home and take up the job of translator and censor for the new POW camp, but Johanna has no desire to return home again. Ever. No matter what anyone says. She has her heart set on studying in Oxford, England when she finishes her undergraduate studies, and taking a semester out to meet everyone’s expectations doesn’t seem right, or fair.

And she especially doesn’t want to return to a place where she feels her reception will equal that of the POW’s. How does a patriotic, yet reluctant recruit end up accused of treason in the middle of Minnesota—far from the horrors of World War II?

There’s only one way to find out—reading stacks of letters.

Why I Loved This Book

Not since Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead have I read an epistolary novel that has moved me to tears. In today’s world of emails, text messages, and instant messaging, we forget the quiet satisfaction of letters mixed on paper and baked in the postal system. Letters that reveal our true selves—not only to the recipient but to the sender as well.

The collection of correspondence from and to Johanna reveals not only her heart but the heart of her community. Like Atticus Finch, Johanna gets saddled with doing the job no one wants. As she struggles to find commonality with the POWs, the community reveals its prejudice, bigotry, and hate in ways that stun and surprise.

Things We Didn't Say is a delightful read. The entire novel is written in the form of letters between a smart and opinionated young woman, Johanna Berglund, and her many correspondents. Johanna is happily studying linguistics when her college studies are interrupted because she is needed as a translator for a newly established German POW camp in her Minnesota hometown. When Johanna is accused of treason, she produces all of her correspondence to show that this accusation is absolutely unfounded. Readers who enjoyed The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society will want to check out this entertaining epistle.

I loved this book, the entire book is built on letters, becoming a lost art, and we get an indebth look at the life of Johanna Berglund. Johanna is a brilliant woman, and is fluent in languages, so she is persuaded to come home to her own town in MN and translate for the new internment facility being built there for German prisoners.
The time period is WWII and emotions and loss are high, patriotism, and now a camp is coming into their back yard.
Johanna's life is laid open here, along with her friends, mainly Peter, and your concern for him will certainly go up!
A don't miss book that gives a personal look into this period of time in our countries history!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Bethany House, and was not required to give a positive review.

To be honest, epistolary novels make me nervous. Not only is it a challenging genre to write well but my mind struggles to get past the thought, “But…there’s no narrative.” As though that’s the be-all and end-all of a good story! But as Peter says in one of his letters to Jo: “Our feelings can lie sometimes. It’s up to us to shout truth back at them whenever we can. That’s what I want you to do right now.”

So this is for you, Peter: YOU DON’T NEED NARRATIVE TO TELL A BRILLIANT STORY.

In other words, my nerves were for nothing. From the very beginning, I was enamoured with Johanna’s voice—her intelligence, her frankness, her dry wit—and I was intrigued to discover the how and why of her story. In some ways, reading this was a little like being a historical detective, piecing together a story from archival documents such as letters, newspaper clippings and so on, except that someone had taken the time to put them in order for me. And the personalities and events could not have been more vivid had there been a Dickens-worth of narrative!

The story that unfolds is a thought-provoking exploration of what it means to love your enemy, to have your perceptions and hopes challenged, and to live in community—flaws and all. And I have a feeling it’s the kind of story that will only become richer with each rereading.

When one thinks of World War II, most often you think of Europe or the Pacific theatre. One rarely thinks about the POW camps that were right here in the United States. Things We Didn't Say, a debut novel by Amy Lynn Green published by Bethany House, focuses on just such a POW camp set in Minnesota.

Green uses a series of letters written between the various characters to tell the story. This unique device serves the two-fold purpose of both moving the story forward and also creates the body of "evidence" when lead character Johanna Berglund is accused of treason. The bulk of the letters are between Johanna, who serves as a translator at a German POW camp in her hometown, and Peter Ito, a Japanese-American who is teaching Japanese to future intelligence officers. Johanna, whom one might describe as "too big for her britches," is frustrated at being back in her home town rather than at the university. Her frustration at being in her small town combined with treating the German POWs as human beings creates conflict between Johanna and others in her town. However, her true test is still to come. The last few chapters of the novel were quite tense as you wonder what will happen and if Johanna will be found guilty or not.

While published by a Christian publishing house, I found that Things We Didn't Say does not contain several of the hallmarks of Christian novels. Prayer is mentioned frequently, but given calls for prayer during war time and the time period that was not unusual. The events in the story do cause Johanna to re-embrace her childhood faith towards the end of the story but not in an overt manner. As such, this book could gain a larger audience than it might otherwise. Overall, I enjoyed the book and found it well-researched. Others who enjoy historical fiction will enjoy it as well.

I received a complementary copy of Things We Didn't Say via NetGalley from Bethany House. I'm not required to give a positive opinion.

Things we Didn’t Say is Amy Lynn Green’s debut WWII novel set in the fictional town of Ironside Lake , Minnesota in 1944. Johanna is attending the University of Minnesota (U of M) on a full scholarship and has big plans for her future. While at the U of M, she meets Peter, a language instructor for military officers. She is forced to go back to Ironside Lake when she is pressured to be a translator at the camp for German POWs. Now their relationship is filled with letters that pass back and forth between the two.
This is an interesting book to read. The letters tell a nice story of two people forming a deeper relationship while separated. This story shows what it may have been like to be living during that time in the POW situation as well as what it may have been like for the loved ones at home. I enjoyed how the story portrayed Johanna as a caring person who treated the prisoners as human beings, treating them with respect and fighting for their rights. I also like the humor and need for faith in the story.
I received an ebook copy of this book from Bethany House publishers through NetGalley. This is my honest review.

Let me start this review by saying that this book written entirely in letters, newspaper articles, written interviews, and transcripts of conversations. The reader does not have any interaction with the characters except through what they write, if and when they write. Or, you may experience someone’s opinion of them if they wrote it down.

On some levels, the format made the Things We Didn’t Say difficult to read. It felt as if I was jumping from one person’s head to another and it was a bit hard to keep up with who was saying what. It was also a bit disorienting because the minute I got into the character’s voice I was in some other person’s head.

But then, I began to feel a real admiration for this new-to-me author. It takes a lot of skill to create a mishmash of literary pieces written in different voices from different viewpoints and have each voice remain distinct. I would still have enjoyed being in the middle of the action instead of being told about it after the fact in a letter it or newspaper article but I imagine this is how Charles Donohue Jr. felt ( no, I’m not going to tell you who that is. If you wanna know, go read the book).

After a while, some of the characters became real to me and I could identify their voice even without seeing the tags identifying the letter writer.

Things We Didn’t Say is a commentary on humanity–we can allow our fears to either drive us to take risks to better the world we live in or cause is to lash out in hate at each other. It’s a reminder that we can choose to treat even those we perceive as enemies as neighbors and see their humanity even when they have done inhumane things.

It’s a reminder that God is with us in the silence and He will make a way when there seems to be no way.

I received an advanced reader's copy from the publishers through NetGalley; a positive review was not required.

My anticipation of this book was on a bit of a roller coaster, first giddy excitement at the thought of a epistolary novel set during WWII, my absolute favorite time period, then fear that it wouldn’t be as good as I hoped especially since it was a debut, then back to excitement because it just HAD to be good! And thankfully it more than exceeded my expectations and I absolutely loved it!
Amy Green provides a unique and fresh new voice in the Christian Fiction world and I was captivated from the very start! It amazed me how she managed to make me fall in love with characters simply through letters. Jo was fiery and spunky and I absolutely loved her no holds barred approach, her unsent letters with her snarky replies were some of my favorites to read. Peter was the perfect quiet hero, the calm and thoughtful way he approached everything was just the balance Jo needed and I loved that she trusted him enough to let him speak into her situations.
The prison camp was such a fascinating setting and I truly admired the way the author, through Jo, spotlighted their humanity even though they were the enemy. Too often we write people off because they’re on the other side without stopping to consider how they are just like us in so many ways.
This story had me on the edge of my seat and made me quite frustrated with the craziness of life that kept interrupting my reading! If you try one new author this year, let it be this one, you won’t be disappointed! I definitely wasn’t and I’m anxiously awaiting what the author has in store for us next!

Brilliant format.
The whole book is told in the format of letters written. Set after the war with both Germany and Japan. A brilliant yet snotty young girl Jo is in college, finally escaping her small home town, when during the war she is pretty much forced to return home and act as an interpreter at a POW camp. Her best friend is a Japanese American guy who is a teacher of language for interred young men preparing to go overseas. The story opens with Jo being charged with treason. She fought going back home and putting her dreams on hold but her scholarship sponsor forces the issue.
It was uncomfortable at first reading a story in this format, but it didn't take long to find it brilliant. There is so much you learn about each of the people in the letters and you can read between the lines. Friends from collage, friends from home, German prisoners, people from the small community. All weave the story. Expertly. With family of German heritage I always wondered how they felt as Americans here during the war, what it was like with German POW camps nearby, how they were treated in this small town. This story gives you a possible glimpse. A sleepy small town becomes full of hostility, examples of the humanity of the prisoners soften the opinions of many. Hard to put down!
#ThingsWeDidntSay #NetGalley
I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I love Johanna. Passionate, compassionate and a little bit of a spitfire. Reading the letters felt like reading someone's heart. Very enjoyable a nd Unputdownable!

When a story begins with an accusation of treason, it is certain that drama will ensue. Amy Lynn Green's quiet build-up of character identities, romance, and the power of language is a testament to her skill and patience as an author. Despite knowing where the story was going, nothing was revealed too quickly, and the hints and seeds planted throughout developed the story beautifully.

This epistolary novel follows Jo(hanna) Berglund, a prodigious linguistics student at the University of Minnesota, who is recruited by the US Army to interrupt her studies and return to her tiny hometown of Ironside, MN to serve as the translator and censor at a German prisoner-of-war camp. Spunky, spirited, and (mostly) self-confident, Jo reluctantly agrees to take the post. Through letters to her university friends Peter and Olive, and the occasional fiery exchange with the editor of the local paper, Jo wrestles with her faith, her patriotism, and her relationships.

Green's writing is fantastic, and she inhabits the different voices of her characters so effectively. As acknowledged in her Author's Note, it doesn't matter at all that I can't picture the characters because I fell in love with them anyway! The politics and prejudices of 1944 are depicted in such an honest and interesting way, and I learned so much about German POW camps, the experience of Japanese-American soldiers, and lovers of language during this period of American history (which is so special for a novel in the highly saturated WWII fiction genre).

My only critique is that the jump backwards in time at the beginning of the novel paired with the epistolary style made it a bit difficult to get my bearings at first. Several characters were introduced in the first few letters and documents, and it took me a little longer than I would have preferred to figure out who everyone was and how they all connected. That said, it is absolutely worth pushing through a little bit of confusion (likely easier to do in a physical copy to flip back and forth between pages) because the rest of the novel is truly engrossing.

This novel helped me get out of the reading slump I'd found myself for a few weeks, uncharacteristically avoiding fiction.

Things We Didn't Say is written in epistolary form, my favourite style, and it focuses on a year in Johanna Berglund's life, a linguist student turned US army translator. I liked the unknown (to me) perspective on World War II. It's always interesting to look at that time period from a different angle. I don't think I've read a WWII novel set in US before.

There is a lot of depth in this apparently easy to read novel. I admit this was my reasoning going in: something light to make me want to read fiction. I liked how different mysteries were hinted at and scattered thoughout the novel, but it was done without it being overbearing or just for the sake of creating something to keep the reader interested. The characters have depth and personality, so the novel was full of relatable moments for me. Getting to distinguish a character's voice solely through letters is not something easily achieved, but the author did it.

It was also fascinating to learn about the US Prisoner of War camps in the Midwest and the attitude the locals had towards these prisoners. I found the topic of the other, the foreigner, the one of a different race very relevant to the history of US, and especially relevant these days. However, it is applicable to anyone, not just Americans. The struggle with one's faith and how we can accept God's plan was another theme the novel dealt with.

There is a delicately presented love story unfolding, but I especially appreciated it not being the focal point. It was cheeky how the angle of the false romance was added in. Since romance is not the main point of the novel at all, it made the novel even better for me. What it focused on were the relationships in a small community, the power of the written word, the value prayers have for the one who prays, the importance of holding strong to what you believe in, and the willingness to give up something good for something even better. Funny how a story of the mid -1940s has echo in the 2020s.

It's the sort of novel you speed through towards the end because you want to learn how it all ties together, but at the same time you don't want it to end. I enjoyed reading Things We Didn't Say a lot and I look forward to reading more from Amy Lynn Green, an original voice on the Christian Historical Fiction scene.

The subject of POV camps built in the United States during WWII is seldom discussed. It's a time in history that few want to investigate deeply. But the presence of enemy soldiers on American soil was sure to draw a strong response from the local residents and those Americans employed in the camps were not exempt from that response.

This story is told through the letters written to and from the POWs and their keepers. It is a style that requires skillful writing and well thought out reader's reactions. Amy Lynn Green has done a masterful job of telling Jo's story utilizing only these letters.

Johanna Berglund has been coerced by fate and the US Army into accepting a translator position at the German POW camp located near her hometown. Jo was never on good terms with her neighbors, she saw no reason to keep her opinions to herself. So when she returns, her homecoming is not a warm, welcome one. As she carries out her duties, Jo learns to see the prisoners as people, they have families and emotions that evoke a strong reaction to some of the directions she is ordered to complete. The story as it unwinds will paint a picture of a young woman with a conscience that will lead her to speak out and ultimately find her charged with treason. I ran the full gamut of emotions with her from sorrow to anger and back again. This is definitely a story that should be read and shared.

This is a fascinating book. The story is told by a series of letters written during WWII. Most of the tale concerns a POW farm labor camp in Minnesota and the translator who worked there. I also live in an area where POWs lived and worked. Post-war, many stayed to become American citizens because in the USA they could own land and be their own boss. The story is entirely believable and well-written I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

Love the history that this book has to offer. What a wonderful read for those that love books dealing with WW II. The story offers a glimpse in to what Americans dealt with in POW camps and the Germans who worked in them. The main character Jo (Johanna) has a fun, snarky, and sarcastic personality that makes the book even more enjoyable.
It’s a story about history sprinkled with intrigue and romance. Loved the use of letters in the writing of this book. It brought a new dimension to the telling of the story and a way for Jo to prove she had not committed treason.

The way this book is written is quite hard to get into at the beginning. But actually makes for a wonderfully different approach to a historical novel. It was encouraging to me to stand for what I believe in and to remember the dreams, even those that change. God is often in the changes and is always guiding each of us. Such a good reminder.

A very interesting story based on events in a German POW camp in Minnesota during WWII. Young Johanna Berglund begrudgingly comes home from the university to become an interpreter for the prisoners. Entirely created by letters written by Johanna and others, this book gives readers an interesting look at this little known piece of history. Johanna is a fascinating character with quite the wit. I know many readers will find this story enjoyable. I found it harder to read being all letters.

Johanna Berglund in going to the university in Minnesota during WWII when she is forced to leave the university and return home to her small town in Minnesota and work as an interpreter at a very unpopular German POW camp. She becomes more sympathetic to the inmates as time goes on, which makes the local townspeople not trust her and accuse her of treason...who to trust! Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

I can never resist an epistolary novel and this is one of the best I've read. Chronicling just under a year in the life of a brilliant linguistics scholar toward the end of World War II, this story takes a hard look at our nation's treatment of entire ethnic groups while we were at war with their native country. Effectively forced to work as a translator in a POW work camp in rural Minnesota, Jo Berglund, who had befriended an American young man if Japanese descent at the university, finds herself in an impossible position because of her insistence on seeing the German prisoners not as a collective enemy tool but as individual human beings.

When a book challenges your thinking and makes you look hard at your own thoughts and attitudes and motivations, it’s an excellent book. That’s exactly what Things We Didn’t Say did for me. It was a wonderfully told story that really made me think.

I received a free ARC of this book from Netgalley.
The entire book is written in letters and notes to/from different characters so it took a little longer for me to get into the story. I came to admire the main character Johanna for her dedication to her studies and her "tell it like it is" attitude as she was forced into another path rather than be able to stay at university working on her studies during WWII. She becomes a translator at a POW camp in her hometown then has to deal with being arrested as a possible traitor to the U.S.

This was a well written story about part of our history I was unaware of, German POW camps in the Midwest. I enjoyed the characters and it dwelt well with the struggle of racism, and the need to accept others as individuals. It worked out the hard issue of loving your neighbor when your neighbor is also you enemy.
I received a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of an honest review.

I read every detail of this book, including the author's note at the end. I learned that this is the author's debut novel, which I never would have imagined!! This story is incredibly well-written in an epistolary manner (which might be a turn off to some, but I really enjoyed).
This book caught my attention from the very beginning, where it talks about a "civilian charged with involvement in prisoner-of-war-related crimes is a complicated affair." I was like, what? What happened? You might be asking yourself that very question right now...and it you are dying of curiosity like I was, I can guarantee you will not be disappointed...a truly great story on so many different levels.
There are not a lot of physical details given about the characters, but you get to know them through the letters. I am actually glad that we are not given a lot of details, or that might have spoiled the image that we get of them.
I am not a huge fan of historical fiction, but the style of writing really intrigued me and I had a hard time putting the book down to get anything else done. Johanna is the main character and I loved her sharp wit and humor. Yes, humor. I never expected to laugh out loud or be snickering through a "historical" read, but that is exactly what I did. Especially in the letters that never got sent. It was really refreshing to see a book that could have really been heavy, given the nature of the story (war), written in such an effortless way, that really kept my attention. (So, during this pandemic season, do not let what could be the "serious" nature of this book be a turn off to you.
This book had many layers, including elements of suspense and mystery, it really made you wonder who the enemy was. If you are like me, you won't wonder for long, you will simply read until you learn the truth. I highly recommend this novel for anyone who likes historical fiction, books written in letter form, captivating novels or just a well-written book.
Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Unique writing style:
It was a nice change having this book be in the format of only letters, telegrams and newspaper articles and I thought it gave us insight into a number of different characters and perspectives. I was surprised how captivating this writing style could be and I wanted to keep reading to find out what was going to happen next.
I thought the author did a good job of highlighting the injustices experienced by prisoners of war interred in the USA during WWII. I grew very fond of Johanna, a linguistic student brought in to translate at a German POW camp and I liked seeing her personal growth and development. Her simple romance with Peter was also really sweet. This book had underlying themes of faith, trust and love woven throughout.
Overall I really enjoyed this debut novel and I look forward to reading upcoming books by this talented author.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

If you are a fan of historical fiction, you will love this book! The author, Amy Lynn Green, does an amazing job of both entertaining and informing her readers in this story of a linguistics student who is hired as a translator at a POW camp for a German soldiers in Minnesota. One thing to mention is this story is told completely through letters, telegrams and newspaper articles. It’s not my favorite style but it really works this time, I definitely recommend getting this book when it comes out in November!
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoy WWII novels so this looked intriguing. The story entirely told in letters was delightful. I didn’t expect to say that about a story of treason and POW’s and war but this book is so well written. It is beautifully descriptive without being overly wordy making it light and fun to read. I loved the main character Johanna’s witty sarcasm and the detail of her letters. She was far from the only character in this story that had depth and made you immediately want to know more about who they were. It was one of those books that kept me reading late into the night and at every opportunity during busy days.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book was utterly fantastic! I will start by saying that it is an epistolary novel (told in the form of letters, telegrams, and notes, etc.). Some people don't like that style because it generally is difficult to tell a story well in that manner, but Ms. Green overcame that obstacle beautifully. The story was told well in that format, without taking the reader out of the method or making the letters sound un-letter-like. That this was set in the 1940s when letter writing was the best way to communicate long distance helped to set the stage smartly.

One thing I did not know before reading this book is that there were POW camps here in the US during WWII. This book brought in unique facets of the War and how it impacted the US in the POW camps, the language training schools (to train soldiers to speak Japanese), and the internment camps. In addition to being educational in that regard, and having an enjoyable story-line, I absolutely adored the characters. Johanna is no doubt the type of person my child would be if I had one. With my no-nonsense attitude and my husband's wit and sarcasm, Johanna was the perfect combination of us and I found myself relating well to her on those grounds. I loved her spirit and her way of going about things and I loved how Peter grounded her and kept her focused on the right things. I adored Pastor Sorenson and his steady faithfulness, and Cornelia Knutson gets an award for best supporting character - I just adored her - and her collection of hats!

Because the letter writing happens over time and there's a natural time of progression, the character growth happens fluidly and naturally. I loved to watch Johanna grow and blossom in her circumstances and struggles as she wrote to Peter, Olive, Annika, Pastor Sorenson, Cornelia, and even the POWs. The faith thread is solid in this one as Johanna struggles with the concept of unanswered prayers and those around her encourage her in her faith. This book took me through all of the emotions. I would be laughing one moment at something that Johanna or Peter said and then all of a sudden, I've been punched in the gut with a truism brought abut by that same anecdote. There were thoughts on race relations (Peter, as a Japanese American dealt with a good deal of racism, and the German POWs noted that the American treatment of Blacks wasn't so different than their treatment of Jews), faith struggles, lost friendships, and regrets. The story-line was redemptive and moving, though, as these things were all worked through. This was one that definitely makes you think and is entertaining as well. That this is the author's debut novel makes this even more impressive. Ms. Green is now on my "watch list" of authors and I plan to read whatever she releases next!

Special thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an advance e-copy of this book. I was not obligated to write a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

This is a lovely novel which looks at WWII through the eyes of Johanna Berglund and the letters she both writes and reads as a translator for the US Army at a POW camp for Germans in rural Minnesota. Up to now, Johanna has lived a life of study; she was on the path to study at Oxford. She's not happy about the translation work initially but then finds herself sympathetic fo the prisoners, in part because she begins to see them as people with families like her own. And there's Stefan, a prisoner who begins to enter her heart. Don't worry about the fact that this is a novel comprising letters- the emotion flows wonderfully through the writing. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Fans of WWII fiction will relish this different angle and all readers will appreciate it for its thoughtfulness.

A story based on true events. POW camps of the Germans were at times place in small towns. The reaction of the townspeople is prevalent in this story.
It is also a story of a woman and her studying of languages. Joanna is fluent in German. Thus she is called from her studies to act as interpreter in the German POW camp. The things she learns and the men she meets will change her life. This story is both interesting and educational. Recommended.

I’ve just become an Amy Green fan. Have you ever watched someone finger weave? Or knit? Or stitch together an intricately-designed quilt? I can’t do any of those things, and I’m enthralled by watching those who can. But I do write, and I’ve been studying WWII POW camps on the home front, and maybe that’s why I am so in awe of Amy Green’s first novel (according to the author’s note). Using a very atypical story format, she has written what seems like a giant quilt pattern of relationships and story layers and laid each piece perfectly into place, seaming together a powerful story rich with history, intrigue, and emotion. And like a finger-weaver, she kept hold of numerous threads at once and managed to snug each one tightly into place. She also resisted the urge to give away too much too soon, and I found myself trying to read between the lines of “things we didn’t say” to ferret out hints. All this combined it gave me a powerful reading experience. The story itself, written through letters by various characters, all pointing to a charge of treason against the sharp-edged yet endearing protagonist, is a format that had to have been extremely challenging to write, especially since much of the correspondence overlaps in time and through distance during the second World War. I applaud her skill, and most of all, her attention to historic detail. This definitely makes my top reads list of 2020. I look forward to seeing what she writes next.

Things We Didn't Say by Amy Lynn Green In this well researched and thought-provoking story in which little known particulars of of war-time American life are brought to light. The story features both he history of the German POW camps that were scattered across the United States and of the Japanese-American translators serving with army units in the Pacific theater while their families were incarcerated in Japanese internment camps. The narrative presented through letters, newspaper articles and court records make for a different approach to a historical novel. Joanna is a unique and special character as is Peter. All of the characters are well developed and reliable. Very interesting and entertaining read.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

When I first started reading, Things We Didn't Say, I was surprised to find that it was a novel full of letters and documents. I found that refreshing in a book. I loved that an entire story could be told entirely through correspondence and newspaper clippings. Despite a different-than-usual approach to writing a novel, it kept my interest and was able to surprise me as to how it would be toward the end of the book. Things We Didn't Say introduced me to a part of WWII history that I was unfamiliar with--POWs in America from European countries. I appreciated the Author's Note at the end of the book that spoke of the inspiration for the book and gave historical context to it's setting. I recommend Things We Didn't Say to anyone who likes books set in WWII and anyone that's looking for something that's different than your typical historical fiction novel. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book! (This review is also on GoodReads.)

It's hard to believe this is Ms. Green's debut novel. Wow. It's plain to see that she put a lot of thought and research into this book. I had no idea that there were German POW camps in the US during WW II. It did take me a bit to get used to reading the epistolary style of this book, but I enjoyed it. It made me think about when I was younger and had pen pals. I actually miss the act of writing letters instead of texting.

Johanna was so strong, smart and witty. I loved watching her grow in her faith and I especially loved Peter. He was kind and encouraging and such a good friend to Johanna. I highly recommend this book.

Dear Amy,

All is well here in Maryland. Missing Minnesota as most of my social media posts might allude to. I was so glad to be home for the first snowfall of the year though. It'll carry me through until I can get back in January. I have to admit, I'm glad that the weather stays in the 70s here in Maryland during November. I get to wear shorts and t-shirts here longer than I ever did in MN.

I have to tell you, I just finished "Things We Didn't Say" and was blown away! Are you sure this was your first novel? it certainly didn't feel like it. Have I ever mentioned I've never read an epistolary novel before. I have watched the movie "The Potato Peel Society of Guernsey" but I haven't read a book created by all letters!

Having not read a book that was based on written letters, I wasn't sure if it would appeal to me or if it would keep my interest. Well, I was hooked the moment I started reading! I was so nervous for Joanna Berglund right from the get-go. Can I tell you that I had no idea we had POW camps in Minnesota?! I didn't grow up there so maybe my kids learned about it since they did.

I really enjoyed the getting a feel for the relationship Jo has with the people in her life through her letters. Of course, being the romantic that I am, I enjoyed Peter's letter exchanges the most. Interesting that I say that now because I think in the 40s I probably wouldn't have had the same response.1

Jo going back to Ironside Lake when her dreams lay far away at Oxford really made me feel compelled to be angry for her... basically being coerced into going home. I would imagine tensions were high, especially in such a small town. We know how those small towns are and Ironside Lake definitely lived up to the reputation.

I love Jo's spirited exchanges with Peter and Olive. She's witty and abrupt, something I ADORE in characters. Not everyone appreciates those parts that make up Joanna. Good thing she's resolved not to care in the least. HA!

The work she did with the POWs was wonderful and kudos for people who do that in real life as well. I'm sure she represents a unique group of people. It was "easy" to see them through her eyes. Too bad others didn't follow suit.

Unfortunately, there's not a lot I can say to the rest of the story because I don't want to give too much away. Hopefully I haven't already. If so, please be sure to let me know so I can make amends! I hope this isn't the last we hear from you and that we'll have many books to look forward to! I'll be reading them to be sure.

PS The anonymous donor really surprised me!
1It's always hard to know how one would respond in a different time. I've often thought of this when I read books that are set during the Civil War or Regency era.

When the first few chapters of Things We Didn't Say consisted of letters and newspaper clippings, I flipped through the book and discovered that the entire book was structured that way. Initially I felt that would cause the book to drag on, but I could not have been more wrong. I was totally sucked into this story, and totally amazed at how the author's unique story structure allowed the tale to unfold. Johanna Berglund,at first a fairly unlikable but brilliant linguistics student, evolves into a caring, compassionate young woman as she is forced into working as a translator and censor in a German POW camp in her hometown of Ironside Lake, Minnesota. There is so much more I want to reveal, but truly want to avoid even the smallest of spoilers that would cause other readers not to get the benefit of the author's true gift of feeding the reader information at just the right spot in the story. This is truly a five star read, and I am more than grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Johanna Berglund is a genius at languages. She is determined to get her degree and move to Oxford, England to pursue her passion and for discovering Europe. It is also a desire to never return to her hometown and the pain found there. It is during WWII that things begin to fall apart for these plans. The US Army is looking for a linguist to help with a new POW camp located outside her hometown. Despite her protests, she relocates for 9 months and her life changes forever. Her sarcastic personality shines in her letters and in the dialogue. She is clever and single-minded in her goals. Until everything changes during her time helping at the camp. She is accused of colluding with the enemy and has the possibility of being sent to jail for treason. Soon she doesn't know who to trust, including herself.

The newspaper articles are funny, the letter exchanges are clever, the book is overall a fun read and clean, which is always appreciated.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Not only has Amy Lynn Green written a very memorable debut, I will say that this is one of my favorite reads of the year. I have only read a couple of epistolary novels and I can already imagine what a great audiobook this will make(my favorite way to experience epistolary novels).

With a fresh voice to fiction, the author pens an eclectic cast of characters through the various letters that surround a POW camp and the young woman who was at first unwillingly serving as translator. Ms. Green gives the readers a heroine who is outwardly brusque and obstinate, but taps an unexpected inner strength as a crusader for justice.

The many letters in this novel hold a magnifying glass that reveals the individual flaws and prejudices that can taint a community and how one strong voice can speak for justice....and grace for all.

This book is for the keeper shelf and I hope to read many more books by this author in the future.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This debut novel is written in the epistolary style, which means the whole thing is letters, notes, etc. I’ve read a few books in this style and they usually make for an interesting tale! I would characterize this one as a religious historical fiction book. I was fascinated to read that there were some POW camps in the Midwest that housed German POWs. The Germans went to work on the harvest as many of the local farming men were off fighting in WWII.

The book centers around a fascinating character, Johanna, a young woman who had been studying languages at University of Minnesota. She moves back to her small hometown to serve as the POW camp’s translator as one of the languages she knows well is German. Johanna is very bright and not afraid to speak her mind! Soon she’s trying to make the townspeople be more hospitable to the German POWs. As you might imagine, there’s a lot of fear and distrust toward the prisoners and reluctance to have them in the area.

There are also lots of letters between Johanna and Peter, a college friend who happens to be a Japanese nisei (a person born in the US or Canada whose parents were immigrants from Japan). His Japanese language skills are highly valued and he’s teaching Japanese to soldiers that will soon be headed to the Pacific theater.
From the beginning of the book, we know that there is a trial for treason happening and it takes nearly the whole book to tell the full story. The second half of book got really dramatic and I was worried about what would happen to Johanna.

Johanna really grows as a character and I enjoyed this exposure to a part of WWII history that I didn’t really know about at all. There are quite a few religious elements in the story, but it didn’t feel like too much to this reader.

Things We Didn’t Say is the story of Johanna Berglund, an opinionated linguistics student at the University of Minnesota who unwillingly returns home to a small town in rural Minnesota to work as an interpreter and translator at a POW camp for German POWs who are sent there over the summer to help work in the fields. Jo is charged with treason after the escape of 2 of the POWs in the opening pages, and the story is told entirely in letter format: letters between Jo and her friends, Jo and the editor to the newspaper, the POWs and their families back home, editorials to the newspaper, and notes left on desks.

As we read the letters, we are introduced to Jo’s friend Peter Ito, a Japanese-American from San Francisco who’s family has been interred in a camp in Arizona. Peter is working as a teacher at an Army camp outside of Minneapolis teaching Japanese to other Japanese-Americans who are preparing to deploy to the Pacific and be used as translators and interpreters. Through these letters in particular, we see Peter’s faith in America tested as he talks about his family’s internment and the treatment he and the other Students in his class are treated by the white soldiers. We also get to see Jo begin to see the POWs are just men, men with families and sweethearts back home, men who were teachers and musicians and bakers in Germany before the war. We also meet other people who work in the camp through Jo’s letters, but who is the traitor?

At first, I didn’t think the letter format was going to be enough to get the feeling behind the story, but it turns out it was! And frankly, that’s why I’m giving this 4 stars. Jo is a very unlikeable character. From the opening pages, she treats everyone she encounters terribly, and I couldn’t believe they just kept coming back to her like she was some special friend. She is so condescending and unwilling to accept anyone else’s opinions or views. Also, it dragged on a bit in the middle. And I didn’t realize this was Christian fiction, which didn’t bother me, but just know it’s there. It reads like a YA novel with bible references.

I loved the backdrop. My mother was from Iowa and I’d heard stories about the POW camps and how they were brought to the farms to help during harvest time. I also have friends who’s parents and grandparents were interred during the war, so I think it’s important that these moments in our history continue to be told, even in fiction, so that we won’t forget what we’ve done.

Overall, I would recommend this book. Very appropriate for young adults if you don’t mind the religious themes.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This girl's got gumption!

Who would have thought that a WWII Christian historical fiction novel would make me laugh in more than a few places, but the heroine of Things We Didn't Say kept me smiling and you-go-girl cheering given her "headstrong" nature throughout all 416 pages.

Comparisons to The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society are apt, given the structure of storytelling solely through letters, newspaper articles, and speech transcripts. Readers learn early on that these communications have been collected as evidence for the treason case against Johanna, the main character, who has been working as a translator at a German POW work camp in Minnesota.

What I love about this book is that it highlighted a piece of Midwestern history that I knew nothing about (the POW camps in the US) ... and I live in Iowa. While I've passed on WWII fiction lately due to burnout, this perspective was different enough to catch my interest.

My thanks to NetGalley, Bethany House Publishers and Amy Lynn Green for the advanced copy to review.

I admit I'm partial to epistolary novels, but even discounting that bias this debut is outstanding. Amy, what are you up to next? Where do I sign up to be a first reader? Please, please.

Changing things up a bit. I’m adding crowns, or tiaras, to my titles instead of stars. Due to this blog being titled Books, Lattes, & Tiaras, I felt it appropriate to rate using tiaras! Seems appropriate to me!

Things We Didn’t Say by Amy Lynn Green.
Bethany House. Release date: 11/3/2020.
ISBN: 9780764237164
Things We Didn’t Say by Amy Lynn Green takes readers back to a POW camp of German soldiers during WWII, who are assigned to work in the potato and beet farms in Minnesota. Johanna becomes the translator for all incoming and outgoing mail for the Germans, a position highly encouraged by her college scholarship sponsor. And Jo is an avid letter writer to her friends and some key people in important positions that can benefit her causes. In fact, the entire fascinating book is entirely of letters, articles, notes, and other documents.

I love that in Johanna’s letters to her friend Peter, she includes a German Idiom of the Day, the English translation, some context for the letter and whatever it is she wants to share with her dear friend. I have no idea how to say these German words, but the translations are similar to those I’ve heard growing up and I’ve found myself giggling at several of them.

To my surprise, Jo’s pen pal Peter shares about the Kotonks and Buddha-heads when describing the Japanese students he’s teaching these are terms I grew up with in Hawaii. Kotonks being the Japanese who grew up in the mainland and Buddha-heads are the Japanese who grew up in Hawaii. I found these Hawaii related conversations to be quite entertaining!

Jo is a resourceful and creative character that I feel could be a good friend. She loves reading and writing, too! She’s my kind of person! Johanna not only translated and censored letters to and from the POWs at Ironside Lake, MN, but she also encouraged them to create a band, submit articles to the local newspaper, taught English to the German officers, and even had some of the German musicians to play at the local benefit dance!

The storyline intensifies when Johanna is accused of helping two German POW escape soon after the benefit dance. It seems there’s so much evidence against Johanna. They also accuse her of aiding a Japanese spy, her friend Peter, when Peter goes MIA. How does so much get stacked against one innocent person so quickly?

Based on historical documents found at various museums, a digital copy of Things We Didn’t Say by Amy Lynn Green was provided complimentary by Bethany House via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I give this book five out of five tiaras because I was glued to this story! Oh, how I wish it would continue until Peter returns to visit Jo!

Unique debut!

Johanna Berglund is an opinionated linguistic student at The University of Minnesota. She is pressured into returning to her small hometown and serving as a translator at the German POW camp.

Through this epistolary novel, readers learn about Johanna, her friends and family and happenings in the town. Johanna's snarky humor comes through loud and clear in her communications. A bit more subtly readers see her heart.

Alleged crimes and POW mishaps keep the pages turning with this novel. One thought that stood out to me is how would a mom feel with a son in a POW camp overseas that may not be getting treated humanely while the German POWs in her town were given descent meals, entertainment and opportunities to learn. It's a tough question to ponder.

The cover is lovely! I look forward to what the author will pen next.

Things We Didn't Say
by Amy Lynn Green
Back of the Book: “Headstrong Johanna Berglund, a linguistics student at the University of Minnesota, has very definite plans for her future . . . plans that do not include returning to her hometown and the secrets and heartaches she left behind there. But the US Army wants her to work as a translator at a nearby camp for German POWs.
Johanna arrives to find the once-sleepy town exploding with hostility. Most patriotic citizens want nothing to do with German soldiers laboring in their fields, and they're not afraid to criticize those who work at the camp as well. When Johanna describes the trouble to her friend Peter Ito, a language instructor at a school for military intelligence officers, he encourages her to give the town that rejected her a second chance.
As Johanna interacts with the men of the camp and censors their letters home, she begins to see the prisoners in a more sympathetic light. But advocating for better treatment makes her enemies in the community, especially when charismatic German spokesman Stefan Werner begins to show interest in Johanna and her work. The longer Johanna wages her home-front battle, the more the lines between compassion and treason become blurred--and it's no longer clear whom she can trust.”
Impressions: This was an epistolary novel composed of letters, news articles and notes which is a bit different then my typical read. I found it hard to put down however because the letters were short enough to read through quickly and of course I wanted to know what happened next.
Liked: I really enjoyed the perspective and plot. I have read other wartime novels and this one stood out. The perspective of being on American soil and negotiating the prejudices as a Japanese American as well as associating with the POW prison was thought-provoking. I imagine fear and propaganda were fueling a great deal of tension during WW2 as was voiced in this story. I admired Jo’s courage and boldness as she navigated her new position with faith and empathy.
Disliked: I didn’t care for the conclusion of this book. The relationship between Jo and Peter was frustrating. Peters feelings for Jo romantically were not overly obvious but clear enough. Jo’s realization however was this brief and unromantic aha! moment followed by the conclusion. It just left a “what just happened” feeling for me.
Learned: Jo and Stefan’s conversations were the most interesting. They challenged the idea of seeing each other as enemies. I enjoyed their exchanges a great deal.
Quotes: “Real life is dreadfully tedious, the way it interrupts reading.”
“We can do anything we must. How we do it, though, is up to us.”
“Men think that it is impossible for a human to love his enemies, for enemies are hardly able to endure the sight of one another. Well, then, shut your eyes- and your enemy looks just like your neighbor.”
“Who would I be without the propaganda of America?” – I liked this thought-provoking idea.
“Who are you when you don’t have the law telling you what to do?”
“But you can’t hold God accountable for promises he didn’t make. He never promised us the easy path, never said we’d never feel loss or loneliness or heartbreak. But he did say he’d be with us through it all.”
“Sometimes showing grace breaks us before it heals us. Forgiveness can feel like a betrayal of justice. We want others to deserve grace, or at least ask for it, even knowing full well that the greatest grace was extended to us “while we were still enemies.’”
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review shared here.

Amy Lynn Green has written a captivating debut novel! This unique WWII story is told entirely through letters, newspaper articles, and other correspondence. Even with the challenging format, the author captured each character's distinct voice through their writing and wove together a fascinating look at some little-known aspects of the WWII era in America. We learn about life in a German POW camp through Johanna's eyewitness accounts, and understand more about the struggles Japanese Americans faced through Peter's perspective.

The epistolary format makes for rich characterization as we get inside the characters' heads through their writing. I really enjoyed Johanna's wit and determination, and Peter's wisdom and encouraging spirit. Although we are reading about the action after the fact, there is still plenty of tension and anticipation to keep you turning pages!

This book is a peek into history wrapped up in a powerful, moving story that will linger with you after the last page. Fans of Sarah Sundin and Roseanna M. White will especially enjoy this novel. It will be going on my list of favorite books of 2020, and I will be eagerly awaiting whatever Amy Lynn Green writes next!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Things We Didn't Say
by Amy Lynn Green
Bethany House
Bethany House Publishers
Christian | Women's Fiction
Pub Date 03 Nov 2020


I am reviewing a copy of Things We Didn’t Say through Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley:



Johanna Berglund, is a headstrong linguistics student at at the University of Minnesota and she has very definite plans for the future, plans that do not include going back to the hometown she left behind, along with the secrets and heartbreaks that happened there. But the Army has asked her to work as a translator at a nearby camp for German POWs.





When Johanna arrives she finds her once sleepy hometown is exploding with hostility. Most of the Patriotic citizens do not want to have anything to do with German soldiers laboring in their fields, and they're not afraid to criticize those who work at the camp as well. When Johanna describes the trouble to her friend Peter Ito, a language instructor at a school for military intelligence officers, he encourages her to give the town that rejected her a second chance.




As Johanna interacts with the men of the camp and censors their letters home, she begins to see the prisoners in a better light. Advocating for better treatment for the prisoners makes her enemies in the community, especially when charismatic German spokesman Stefan Werner begins to show interest in Johanna and her work. The longer Johanna wages her bottle on the home front, the more the lines between compassion and treason get blurred, and it becomes no longer clear who it is she can trust.




I give Things We Didn’t Say five out of five stars!



Happy Reading!

This book really surprised me... and in the best way possible.
I love letter-writing SO much! Pretty much any book involving letters interests me because... I LOVE them! That being said, as this one is told completely through letters... I wasn’t quite sure how I was going to like it. I wondered how I could truly get to know the characters and things like that... well, I shouldn’t have doubted.

This book was amazing! Yes, it took me a bit to get into it but it’s no fault of the book’s. I simply had to get into the story, learn who the characters were, get invested in it... and once I did, it was wonderful.

The characters are so full of life. Really. Jo and Peter were such great characters.
Jo was a character that really grew on me. She’s such a complex character. She’s full of fire and spunk but she’s also flawed and human. Her journey and character development throughout was inspiring to read, and some of the advice she got hit home.
Peter was incredible. Seriously. He has to be one of the BEST pen pal writers ever, even if he is fictional! His advice to Jo throughout the letters was so good and thoughtful. I love how he’s a friend who doesn’t just tell her what she wants to hear but tells her what she need to hear because he cares. He was an amazing friend and such a great hero! I loved his character so, so much.

The romance was not the focus of this novel and I was entirely okay with that. That being said, it was subtlety here. Oh, I felt it alright, and loved it.
I just love how they fall in love with each other as a person and it goes deeper than mere attraction to looks.

There were twists and turns that made it hard to put down but I also loved the spice-of-life element to it. It was so enjoyable and fun to read about little things going on in the characters lives!
I smiled and laughed and teared up!

This book was beautiful and had so many beautiful, thoughtful quotes as well! Also it ironically fit so well with this time in the world. It was encouraging and inspiring.
Truly a great debut novel. I can’t wait to see what Amy writes in the future! I’ll definitely be on the watch. ❤️

*Thanks to Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

Things We Didn't Say was a refreshing book for me because of its epistolary style. It didn't detract from my enjoyment of this novel at all. I thoroughly enjoyed all the letters and learning about all the characters, though I will admit that it was a challenge because I'm not used to getting to know people through letters (at least not anymore!) Johanna was a strong character and I liked that she wasn't afraid of real and upfront. I didn't know what to expect of this novel but I do know if there is a chance of going back to Ironside Lake, I would not hesitate to go back and spend more time with everyone.

My gratitude to Bethany House Publishers. All opinions are my own

Things We Didn't Say is Amy Lynn Green's debut novel and I expect it to be the first of many. I was intrigued by this story line because it seemed to be a well kept secret that there were as many German P.O.W. camps in our country during World War II. At least, it was certainly never mentioned in any history books I had, and that was one subject I didn't slack off on my homework. The first time I heard of these camps, I was an adult and heard someone tell of a relative whose father had spent time in a camp within my own state. So, years later, I found myself intrigued by Amy's book I found myself not only enjoying the story but doing a little research, only to find there were many camps within our country.

Amy did a wonderful job on her research and her characters are well developed. Johanna, and Peter's correspondence make up a lot of the story and it was intriguing to see the story from each viewpoint. Johanna, a linguist specialist, strives to do the best she can at a job she clearly didn't want in the beginning of the book. As time goes, she gets more and more involved in the lives of the prisoners as she translates their own correspondence from their families and does her best to improve their lot within the confines of the camp. Stefan Werner, who seems to represent his fellow prisoners, seems to have a pulse on everything that goes on inside. Johanna, for her part, seems to become more distant to her community, the more involved she becomes in her work.

Peter, Johanna's close friend, is my favorite character. He is a young, Japanese American, whose family was cruelly placed in an internment camp at the start of the war. His desire to fight for his country is hampered by his being recruited to a Japanese language school. His letters have a calming effect on Johanna and the true meaning of his friendship is mired in her desires to go study in Oxford, long her goal but now sidelined by this war and her job. She is brilliant, but, as with many who are brilliant, there are some things she just didn't see. This book is compelling, and gives you a ringside seat into a very real piece of our country's history.

Amy Lynn Green has done a fantastic job with her first novel! In a series of letters, the story is brought to us, and helps us to see behind the lines in an event that changed the world and blurred a lot of lines while solidifying others. I’m excited to see what books lay ahead from this exciting new author!

Told entirely by letters and articles, this story is absolutely fascinating. It takes place in 1944 in a small Midwestern town that became the location of a POW camp for German soldiers. The camp needs a translator and Jo is pressured to leave her college studies to accept this position. She is to censure incoming and outgoing mail, as well. Things We Didn't Say is about what happens during her time working at the camp and about the result of what happens to her as well. The content covers a variety of topics including prejudice, the complexity of personal relationships and small town dynamics.
Populated with memorable characters and dialogue that is often witty and always profound, this book is well worth reading.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. . The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Things We Didn't Say is an epistolary novel set in Minnesota during WWII. The book is a compilation of letters mostly between Johanna Berglund and her friend Peter Ito - a teacher at a training camp outside Minneapolis, but also includes articles written for the local paper among various other letters.

Jo is asked to leave school at the University of Minnesota to go back to her hometown of Ironside Lake to work as a translator and censor for letters written between the German POW's and their families/friends. She left her hometown without really wanting to return but is not given much choice about coming back when this job is presented to her. She must face her past and the citizens who are not happy about the POW camp. Jo attempts to show the town their prejudices which helps lead her into a scandal.

I am a huge fan of epistolary novels and this one was very well done. It has been compared to The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society which is one of my favorites. I really liked how the author included rough drafts of letters that Jo wrote that were never sent or that she later edited. It was a great way of getting into Jo's head and hearing her spunky, unfiltered thoughts.

“The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society” meets Garrison Keillor’s Lake Wobegon in Amy Lynn Green’s WWII novel, “Things We Didn’t Say.” The story unfolds in epistolary fashion, featuring correspondence between linguistics student, Johanna Berglund, and various friends -- with a generous sprinkling of newspaper articles. The setting is Ironside Lake, a small town in Minnesota, and the site of a POW camp, housing German prisoners brought in to work on the farms. Like Lake Wobegon, Ironside Lake features strong women, above-average children, and an active chapter of the Lutheran Daughters of the Reformation.

Hometown girl, Johanna is hired (more like conscripted) to serve as translator for the camp. She would prefer to stay at the university pursuing her studies. Her close friend and pen pal, Peter Ito, teaches Japanese for the Military Intelligence Service. Johanna is able to see the common humanity in the German prisoners and encourages the locals to do likewise. But her correspondence with a Japanese man, coupled with her advocacy for the prisoners, cause the town’s residents to question her loyalties. When some POWs escape, Johanna is suspected of complicity.

Themes of faith, fear of the other, and small-town life make this a heart-warming novel. I found the short, epistolary segments helpful in this season of reduced attention spans.

My parents grew up during WW2, and my dad was stationed in the Philippines. Furthermore, I'm a linguaphile and lived in Japan for a couple of years. So this story had my attention even before I started reading. Although the story is told entirely through letters, it masterfully weaves a breathtaking narrative, sometimes leisurely, sometimes galloping, but always fascinating. Through it all, the main character wrestles with faith, discrimination, stereotypes, and restoring relationships. I greatly enjoyed reading it, reading the letter writers' unique turns of phrases, and watching how relationships evolved throughout the novel. I highly recommend it!

In her debut novel, Amy Lynn Green creates an epistolary masterpiece that places you in the heroine's shoes as she struggles to balance duty and empathy.

There's dry humor. Small town drama. Historical insight. And delicious tidbits such as these: "Real life is dreadfully tedious, the way it interrupts reading."

There's also relational tension between former best friends and roommates. Racial prejudice against Japanese American soldiers and German POWs. And a very personal struggle with selfishness, pride, and bitterness.

Read compassion, love, and patriotism between the lines in this riveting epistolary novel by Amy Lynn Green.

Things We Didn't Say by Amy Lynn Green

Outspoken, goes her own way, headstrong, Johanna Berglund, is a  linguistics student at the University of Minnesota, in I944, when she is asked to come back to her hometown to act as a translator at a camp for German POWs. When Johanna declines the offer several times, her scholarship is revoked, forcing her to go home and take the job.  Johanna had left her home, with plans to rarely return, due to sad memories and a falling out with her best friends, several years earlier. Now Johanna is a pharah in her hometown, since most citizens are angry to have German POWs there, despite the fact that the POWs are going to help them to plant, raise, and harvest their crops.

It doesn't help things when it becomes known that Johanna corresponds regularly with Japanese American, Peter Ito, a language instructor at a school for military intelligence officers. Johanna's attempt to make life better for the German POWs and her friendship with Peter convinces the most critical townsfolk to turn on Johanna and believe the worst of her. And Johanna often makes things worse with her abrasive but honest letters to the editor of the newspaper and other residents of the town.

The entire story is told through letters, notes, and documents and we know from the beginning that Johanna has been accused of treason. I enjoyed how the story was told and especially enjoyed the letters between Johanna and Peter. Peter, whose family is in an American concentration camp because of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. They have done nothing wrong except to be Japanese, yet Peter has such a forgiving, compassionate, and positive outlook on life and he is the best thing that could ever happen to Johanna. She cherishes his friendship, knows he is her best friend, but it isn't until something happens to Peter that she realizes just how much she has always held back her most real, deepest feelings, thinking she would lose something of herself if she gave any more of herself to anyone.

This is such a touching story and the tension builds as we read the letters, notes, and documents. Johanna is both naive and cynical, not realizing how she is being used, not suspecting what is going on right in front of her. The story shows us the heartache of those who have lost family to the war, have loved ones as POWs, and live separated from their homes and their families, with no end in sight.

Thank you to Bethany House/Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley for this ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers for an ARC of this book! Release date - November 3, 2020

I absolutely adored this little book. It gets compared to The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, and I definitely see the comparison with both the WW2 subject matter and the letter format. I'd highly recommend this book to fans of that book.

The letter format was SO well-done. It constantly held my attention, completely sucked me in and kept me turning pages. It made it easy to read just one more, just one more, and the pages flew by. The way the letters were ordered, where you find out right away there's a court case but then slowly discover who and why kept me anxiously waiting to see how it all played out. The story progressed so naturally. Another thing about the letters that could have been terrible but turned out amazing is that we never see the characters interact face to face. Everything happens off page. Peter's appearance is never even described. But it was SO GOOD and felt SO NATURAL, never forced. It was absolutely perfect and takes real talent to do this right. Such incredible writing.

I came to LOVE these characters. Gah! The characters! They're so fleshed out and real and quirky and I just fell in love with them. And there was so much backstory to build their character, like for instance what happened with Jo and Erik. How that affected her entire personality and the course of her life. And we slowly get all that backstory throughout the book in such a natural way. Every character was like this, with real backstories and motivations. And the love story was especially well done. It was so natural and slow build. Definitely no instalove. I fell in love with the characters as they fell in love with each other and that is my favorite kind of romance.

And then most importantly there is the actual storyline. I loved the German POW angle, plus translation/censoring letters. It was so fascinating. I feel like authors are getting more creating with their WW2 books, diving into these lesser known aspects of the war. So much was happening, not just fighting and Nazis and the Holocaust, all of which I do love to read about, but these German prisoners in a small American town. PLUS the Japanese American angle. I've definitely never read a book from that perspective. Peter was definitely a favorite character and it's crazy the amount of prejudice he experienced for no reason. He was born in America but because Japan was America's enemy, Americans felt like he was the enemy, even though he's serving in the American army. Paired with the German POW angle this was so so fascinating. Prejudice is real. But people are people no matter where they come from and what their nationality is and this book explored that so well.

Towards the end I just could not put this book down. The ending was SO good and I'm mostly satisfied but I loved these characters so much that I'd definitely read a sequel. I'm so happy I gave this book a chance and I'd love to read more from Amy Lynn Green. Solid 4.5 stars!!!

This is an explosive, fascinating well researched story that reads like a documentary. This author masterfully tells this story through letters, newspaper articles, documents and testimony from events that happened in the German POW camps. The author states this novel is based heavily on real experiences of POW camps in the Midwest during WWII. She says, . …”Occasionally, I had to substitute a “this could have happened” detail, such as having Jo censor letters at the camp itself rather than through the official censor stations in Chicago, and later New York, or making overseas letters arrive without many delays.”

This is a book that would work well for your next book club pick. There is so much to talk about. This is an author to watch.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog
www.bookfun.org

4.5 stars

This was such a unique story in the way that it was told. Through a series of letters and articles between Johanna Berglund, her friends, family, and community, an incredible story unfolds.

As a linguistic student, Johanna is recruited to work as a US Army translator for German POWs in her hometown. Most of the citizens there want nothing to do with the prisoners, and Johanna is criticized for working with them. Through interactions with the prisoners and censoring their letters, she begins to feel more sympathetic toward their less than ideal situations in the camps. While making strides to better their treatment and living conditions, she finds herself growing closer to one of the prisoners. But can he be trusted?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I wasn’t sure if would like the style of writing, but it surprisingly flowed very well. I especially loved reading the letters between Johanna and Peter. It was clear they had a very close bond and she confided in him so often, but the conversations and banter between them were so effortless, it was impossible to ignore that there was something more between them.

Highly recommend!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3641454900

Things We Didn't Say is a historical novel set during World War II. Johanna Berglund is a linguistics student who returns to her small town to work as a translator at a camp for German prisoners of war. She balances her work, her longing to return to university life, conflict with her childhood best friend, and a correspondence with her friend Peter, who is a Japanese-American man with a similar linguistic background and strong ties to Jo.

I wanted to read this novel because I love historical fiction set during the 1940's. The setting sounded unique and historically interesting.

This book has one of the most unique formats I've encountered -- it is told entirely in letters and newspaper columns, as well as some official documents related to Jo's work at the camp. The format makes for a dense but rich read -- not a quick read but an utterfly fascinating approach to storytelling.

Jo's story was fascinating. She is a prickly, sometimes difficult protagonist, but she has compassion for others and wants to be fair-minded. I loved Peter and their relationship which slowly develops over time through letters. His story, working for the military while his parents were in an internment camp for Japanese-American citizens was particularly powerful.

I am so glad I read this novel; it will surely be in my yearly top 10 list, and I recommend it highly for other readers who love historical fiction set during World War II.

Friends, I read 75% of this book TODAY because I literally couldn't put it down. The characters are so real and the information is just so good. I typically don't read historical fiction set during this time period, but I'm going to have to change that because I find it fascinating. It was very clear that the author knew what she was writing about and I loved that.

This book is so *smart*, but is also so full of heart. I appreciated Jo's ability to be blunt with her faith issues. She's very real about where she is with God and I was grateful to see that. It made her more human. Peter is everything and I love him dearly, but the rest of the cast of characters are fantastic as well. This book is just very well done. And a debut! Color me impressed. I look forward to more from this author.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. All expressed opinions belong to me.

"We can easily hurt others, and once we do, there's no escaping each other. Forgiveness is all that keeps us together, and withholding it keeps us apart."

What a unique and powerful debut novel from Amy Green! Told entirely through letters sent from one person to another toward the end of WWII, the novel speaks about grace, forgiveness, human condition, and the power of love through candid, raw, and often heart-breaking words. There are quite a few letter writers represented in the story but the main voice of Jo is fresh, inquisitive, intelligent, and quite funny while Peter is loyal, kind, true and wise. Jo is somewhat self-centered in the beginning as the introverted prodigy linguist but she weathers the hardships to emerge stronger and more sure. I really enjoyed getting to know Peter and felt a kinship with him as a fellow Asian-American and immigrant. Jo and Peter's friendship is delightful and learning about German POW camps in the US was quite fascinating. This book is soul-stirring, thought-provoking, and truly well-written. It asks us how we, as "just fallible people trying desperately to make sense of an incomprehensibly complex world," can help each other despite our differences in race, color, culture, and religion.

I received a copy of the book from Bethany House Publishers via Interviews & Reviews and NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.

While I can count on one hand the number of epistolary novels I’ve read, this debut novel from Amy Lynn Green stands head and shoulders above the rest. The level of intimacy that the reader gains by reading the personal thoughts of the characters kept me fully engaged and turning pages to see what response would follow and how the story would unfold.

I found it refreshing how without all the colorful descriptions you’d find in your average story, by reading a selection of letters, news stories, and telegrams my imagination was invited to fill in the gray areas. Like adding color to an intricate black and white drawing. Not once did I feel that anything was left out, and all the plot lines were nicely tied up by the end.

I look forward to reading many more exciting stories from Amy Lynn Green in the future!

(I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including Netgalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own.)

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this engaging and informative novel. What an interesting idea, to have the novel consist entirely of letters and other communications, such as newspaper articles and government documents. I liked the leading character, Johanna, who was crafted exceptionally well. And that her character was revealed through her letters and the letters of others was remarkable. I liked her wit and humor so often fully revealed in letters she wrote but then never sent.

In addition to being entertaining, the novel dealt with some serious issues. How we pray for the unsaved in view of a sovereign God is one issue included. Another was how Christians are to treat their enemies. There is much about prejudice in the novel as a small Minnesota community deals with a new POW camp nearby. Johanna, musing on her insights from translating and censoring POW letters reflects, “Maybe, I thought, if I were pen pals with everyone in the world, I would understand people better.” (Loc 2392/5593)

I highly recommend this novel. It is an engaging story of fictional characters facing serious issues during WW II – ones we still face today. Green is a very creatively talented writer and this is an amazing debut effort. Please, another novel soon!

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Set in Minnesota in 1944-45 and told entirely through letters, documents, and telegrams, Amy Lynn Green’s debut novel is a fascinating look at a slice of history that I knew little about. When a German POW camp is set up near her hometown, Johanna Berglund is recruited from her university studies in linguistics to work as a translator there, although that doesn’t fit in with her life plans. She is a determined, capable, and outspoken young woman who makes the best of it and tries to help the prisoners. Her friend, Peter Ito, is a military language instructor who encourages and supports her. Their letters are amusing and add a touch of fun and amusement to the story. I loved Johanna’s wit and dry sense of humor. The author is a master at creating colorful, realistic characters whose personalities are displayed through the letters of the story.

Although it took me a few pages to get accustomed to the epistolary style of the book, I soon got used to it and enjoyed the novelty of it. It’s a beautifully done and very memorable book. I’m looking forward to more from this talented author. 4.5 stars

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Bethany House Publishers through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I couldn’t put this book down! Spellbinding look into a little-known facet of WWII. I disliked the heroine at first and read for the hero, but I love that they both grow!

I cannot believe that Things We Didn’t Say is Amy Green’s debut novel! I was sucked in from the very first letter! Normally dialogue is my favorite part of a story, but somehow I didn’t miss it at all! Through many letters, this wonderful story came to life as did our characters personalities and their stories. I normally steer clear of WWII stories because they can be too heavy and depressing, but somehow Ms. Green managed to keep this story light even with such heavy subject matter.

I loved everything about Peter and his letters to Jo. Jo, while sometimes prickly, which is one of my pet peeves, was really a kind hearted person and I actually loved her spunk and how she stood up for herself and others. I also enjoyed the pops of humor in their letters to each other as well as Jo’s letters to various people that were never sent. While the romance was subtle, it was done so well, that I ended up really enjoying it.

I am a fan of Amy Green and can’t wait for her next story!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Things We Didn't Say was an interesting historical fiction, creatively and solely told through letters and news announcements. I personally was not aware of German POW camps in the Midwest during WWII, and was interested about these events. Brave women, men in foreign land, and honestly examined prejudices versus good intentions. Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the e-copy for review. All opinions are my own.

This was such a gripping story! From the starting point of a German POW camp in the heartland of America, meant to assist farmers who had sent their sons to war, to the epistolary format, it was a unique read and well done. Jo was a deeply complicated and unusual character, with her reluctance to come home, her gift for linguistics, and her American-Japanese penpal friend whose family was in a Japanese relocation camp. This was a setting I was completely unfamiliar with, but Ms. Green does an excellent job weaving the historical setting into her letters and giving the reader a complete picture of the era and her characters.

Things We Didn't Say was a debut novel by Amy Lynn Green, but I can't wait to see what she writes next! 5 stars to this beautiful novel.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

NetGalley read now
November 3, 2020
Bethany House
Fiction, Christian fiction, women’s fiction, historical fiction
416 pages
11/4-11/15/20

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

This historical fiction written in polylogic epistolary fashion perfectly describes the life experiences of people during 1944. It begins with prosecutors documents of evidence against
Johanna Berglund, a headstrong linguistics student at the University of Minnesota. With her father as Mayor of their small town of Ironside Lake, she was relieved to plan a future beyond the criticism and judgment of the town in which she grew.

Johanna is enraged when she is forced to leave school to help out the Army as they set up a German POW camp in Ironside Lake. Her talent in linguistics being able to speak several languages including German made her an asset to their efforts. With the help of the YMCA they planned to use the prisoners to assist the farmers much to the angst of the community.

Facing the inevitable she relies on her former roommate Olive to keep her abreast of the gossip at school. She also relies heavily on her friend Peter Ito who is a Japanese language instructor for military intelligence officers. He encourages her to use her unique language skills for the new experience as translator in the German prison camp in Ironside Lake.

Many become accustomed to Joanna’s cynical and abrupt manner and soon she begins to accept her present situation. The leader of the prison camp Captain Stefan Werner shows more attention to Johanna than she felt necessary. Over time she begins to learn about the prisoners and their families. As interpreter she needed to read and censor every correspondence entering and leaving the camp. She also rekindles a friendship with Annika with whom she had known since childhood. In time the place where she was raised becomes more comfortable than she remembered it being.

Controversy begins to stir after Johanna suggests submitting articles to the local newspaper written by a selected prisoner. Soon Johanna doesn’t know who she could trust any longer when rumors circulate that she is a German sympathizer. Then she learns her friend Peter is being charged with treason as well. How does all this turn out? Will the truth be revealed? Who are not who they say are?

I’m a big fan of epistolary novels and books set in the WWII time period, so Things We Didn’t Say, a story told in letters, snippets from newspapers, and telegrams about a WWII prison camp for German soldiers in a small town in Minnesota was a perfect fit for me.

Johanna Berglund was always an outlier in the hamlet of Ironside Lake, MN. While other girls were dreaming of weddings, Joanna wanted nothing more than to study languages at university, with her heart set on Oxford. The war is wreaking havoc with everyone’s plans however and 1944 finds her (somewhat) contentedly studying linguistics at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. She still plans to go to Oxford, she just has to graduate and wait for the war to end for that to happen. Not being able to go to England has been a bit of a let-down, but she’s put her time to good use by correcting any mistakes her professors make in the classroom as she studies modern languages. Her skills in French, Danish, Greek and Latin are exemplary, but it is her fluency in German that draws the attention of the U.S. Army. Their plans to put a prison camp in Ironside Lake will serve a two-fold purpose: provide a permanent settlement for the prisoners far away from typical avenues of escape, and supply workers for the farmers in the area who have been requesting them from the Trade Center Committee. For the program to succeed they need an expert translator and Johanna, with her deep ties to the community and her facility with languages, seems ideal.

Johanna’s response to the request for her services is an emphatic no. She has no plans to ever return to Ironside Lake and the heartaches and rejections she left behind there. Furthermore, the community can offer her nothing to advance her dreams, and having her associated with the camp will put her father, the mayor, in a very awkward position. The townspeople are up in arms about the arrival of the prisoners, whom they absolutely do not want anywhere in their vicinity. Their little burg has lost too many sons to the war for them to have any charitable feelings towards enemy soldiers.

The army, of course, prevails both in the placement of their penitentiary and, via a threat to Johanna’s scholarship, obtaining their choice of translator. When Johanna describes her woes to Peter Ito, a close friend, he encourages her to make the best of the situation. Peter, a Californian of Japanese descent, is an expert at doing just that. He is working at Camp Savage, teaching Japanese to military personnel and civilians involved in the war effort while his family languishes in an internment camp

Initially, Johanna is surly and rather difficult to work with but when she is ordered to teach the prisoners English, she begins to interact with the men of the camp and begins viewing them more sympathetically. She is especially pleased to make the acquaintance of the handsome and charming German spokesman Stefan Werner, whose quick wit and fluent English make him an asset to her class. But their friendship has repercussions that she could never have imagined.

The novel starts with a bang; we learn right away that Johana has been accused of and is awaiting trial on the charge of treason. While the details of the case are not given in that early letter, the sense of impending doom it imparts stays with us throughout the novel as we try to determine exactly what happened. The author does a nice job of setting Johanna up as someone whom we could see involved in such malfeasance from the start. Her strong sense of self and her belief in forging her own path could easily serve as an impetus to action in righting what she perceived to be an injustice. It took no effort to imagine Johanna behaving in a manner she considered righteous and the army considered treasonous.

Contrasting Johanna’s driven and forceful personality is Peter’s easy going, far more amiable nature. He is as moral as Johanna, but his principles are tempered with courtesy, patience and compassion. For all that we are often reminded of Johanna’s prodigious intelligence, Peter seems far more capable of making reasoned, balanced decisions. He also seems to understand people far more. I loved that their deepening friendship shows how dissimilar personalities can harmonize so that a more pleasing whole is achieved.

The author also does a great job of characterizing the enterprisingly sleazy newsman who plays a pivotal role in the plot, the army personnel and the townsfolk of Ironside through their mail. Each missive conveys the character of the writer succinctly and successfully.

There is a romance here, although it doesn’t take place until after the thirty percent mark, which means it occurs in spoiler territory. Suffice it to say that it’s easy to figure out whom Johanna falls in love with given that the bulk of congenial correspondence occurs with only one man who isn’t her father or an elderly pastor.

This is an inspirational romance, and Ms. Green does a fantastic job of weaving faith lightly and naturally into the story. The primary theme – that God sustains us during dark times – is one that is organic to the plot and appropriate to the time period.

The history here is handled marvelously, with the frank look at American bigotry and the close-mindedness that can be a hallmark of small town mentality being spotlighted for the harm they cause. The text also does a terrific job of showing how those cast in the role of second class citizens – women, Blacks, or any hyphenated American – often love a country which doesn’t love them back.

For all that I adored about this story, it has one flaw that kept it from DIK status – the pacing of the narrative lags. After the shocking revelation at the beginning of the book, the rhythm of the story settles into a rather leisurely account of life in the small town home-front. While this gives us a chance to become familiar with the characters and their daily routines, it also provides an excellent opportunity for disinterest. I didn’t find myself fully engaged in the tale until I hit the fifty percent mark. Up to that point the story is a mildly pleasing read that makes some important historical points but which is not exactly riveting. Fortunately, the second half of the book is completely captivating.

My only other quibble is that I am not sure Johanna ever comes to a full realization of the dangers of her impetuosity. I would have appreciated the author forcing her to acknowledge that a bit more.

In spite of its minor flaws, Things We Didn’t Say is a sweet, heartfelt read and anyone who enjoys epistolary stories will find a lot to love in this charming novel.

Ok, y'all, I know it took a long time for me to read this book, but that's partly because I was savoring it. This is a very different kind of story, and I love it!! It's composed entirely of letters to and from different people, and articles in a the town's local newspaper. Every letter and article is clearly marked, so it's not at all confusing. I love the character of Johanna, and Peter too, as well as several of the others. It's set during World War 2, but it's not the typical topic(s) from the time period. I highly recommend this book!
Thank you, Netgalley, for the copy of this book. I am now going to go buy it in paperback!

Linguist Johanna Berglund dreams of studying in Oxford one day, though her plans are on hold as WWII rages. When her small Minnesota hometown opens a German POW camp, Johanna seems like the perfect liaison between the prisoners and the staff. Spirited Jo refuses at first, but circumstances force her hand.

As Jo works with the prisoners and censors their letters, she begins to see the men as more than captured Nazis. They have loved ones left at home, pride in their families, and talents and interests in need of outlets. The town of Ironside Lake has mixed feelings about the POW camp, and most are dead set against it. Is there anything Jo can do to humanize the prisoners in the eyes of the town?

This epistolary novel is told through a variety of letters and newspaper articles. Most of the letters are between Johanna and her Japanese friend Peter Ito, who works with the Army giving a crash course on the Japanese language to American soldiers before they ship out. Jo relies on Peter to tell her the truth when her own opinions may get in the way of things.

Jo, Peter, the POWs, and the citizens of Ironside Lake are vividly and skillfully brought to life in a non-traditional but gripping format. I loved how the issues of the day were explored, especially the attitudes toward stateside POW camps and Japanese Americans. Johanna's personality in particular shines bright. I'd recommend this book for anyone who loves history and stories that are just a little bit different.

I received my copy of the book from the publisher. All thoughts in this review are my own.

What a fantastic book hard to put down. It is told entirely through letters and newspaper articles. This is my first book that I read by this author and will not be my last. The character's in the book are wonderful. Never thought I would even laugh at a book about POW camps but I did. This is well written and was very happy to be able to review it.

Wow. Just…wow. The questions this author raises hit the gut. So many times I found myself contemplating and wondering. ‘That is such a good point’ I found myself saying, pausing to let it all sink in. Like: How much of us is made up of choices, and how much are we the conditioning of society and circumstances? Who would we be—if we had been born somewhere else, with a different nation’s propaganda? [Not a direct quote] During a time of deep hatred, fear, and a war of cruel anti-Semitism, we look into the raw, dark, and gritty face of these questions and more…if we dare. We are reminded how imperfect is the heart of humanity.

Written entirely epistolary, I wasn’t entirely sure how my reading experience would go. This is my first epistolary novel, and I only became familiar with the term as a novel style a few months prior to being introduced to this particular story. But let me just say, my uncertainties were quickly expunged. The author has a way of making personalities jump off the page of their letters without the ability to describe or ‘show’ them in regular story form.

Johanna…goodness, she has stubborn sass, and I liked her immediately. She made me laugh with her ‘compliments’ and her excuses, even if all her actions weren’t necessarily admirable; even if she does seem a bit condescending and full of herself. Because it made her real and relatable. Nobody is perfect, and I think her backbone made her ready for the challenges she was being prepared to face.

The transition between letters/documents/etc was handled smoothly. Questions on the unexplained content (such as names mentioned and events) were soon answered and ‘filled in’ on those missing pieces without creating confusion or frustration. So don’t let the term “epistolary” cause you to shy away from giving this book a try—if that style is as new to you as it was for me. I found it intriguing and interesting, and easy to continue reading letter after letter, curious about the characters behind the pen and where their stories would lead them and how all would be concluded.

Though written in separate letter/document form, there are chapters. I thought the chapters were a bit long, but with all the ‘section breaks’ created naturally by this style, there are plenty of places to break if you only have a short amount of time in one sitting to read. I found myself with only small chunks of time on my hands, and rarely stopped at an official chapter break. At the same time, this was so easy to read and enjoyable, I often read much further than I intended!

Johanna starts out by saying there are two messages in every letter: that which is written on the lines and that which is written *between* those lines. [Not a direct quote] But it is a highlight-worthy quote that sets the stage for “Things We Didn’t Say” (and really what the title is all about, right?), because the author knows how to weave two stories: that which is written on the lines and that which is not said—sometimes, what we wish we had said. As the reader, you get to witness both those messages in the clues revealed seamlessly between the lines.

Coming to the conclusion, I felt all kinds of emotion; I came to cherish these characters and their stories, and felt the ending was satisfying if not bittersweet. I would have liked to see the other side of the war and how their futures unfolded, but then I suppose the book would have been far too lengthy.

I received a complimentary ARC from the publishers through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

What a surprising treat this one was! Wonderful story, told in the form of letters - about such an fascinating topic. A young woman, much to her own dismay, is assigned to a POW camp of Germans - because she speaks multiple languages and she's able to both read/translate their mail but also teach them English.

The reaction of the town to the POW camp was interesting too. Played out mainly through the local newspaper but also, again, relayed through letters, there are a lot of opinions and not a lot of compassion when it comes to the held men. This was a well written, well paced read and I loved it!

The style of writing for this title took a little time but was quite interesting view of this period of time. Things we didn't say comes into play with daily life and had great meaning to this story. Joanna truly fell into this as she seemed to be one who kept to herself. From the beginning and into each letter she seemed to grow into herself and give inspiration. Thank you NetGalley for this opportunity!

What a great book, and written in such an amazing way! The main character, Joanna, is like no other: She’s funny; at a times she’s insightful; yet at other times easily fooled; she’s quite the communicator; and has a heart for people that compels her to help in any way she can. She’s also been accused of treason, and as you follow her story, you’ll realize that Joanna is quite the heroine in her own, unique way. The setting for this story could have been presented in a one-sided, almost depressing way, but I loved the way this author allowed us to see all these characters as individuals with their own personalities and motivations.

I understand that this is Amy Lynn Green’s first novel, and if that’s true, I’m already a fan. Don’t miss this book!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Although at times the plot seemed to move a bit slow, I did find this book to be very interesting. My father-in-law actually remembers German POWs helping on their farm when he was a young boy. Since I myself studied Japanese, Jo’s character was very relatable to me. She has such spunk takes no guff from anyone. I would have loved to be fluent in several languages like she is! I could easily see myself living Jo’s life. Translating would have been my dream job, but , like Cornelia Knutson, I chose the better dream. Good book!

I received an advanced readers copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A beautiful and engrossing debut novel. I've been anxiously waiting Amy Green's debut novel and I absolutely loved it.
Johanna Berglund is a favorite heroine. She is smart, witty, having heart and depth.
Using the technique of letters, telegrams, notes; known as epistolary storytelling, Amy Green tells a beautiful story of what happened in the German POW camps.
Ms. Green packs so much in this 416 page novel; race relations, faith, lost friendships, and regrets. To think this is her debut novel makes the read even more stunning as well as inspiring.

If you're still adding books to your Christmas wish-list; you need to add this one! I highly recommend it!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book via the publisher. I was not required to write a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. This was such a powerful novel for me! I loved how the entire novel was told through letters as it gave glimpses into more than just the main characters ideas. The theme of kindness and treating others with dignity was well done! The authors research into this time period and POW camps in the US shows. I will definitely read more by this author!!!!! 5 stars!!!

Green has written a fine first novel. Judging by the writing, I wouldn’t have thought it her first. I enjoyed the epistolary format. The novel is thoughtful as well as suspenseful and entertaining. Johanna the main character is a strong, independent, young woman in her twenties who reaches important conclusions about people and her relationships. The action takes place in a small Minnesota town during World War II. The people in her township are resentful/afraid when a German POW camp is built near their town. Circumstances beyond her control force Johanna to leave her linguistics studies and temporarily become a translator at the camp. This makes her very unpopular with some of the people in her home town. I look forward to reading more by this author.

"Things We Didn't Say" was a very interesting, enjoyable, and thought-provoking book. The story is set in the fictional town of Ironside Lake, Minnesota in 1944 and early 1945. The town is going to be home to a German Prisoner of War camp, with the German prisoners worked as farm laborers. With WWII raging and many young men having enlisted, finding even farm workers is difficult. The decision to "host" this POW work camp is very controversial, especially as residents have loved ones who are fighting overseas or have been captured or killed, and because of rumors that the Axis powers, especially Japan, are not adhering to the Geneva Convention regarding treatment of POWs. The story opens with a letter from Johanna Berglund to her attorney regarding her being charged with POW-related crimes and indicating she is supplying all of the documents she can regarding her work at the camp. Johanna Berglund is the daughter of the mayor and she is fluent in multiple language, including German. She was studying languages at the University of Minnesota, with dreams of going to Oxford after graduating, and she preferred to spend her time reading books in their original languages, not socializing with others. Other than brief visits home to see her family, she has no desire to return to Ironside Lake. However, circumstances conspire against her and she ends up as the civilian translator for the camp. She resents being forced to take the job and resents being back in Ironside Lake, but over time she becomes an advocate for the prisoners, and seeks to make sure they are treated properly.

Reading this story makes me wonder how I would have reacted if I had been a resident of a town like Ironside Lake in 1944.. I would like to believe that I would have supported the presence of the German POWs and that I would have advocated for treating them respectfully. However, I don't know if that would have been the case. Assuming I had not enlisted myself, I would have surely had family and friends who were serving overseas, and probably some who had been wounded, killed, or were POWs. Knowing that the German POWs may have been responsible for injuring or killing family or friends would likely have made it hard to see them as something other than "the enemy", especially when one considers how strong the propaganda was from both the Allies and Axis countries.

The author does a good job of portraying that tension, but also how the opportunity to spend time around the German POWs resulted in some of the residents rethinking their views of Germans and realizing that these young men were really not that different from themselves or their brothers or sons. One aspect of the story is a weekly column written by staff or prisoners at the camp and published in the town paper. One of the most poignant columns is by a black man who is a kitchen worker, but also a musician, and who develops a friendship with one of the German prisoners, who is also a musician, bonding over their mutual love of music. As someone who faces discrimination because of his skin color, he is able to offer a perspective on the German POWs, who are hated because of their nationality (and status as enemy combatants), that is unique in this Minnesota town. Johanna Berglund is a wonderful character because she is so complex and fierce, loyal, and fiery, but yet she has a distorted view of herself, insisting that she cannot be a certain type of person or do certain things, although when forced to take on tasks she feels are beyond her, she excels, and unable to realize that the people who really know her and love her (both in a romantic sense and a friendship sense) see that she is much more than she believes.

In addition to the issue of fear and hatred towards the German POWs, the author also addresses prejudice against Japanese-Americans. One of Johanna's dearest friends is Peter Ito, who is Japanese-American and is a civilian instructor at a military training facility for Japanese-Americans, who are being trained as translators and interrogators, to be sent to the Pacific theater to collect intelligence on the Japanese war effort. Peter's family are in a "relocation" camp for much of the story. At the military training facility, there are Japanese-Americans who are much like Peter Ito and his family, but there are also a group of students from Hawaii, and there is tension between these two groups. In addition, there are some non-Asian Americans with an interest in Japanese, and they are considered outsiders, especially because the US military considers them "true" Americans and gives them ranks and titles that are not available or hard to obtain for Asian-American soldiers, especially Japanese-Americans. Even though many of the Japanese-Americans are second-generation Americans and have never been to Japan, there is fear and suspicion that they must sympathize with or even be loyal to Japan because of their heritage. That, of course, was the rationale behind the internment camps, a source of shame for America.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Dear Amy Lynn Green,

I just finished reading Things We Didn't Say and several adjectives are floating through my mind. Spectacular! Fabulous! Marvelous!

Each of these descriptions might sound over the top, yet how else can I describe a story that touched my heart, mind, and soul as yours has?

I have read other epistolary stories in the past but was not very impressed. I don't recall knowing before reading that you had chosen this style. When I first realized it, I panicked slightly! However, I quickly saw there was nothing to worry about as I was so quickly captivated by this lovely story.

In between laughing and tearing up, I was pondering the circumstances of your characters. A town asked to provide work for the enemy who killed many of her sons. And being expected to treat them humanely despite knowing the same courtesy wasn't extended to prisoners of war their country had taken. The second-generation Japanese man asked to help teach the country that sent his family to an internment camp. When he wrote of his experience after the bombing of Pearl Harbor at the hands of fellow Americans, my heart broke!

Jo was wonderful! I so enjoyed her quirky character and the way she came to life through her letters. It was evident that the people of her town had hurt her deeply and I was driven to read on to understand how. And why. Oh, and I simply had to find out why she was on trial for treason!

Despite her "prickly" nature, she truly was kind. Her fiery response to the townspeople when they were so reluctant to show anything other than hatred to the German prisoners revealed her tender heart. She truly turned her world upside down, didn't she!

My heart was touched by Jo's feelings of abandonment by God. What a tremendous friend and inspiration Peter was as he encouraged her in her faith. Or perhaps more accurately, her lack of faith. Her struggles throughout the story were so similar to those of people I know and it made me so glad for her to finally see that even when she wasn't aware of it, God was right there all along!

Her parents, her friends (all two of them!), and the people whose lives intersected hers are so real to me now. It was very clever how you presented the collection of writings from so many sources. The way you made them reflect the personalities of their authors was amazing! I think I could have known who had written each one without their signatures after a while.

Things We Didn't Say is one of the best stories I have read by a debut author, and one of the best stories I have read. Ever. I know it will remain in my mind and my heart for a good while to come.

I am eagerly awaiting another story from you!

Your newest fan,

Phyllis

The epistolary manner of writing and historical fiction are not my typical reading style; however, I was drawn to this book by the beautiful cover and the chatter I was hearing from others. I was not disappointed! Ms. Green’s debut novel is absolutely exquisite and brims with promise for future books.

I was immediately captured during the opening pages. The story is well researched making the stories and letters come to life. It is filled with humanity, doubt, faith, and hope that grips you leaving you changed as a reader. I look forward to more books from this masterful storyteller!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

Having grown up in NW Iowa, I have heard of the German POW camps there, but never visited. I heard more of the Japanese internment camps because my aunt was born in a camp in California. But looking into the German POW camps, I did not know there were so many, and one that held some of the high officers was right here where I live now. I think it would be an interesting stop on a trip back home to see this museum. My son loves history, so I think he would love it just as much.

This is the story of Johanna Berglund an interpreter at the German POW camp in Ironside Lake, Minnesota. She was to interpret the letters in to the soldiers and the ones soldiers wrote out of the camp. A very interesting story, especially when you bring in her friend Peter Ito, who was a Japanese American who taught intelligence at Fort Snelling in Minneapolis. It was also about the hurt that happened between families when a loved one is killed. Forgiveness, hatred, prejudice, and understanding are just a few of the feelings throughout the book.

The book is written entirely in letters between friends, people of the town, and the local newspaper. It was an interesting way, and one that I likes as a change of pace. I liked the book for a majority, I did not really connect with Johanna, I felt she was a bit harsh and not very personable. I am not sure I really liked her and Peter together either. In all it was an interesting read into the life, happenings, and the way of a German POW camp here in the states. Would recommend to my fellow readers and look forward to future works by Ms. Green.

Thank you to Netgalley, Bethany House/Bethany House Publishers, and Amy Lynn Green for this advanced copy.

Things We Didn’t Say is an unusual novel with an unusual heroine. Johanna Berglund, the main character, speaks seven languages (and is trying to learn Japanese) when she is “persuaded” to return to her hometown of Ironside Lake to serve as a translator for the Germans in the new prisoner of war camp.

Johanna finds herself accused of treason, and the novel is the collection of documents she prepares for her lawyer to prove her innocence—letters to, from, and about her, and a collection of newspaper articles, editorials, and letters to the editor. The letters show Johanna’s virtues and faults in her own eyes, and through the eyes of friends, family, and foe.

The best historical fiction uses historical events and characters to highlight issues in the present.
Things We Didn’t Say does a masterful job of examining racism and our often irrational feelings towards those who are different to us—whether they look like us or not. It’s also telling that Green has chosen to set her story in a small town that’s home to Americans of Scandinavian descent—people who sometimes look more Aryan than their German enemies, yet people who also discriminate against Japanese Americans and African Americans.

What often has the most impact isn’t the obvious themes of the story, but the offhand comments—like the US Constitution’s definition of treason, or the kitchen hand who owns a copy of “The Negro Motorist Green Book, with safe hotels, filing stations, and eateries marked.” I’ve read my share of travel guides, but they have all aimed to sort the good from the less-good, not the safe from the unsafe.

The unusual structure gives the novel a more slow-paced feel than a “normal” novel might have. It’s also easier to stop reading than in a novel written in more traditional chapters with the cliffhanger or hook at the end of each chapter. Letters have a different structure, and mean it is a little easier to put the novel down. But it’s also easy to pick up again, and to only read one or two letters at a time. If anything, reading slowly is more representative of the timescale covered in the novel.

The title is also apt, in that a lot of the story is hidden in the things the characters don’t say in writing—another reason to read it slowly. The Things We Didn’t Say is an excellent if unusual novel.

Recommended for historical fiction fans or those interested in a Christian novel written in a non-traditional style.

Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

What an AMAZING debut novel by Any Lynn Green! Honestly, I thiswas a little skeptical, but this quickly became one of my favorite books of 2020!

I have never read a book quite like this - It is written entirely in letters, telegrams, etc amongst the characters. It takes a couple of chapters to get used to this type of writing, but just keep reading - It is so unique and wonderful!

In this novel, you will get set down into the little town of Ironside Lake, Wisconsin during WWII. You will experience what it was like to live in a small, close-knit town hosting a POW camp. Wow! That was not something I had thought about!

The characters are so fun and I absolutely fell in love with them! Johanna (age 22) is one of my all-time favorite characters of 2020! She is spunky, candid, and mostly unconcerned with the cares of society. Such a refreshing character who is somewhat reminiscent of Anne Shirley.

Overall, this was a lighthearted, easy to read & follow, well-written novel full of surprises and laughs! I definitely can't wait to see what else Amy Lynn Green has in store! :)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I've talked about my love of letter writing before in reviews, as well as growing up with a dear grandmother (and others) who were my pen pals. I love stories that bring back those memories as well as inspire me to continue writing letters (or emails) to friends and family. I was also pretty obsessed with learning everything I could about WWII when I was younger, having had several family members serve in the military during the war. I felt such a great connection to them as I did so.

I loved the letters in the book and the way that they showed a greater depth and created a connection with the characters in the book. When done well, I really enjoy reading/listening to books that are written all through letters or have several letters throughout the story. I love the personalization of characters that creates. Johanna was a strong character whom I enjoyed watching grow and learn, especially as she stepped out of her comfort zone.

I followed an author chat about writing and letters that was really fun. Amy Lynn Green and several other authors whom I have read their books participated. It was fun to read more about the process of writing this book as well as some of the reasons why. It was also fun to ask questions about the book during the chat.

If you have a love of history, letters, well developed characters this is a book for you!

Content: Clean

I received a copy from the publisher, Bethany House, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

Small Town America during WWII becomes a hot bed of unease, intrigue and accusations when a POW camp is placed there and one of their own- a fiery, independent prodigal- returns to work at the camp as a translator. A debut epistolary novel captivated and I will feel the effects for some time to come.

Johanna Berglund is a brilliant linguistic student at the University of Minnesota with dreams of going to Oxford for further language studies. She is impulsive, outspoken, and can be abrasive with her abrupt social skills, but no one can doubt her abilities. This is why her professor is approached by the army and he easily recommends Johanna as does her great Japanese American friend, Peter Ito from over at the Ft. Snelling Language School. Johanna is being recruited to act as translator at the new POW camp of German prisoners being put up outside her home town for the purpose of the POWs put to work in the fields to replace the young men who went to war leaving farmers in a bad place for food production. The commander hopes that the fervor against the camp will die down if a home town girl is brought in to act as sensor for the POW mail, liaison with the POW rep, and as translator who can also keep an eye on what the prisoners are saying. Johanna does agree easily and has her private reasons for never wanting to go back home again. Too bad her parents, her friends, and even her anonymous scholarship sponsor are all set on her doing this. In the end, things go very wrong and lives are at stake.

Things We Didn't Say opens with a startling reason for why the heroine is gathering and reading through all her correspondence. Though, it's at the beginning, I'm not going to reveal what is going on so if others choose to read the book they get the full effect like I did. The reader gleans the story from these various pieces of correspondence- letters, memos, newspaper articles, reports, and notes.

There is a reason this epistolary form is not the most popular writing style for stories. It is tough for all the usual story elements to shine through to the reader without distraction, detachment, or under-development being issues. A few writers, however, shine in this format and this one just dazzles. Johanna is the main character, but her closest friends, Peter and Olive, her parents, and others back home, and the people at the camp are brought to vivid life as is the historical background and the setting. The big conflict gives an urgency to the story from the opening page and the reader knows to what all that is being written is leading to, but in the meantime, the story leading up to this takes over and the reader is plunged into Johanna's world.

I've read several WWII homefront stories and even a few set in and around internment camps, but this was my first that dealt with a POW camp that was there to work the local farms. I was fascinated by that part alone, but then this was paired with the linguistics side of the war effort and how Japanese Americans from the American mainland and those from the Hawaiian Islands studied and trained to be used in the Pacific Theater of the war. The author didn't pull punches on how it was for those who looked and sounded like the enemy, but were as loyally American as anyone else.

Johanna might be all sorts of prickly, but she had the generous gift to see past that stuff and embrace Peter Ito as dearest friend just as she saw those German prisoners as people and not monsters. This advocacy gift gets her into trouble really quickly when she begins working at the camp. So that editorials in the newspapers and whispers in town follow her.

At the beginning, I felt there was something of a mystery about the way Johanna was acting toward the Lutheran preacher and his daughter and I was curious what was behind it. It seems that the past with this family was at the crux of why she wanted nothing to do with her home.

Johanna was spunky and impulsive and lord did she get up a head of steam, but she's likeable and even when I wanted to snag her before she could go off half-cocked, I thought she was a game gal. I also felt her pain and what was holding her back. I loved seeing her private journey to peace and understanding herself happen along the way.

And, yes, this is an inspirational fiction so forgiveness, understanding, compassion, and relying on God as comfort and strength is woven into Johanna story. Peter was such a well of wisdom for her and the kind of friend who said the hard things in a gracious way. Johanna might have been far from God, but she could respect the advice and truths Peter shared particularly since he of all people couldn't be doubted when he talked of forgiveness and being understanding of others.

As the reader, I could see the train wreck coming for Johanna when she was blithely in ignorance and ignored warnings from others because she thought she knew best. And, to be fair to her, she was often the only one championing certain people so it was easy to see why she went on instinct and got a few pivotal people very wrong in their motives and actions. I had no idea how she was going to get out of her tight spot, but loved how it happened- what got her into the mess was also what got her out of it.

All in all, a brilliant, sparkling story full of all the good things including a subtle romance, a journey of the heart, and an intrigue during the WWII years. Those who enjoy historical fiction, light inspirational fiction, light historical romance, and suspense should give this one a try.

It’s not very often we meet a character that make you grind your teeth. It is rather difficult to say whether or not you will even like this character but the story is compelling as you look through her eyes. Perhaps that is the author’s intent. If so, job very well done Amy Lynn Green.
Johanna is difficult to describe. Rather snobbish, well educated, naïve and lacking society niceties. Abrupt most of the time. Sad part is Johanna is fully aware of her shortcomings. She doesn’t make a good impression lacking many social skills. In fact you just might be tempted to echo the feeling that she is a cold fish.
Johanna truly desired breaking ties with her hometown when leaving to attend college. Her ultimate goal is Oxford but World War II interrupted those plans. Johanna is less than pleased by this interruption and reminds us often. Johanna fluent in German is an excellent candidate to fill the position of translator. She finds herself back home to work with the German P.O.W.’s to translate and censor any and all of their communication. Johanna learns much about the prisoners in her camp. Part of her job is to alert the commanding officer of anything that might be construed as a breach of security.
Unfortunately Johanna comes off as rather whiny in her own personal writings. Which does not bode well for her character. She seems unable to recognize and accept a higher authority to her own in reference to her relationship with the P.O.W.’s, townsfolks, guards and officers. There are times when this otherwise intelligent young woman comes across as petulant.
Johanna becomes enmeshed in her newfound role as champion for these P.O.W.’s. It is her own stubbornness that actually sabotages her intentions which are to maintain a sense of humanity in the camp.
When reading THINGS WE DIDN’T SAY by Amy Lynn Green we go through a myriad of emotions ranging from sadness, anger, frustration all depending on your own vision of what is being revealed in all the correspondence. THINGS WE DIDN’T SAY is told through Johanna and her letter writing and censoring which is truly ingenious. We learn about what makes Johanna tick through the letters she writes to her own friends and family. We learn about her naivety through the actions during her censoring. I have to admit that THINGS WE DIDN’T SAY is one of the most compelling works I have ever read. It is at times difficult to read since much is revealed about a time we would certainly like to forget. But that is why it is important. We must never forget. So revisiting this time through Johanna’s eyes is absolutely riveting. I found myself at times exasperated with Johanna. Other times heart wrenchingly sad for her. Bravo to Amy Lynn Green in creating this character and in telling her story in THINGS WE DIDN’T SAY. Definitely a must read.

This story is told entirely through communication: letters, notes, and documents. The author did an excellent job in bringing forth the story in this style. Johanna was such a strong character and I enjoyed reading about her. I also learned about the POW camps in the Midwest which I was never aware of.
Many thanks to Bethany House and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

At first I didn't think I would like the letter writing style of story telling this book uses but after I got used to it I thought it was cleverly used especially when trying to conceal the twists in the plot. I could really identify with a lot of the what the main character represented but she wasn't super likable and I could also identify why she had conflicts with some of the people in the town. This book highlighted a lot of the issues with the differences in Japanese internment camps and POW camps and some of the spy hysteria of the time. It was an interesting concept and the story was well told!

When I was young one of my favorite books was one in which two best friends corresponded via letters. No other writing, the full story completely told in these letters back and forth. It's not a style that I see often, and so when I heard about this debut novel from Amy Lynn Green written as such, I could not wait to check it out. I must admit however, it didn't immediately live up to my expectations. The letters making up this book were written primarily between Johanna and various others. As such, there were many characters to keep track of and at the beginning, I did find it a bit hard to keep everything straight. If I were to be entirely honest, I almost stopped reading several times throughout. Still, we learn very early on that some of these correspondences are evidence in a trial for treason and so I must admit that that knowledge kept me reading to find out exactly how that came about. I was so glad that I'd not given up, as I found that the further into the story I went, the more I enjoyed it.

I read a lot of books taking place during and around the time of WWII, but this one was completely unique from any others I'd read... and not just because of the style. In this story, we meet Johanna as she has taken an assignment as a translator at a camp for German POWs here in the US. This is not a topic that I have ever heard much about, and found it truly fascinating to learn more about. It made for a truly intriguing story. I can't say much without giving too much away, but it certainly offered a unique perspective on the war on the Homefront. I also felt like there were themes within this story that are still quite timely for today. Overall, this was a great read and one that fans of WWII fiction are certainly going to want to check out!

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts are my own.

This was a great story. Recently I have been planning a trip cross country to Colorado, and one of the places I will be driving past off on old hwy 385/50 is the Amache Japanese-American camp. So this story helped bring that place to life. If anything, it makes me determined to convince hubby to stop and do a drive thru of the museum.

I enjoyed the way the author brought emotion and feelings into the words, melded them in a way that it made me a part of her life during that time period. I will be rereading this book after visiting Amache and see the comparisons.

Well written and look forward to reading more.

I laughed. I cried. I fell in love.
This is the first book I've ever read by Amy Lynn Green and I daresay it won't be my last. Writing style is a big selling point for me and she nailed it and had me excited to continue from chapter 1. Historical Fiction used to be my jam. It was the only genre I read for close to 3 years. I veered off last year and have read solely fantasy, but for some reason, grabbed this one. It didn't disappoint.

I really enjoyed this book. Thank you to NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

This book is written in letter/documentation format which I always enjoy. It makes for a fast read. I also enjoyed reading about a part of WWII history that I knew nothing about. I didn’t know there were POW camps in the US. I feel like I’m constantly questioning my education. Thank goodness for authors who explore the non-traditional war stories.

I loved Johanna. She is a strong female character that you can’t help but fall in love with and want to stand up for her as well.

There were several very good, touching, lines within the story that resonated with me very personally. For that, I thank the author. I love when a book touches us in ways we didn’t even know we needed.

You wouldn't think Things We Didn't Say was a debut novel, as Amy Lynn Green has created a wonderful story told through letter correspondence (akin to The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society). I also thought this was a refreshing WWII point of view, as our protagonist, Johanna is asked by the US Army to work as a translator American German POW camp. As Johanna interacts with the men at the camp, she begins to empathise with them. With the added treason aspect, this book kept me guessing until the end. I'd recommend this novel to people looking for historical fiction with a Christian undertone.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC - all opinions are my own.

While I've been a longtime fan of World War II fiction, it can be difficult to find a book that feels new and fresh. However, this exemplary story told through documents, notes, letters, and other epistles immediately stood out from others in its genre.
Headstrong and clever Johanna has been accused of treason, with many viewing her correspondence with a Japanese American man, Peter, as a sure sign of her suspected guilt. If anything, Johanna is filled with the naivety of youth, eager to see the good and look past what she's been told so that she can find the truth for herself. Her witty recollections and laugh out loud banter and corrections to her own letters show that she's a woman who delights in life, even when times are hard and she is battling uncertainty.
As can be expected from the premise, the tension mounts, and the reader fears for the life of more than one character. But just as hurtful are the accusations thrown around by citizens of Johanna's town, as seen by the included letters to the editor of the local paper. Both Johanna and Peter, at least from their letters, appear to be attempting to keep their hopes up and their heads above water as the danger escalates, but the under riding fear is palpable nonetheless.
I alternated from soaking in the dialogue that felt natural to the time and brought to mind the sophisticated back and forth conversations from my favorite classic movies to feeling my hackles rise at the many instances of injustice. Johanna's work as a translator at a POW camp was fascinating and shined a light on a part of our history many seem to have forgotten about. Her character grows and matures during the book, but she never loses her spark or her ability to remain true to her own personal convictions. Four stars for this engaging and novel tale.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a complimentary advance copy. This did not impact my rating.

Intriguing from the first lines, revelatory of life beyond a single soul, and gripping in it's scope of love and war and story. This is a book to be savored.

What a wonderful novel written by Amy Lynn Green! This novel is written in the form of letters, an epistolary novel, and is a wonderful reminder to never leave important things unsaid. Set during WWII, Johanna returns home to hostilities like she never imagined in her small hometown. While trying to bridge the gap between citizens and prisoners, the lines between patriotism and treason become blurred for Johanna. It doesn't help her case that one of her dearest friends is a Japanese American. Will Johanna be found guilty of treason, or will she be vindicated?

It is hard to believe this is Ms. Green's first novel and I will definitely be on the lookout for future novels from her!

Today’s book review is a bit overdue! I got behind during the month of December, so count on several new reviews coming your way over the next few weeks. Even though I didn’t get around to posting about it, The Things We Didn’t Say by Amy Lynn Green was one of the best Christian fiction books I read in 2020.

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. I received a copy of this book through NetGalley.


SUMMARY
Johanna Berglund is a headstrong young woman with a lot of ideas and plans for her life. And none of them involve returning to her hometown of Ironside Lake, Minnesota. But circumstances are against her, and she is forced to return home.

Her training as a linguist makes her the perfect translator at a German POW camp outside of her hometown. It also sets her up to receive a lot of disapproval from the townspeople.

The POWs turn out to be different than Johanna expected. As she censors their letters, she sees them in a different light. She becomes an advocate for them, which makes her a target for criticism and even hatred in the town.

While Johanna thinks she’s wise, she’s very naive about the POWs, and at least one person knows it. When the worst happens, and Johanna is accused of treason, she’ll have to use her own letters to try to prove her innocence.

THINGS WE DIDN’T SAY REVIEW
First, I want you to know that I did not give away a major plotline of Things We Didn’t Say by telling you that Johanna is accused of treason. The book opens with a letter to her attorney, stating her case, and telling why the reader is about to dive into a bunch of seemingly random letters.

It’s really a genius beginning. From there, readers have the opportunity to read the letters, and judge for ourselves if Johanna is guilty.

Johanna is young, but she thinks she’s so smart and has all the answers. I actually found her attitude to be really off-putting. She was so smug and condescending.

But I came to realize that’s really the point of the book. To see how her experiences changed her.

The book is composed completely of letters. Not everyone can pull off such a book, and it doesn’t work for every situation. But I thought it was really well-done in Things We Didn’t Say.

Reading the letters gives so many different viewpoints of the same events. And while the reader can see Johanna’s foolishness, I think we can also see why she made her decisions.

Of course, the best part is Johanna’s letters to her friend, Peter Ito, a Japanese-American language instructor for the military. Johanna complains and Peter encourages all the way up until…well, I won’t tell you. You’ll have to read to see.

I guess I’ve always known that there must’ve been German POW camps in the United States during WWII. But I never really gave them much thought.

As I read Things We Didn’t Say I realized I probably would’ve felt the same way about those camps as the townspeople did. I can imagine those mothers, whose sons were being abused in Japan and Germany.

How dare Johanna advocate for these men to attend church, while their sons weren’t even being fed?

But reading the POW letters also makes you see them as real people, too. Many of them didn’t want to even fight the war. They only wanted to go home.

I think we’re also really far removed from how fearful people were during that time. Most Americans had a close relative fighting, and many of them didn’t come home.

Reading these letters really shows what many people felt during those long war years. It brought it home in a new way for me.

Things We Didn’t Say had a lot of eye-opening moments for me. It’s a book that will really make you dig down and think. What would I have done differently? How might I have felt if I’d been there?

This is Amy Lynn Green’s first book. It’s one of the best debut novels I’ve ever read. I honestly can’t recommend it enough.
PS.--If you loved The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, you're going to like this book!

This novel begins by dropping the reader in the middle of the heroine's troubles: she is being charged with treason. The rest of the novel unfolds with letters, articles, and other documents revealing how Johanna ended up in this predicament. I think the author was very clever in how she used the epistolary style to reveal the story, layer by layer. Honestly, Johanna was not the most likable character--although her self-deprecating humor was funny at times--she could also be a bit harsh and sarcastic to others. So reading her thoughts allowed me to have some sympathy for her. I really enjoyed the mix of various supporting characters who challenged her, supported her, or galvanized her into action. It was interesting to learn about the German POW camps and about what Japanese-Americans experienced during this time. I appreciated the realistic faith element and Johanna's spiritual journey. Overall, this was an intriguing and eye-opening novel, even if the epistolary style is not my preference. I believe this is the author's debut novel so I'd be interested in reading what she writes next!
* I received this book free of charge from NetGalley.

The title of this book is so fitting. Told completely through correspondence sent and unsent, as well as newspaper articles and editorials, the story unfolds just as much from what is written as what is left unsaid between the lines.

Joanna Berglund reluctantly returns to her hometown leaving behind her language studies at the University of Minnesota to fulfill the requirements of her scholarship with patriotic service working as a translator for a German POW camp in her hometown. Joanna has a gift for language, and a passion to take her education as far as she can, she can be stubborn and blunt, which often puts her at odds with the townspeople of which her father is mayor. She writes many letters over the course of the book, but the ones that form the framework of the story are the ones between her and her dear friend Peter Ito, a second generation Japanese American, who is serving his country as a language teacher for military intelligence.

Peter is easily my favorite character in this book, he takes things as they come, he loves his country, but struggles with how America has treated him and his family. He is the perfect temper to Joanna's flame, I loved how they both encourage each other and bring out the best in each other. I admired his hope, honesty, and strong faith in God.

Compelling and well executed, I was skeptical when I first learned that the story would be told completely through letters, but it works well in this story, and I liked that it left parts to be filled in by my imagination. I loved how Joanna is most honest in her letters to Peter, and that this book addresses the tough questions that Joanna struggles with, like prejudice, justice, and loving our enemies. In short I liked that she had questions, and challenges the pat answers. Everything comes together with a stunning ending that had me glued to the page.

Overall, a worthy read that stuck with me long after I'd turned the last page, with a hero and heroine that I could cheer for throughout. I will definitely be reading more books from this author in the future!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

It is 1944, and Johanna Berglund has been accused of treason. She submits in her defense a collection of letters that will prove her innocence. The letters begin with Johanna as a linguistics student at the University of Minnesota. Fluent in German and several other languages, she is recommended to work as a translator at an Army POW camp near her home. She flatly refuses because she has other plans and dreams of going to Oxford. Pressure from the government and her parents eventually forces her to go. She begins her work as a translator and starts to enjoy it, despite criticism from some of the local populace about “aiding the enemy.” She is given more responsibility and asked to teach an English class, and she starts to feel compassion for the prisoners. When a nefarious plot causes untrue accusations against Johanna, she learns to truly lean on God.

This is an epistolary novel, comprised completely of letters, articles, and other written communication. We watch Johanna’s character develop from a rather vain and secluded student to to a woman of faith, although it takes some hard times to get her there. We meet her friends, family, and community, and we watch her grow as a person. And we learn that there were, in fact, German POW camps in the United States during World War II. I was captivated by this book, which was so well written that the personalities of the characters shone, and their individual nuances were conveyed expertly through their letters. I don’t think many writers can share such an amazing story and well developed characters in epistolary style, so I was surprised that this is Amy Lynn Green’s debut novel. I cannot wait to see what she writes next.

I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House via Netgalley and Historical Novels Review Magazine. My opinions are my own.

I found this book fascinating as I've never come across a book that delves into prisoner of war camps like this one does. I enjoyed the format, with the book being told in letters which I hadn't experienced since Love, Rosie. Things We Didn't Say is a must read for any and all fans of WW2 romance.

I recently finished Amy Lynn Green’s debut historical fiction novel THINGS WE DIDN’T SAY, and although it’s her debut release it didn’t read like a first novel (and indeed she has written other books before that just haven’t been published) — it reads like she has been writing historical fiction for years. Not only do readers learn in this novel about stateside Midwest-based POW camps during WWII, namely in Minnesota, they see them through the eyes of the staff, the prisoners, and the town residents where the camps are located. It is an assumingly little known subject that many may not know about, with POW camps overseas usually more commonly referenced and written about. On top of that, Green layers the complexity even further by alluding to and discussing the Japanese internment camps here as well due to Peter, one of the main characters of Japanese descent, having parents and a sister held there. A thought-provoking juxtaposition is created, examining Americans’ mixed and highly charged reactions to having enemy German soldiers stationed amongst their midst yet at the same time many of those Americans may similarly have loved ones in opposing POW camps overseas that they would hope and wish would be treated well in turn. Yet at the same time allied battles are being fought against axis powers who believe in eugenics theories and a superior master race, imprisonment injustices and discrimination were occurring here on American soil against many of its own Japanese American citizens due to their lineage connection to an enemy Japanese power. The author has shone a spotlight on a stage in history that raises many ethical, moral, and internal questions and struggles the reader must confront, but also delves into the difficult facets of forgiveness. In a similar vein that HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET by Jamie Ford heightened awareness and knowledge of the Japanese American internment camps here during WWII, Amy Lynn Green’s THINGS WE DIDN’T SAY will do the same for POW camps here. Not only raising consciousness regarding this period in our history to readers across the nation, but I imagine even bringing attention to events and places in Minnesota and Iowa that its current inhabitants may not be even informed a lot about.

Another unique feature of this novel is the epistolary nature of it. I think that this feature could be polarizing to some readers - some may love it, while others may truly not like it. Sometimes a letter format can be distracting and interrupt or seem to affect the flow of a novel, making it hard for some readers to ‘get into’ a book. I too found it hard at first with this novel; but eventually it started to seem more natural and less noticeable. However, regardless of readers opinions’ for or against its epistolary format, I would hope all could acknowledge on an extra degree of respect or admiration for this debut author tackling the extra challenges and difficulty that particular format can sometimes bring. I admire Amy Lynn Green for incorporating her love of letters into this book and recognize her talent for doing so.

Indeed I am curious as to what the subject of her next novel may be and am interested in her background in publishing and the effect on this and future books. Amy Lynn Green is a debut author to watch out for, and I (among I’m sure many many others) can’t wait to see what she does next!

Things We Didn’t Say is an impressive debut. The well conceived story positions Green as a promising historical romance author.

Brilliant language student Johanna Berglund is forced home from university to work as a translator in a German PoW camp in Minnesota. The facility’s commander hoped she could mollify the unhappy townspeople as she’s also the mayor’s daughter. However, Johanna chafes at the disruption to her education.

The book is an epistolary novel, which means told only through written communication. The vast majority of the correspondence is between Johanna and her friend Peter Ito. Peter is a Japanese American working as an instructor at a military intelligence school. There’s also a series of letters to the editor of the local newspaper, written by a variety of town residents. Then there’s a collection of columns written by the inmates and translated by Johanna.

Most of the way through the book, I thought I saw the end coming. About three quarters of the way through, things take a very interesting turn. Peter is accused of being a defector and Johanna defends him, but is put at risk herself.

There’s a particular skillset involved in writing such a novel as Things We Didn’t Say. Green has handled the discipline extremely well. For lovers of the World War II era, this is a great book, written in an interesting manner, showing a side of the war that few others have tackled.

To read an excerpt or buy a copy, click here…

Connect with Amy Lynn Green’s website here…

Author Amy Green writes a story that is solely letters written from Johanna to others, and back again. Such a unique way of writing a story, we learn about the places and the people completely from their letters. No traditional descriptions are necessary.

Green takes on real issues including war and racism, yet does it with such grace that you are willing to face the truth. Sprinkle in humor, faith, and hope and you have a great read. If you enjoy historical fiction I recommend Things We Didn’t Say.

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

What would your correspondence reveal about you? Could someone piece together the essence of your day-to-day life, thoughts, and motives from the things you sent by letter? And what might the things you left out also reveal about you?

Johanna has plans for her life and dreams of traveling overseas. Nowhere in those dreams was the prospect of returning to her Minnesota hometown. But with some external pressure, she finds herself taking the position of translator at a POW camp. Her job of censoring letters is far from glamorous and her outspoken views get her into trouble on more than one occasion. Part of the mystery of the book for the reader is constructing her life and relationships with prisoners, family, and childhood friends from her letters alone.

The book offers a fascinating view of the war from the perspective of German prisoners as well as through journalistic eyes when Johanna tangles with the local editor a time or two. Johanna has spunk and determination and manages to raise morale by helping to advocate for the prisoners at the camp.

Kindness can sometimes be misinterpreted and Johanna finds herself in a situation where her own words may be used against her. The backdrop of war adds to the angst of a young woman trying to figure out where she belongs in the world and what dreams are worth fighting for.

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of Things We Didn't Say from NetGalley for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

This is another WWII novel but it is much different from any of the others that I've read in that it occurs in Minnesota in a German POW camp. The story is told through a series of letters, newspaper articles, letters to the editor and narration by the main character, Johanna.

The characters are wonderful and interesting. Johanna is the outspoken daughter of the Mayor of her small town, and a U of MN student who is fluent in German and studying to be an interpreter when she is "selected" to give up her dreams of an overseas position in order to work at a POW camp in her hometown.

Her friend, Peter, is a first generation Japanese student from the U of MN who becomes a language instructor at a school for US military intelligence officers. His parents have been interned in a Japanese camp, although they lived and worked in California prior to the war.
We find out early in the book that Johanna is accused of treason and the story develops the events that lead up to this accusation.

I am not usually a fan of WWII Christian historical fiction, but this story and the characters have definitely changed my mind. Although I was born in the Midwest after the war, I never knew that there were POW camps there. I was interested to read that the prisoners worked on planting an harvesting crops (while the native sons of the town were off fighting the war). The book describes the treatment of the prisoners, their meals, opportunities to learn and go to church, and the entertainment provided for them.
While the townsfolk were not too accepting of the POWs, they mostly recognized the good that they did in the situation by helping with the harvest. It does beg the question, though - do we allow our fears and biases to color our behavior or do we choose to accept one another and make the best of the situation.
The book brings up the strain of losing someone to war and being separated from friends and family and everything familiar, but it also looks at patriotism, duty, prejudice and discusses these issues in letters to the editor.

The thing we didn't say were expressed in the letters that Johanna censored between the prisoners and their homeland (and vice versa). Every letter had 2 messages - the one written out in the letter and the ones between the lines. I liked that the author described the POWs as young men and made each of the individuals with unique talents and dreams, rather than just describing them as the "bad guys" who were rough and resentful of their situation.

Amy Lynn Green has managed to pen such emotion, history, and character into this epistolary novel, which is not easy for a seasoned author, let alone a debut author. Through letters, newspaper articles/commentaries, and legal documents I was easily able to picture the story and characters in my mind. Their trials, tragedies, triumphs, and everything in between. I am simply amazed at the way Green was able to do that!

Things We Didn't Say covers such a dark time in history, and yet somehow Green was able to shed a little light. To remind us that even the "bad guys" are just people. People trying to defend their country, protect their family, or do what they are told. People that cry out to the Lord, have fun, and converse with you. She put so much thought and effort into every part of this book, and through our heroine Johanna, made me see the "bad guys" in a different light. It caught me by surprise, and quite frankly took the wind out of me.

This poignant historical novel is one that will stay with me for years to come. I highly recommend reading it. Be prepared for all the emotions to come at you, and even a few surprises! I can't wait to see what Green brings us next! I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

I’ll admit that I was a little nervous to read this book because I’ve never read an expository novel before, but I was surprised after a few chapters to find myself getting into a rhythm that allowed the story to flow quite naturally. I really liked Johanna and her tender yet fiercely strong heart as she tackled a task of compassion despite resistance from her townspeople. I think the style of writing allowed me to get closest to Johanna. I did really like learning about the history and thought the novel was well researched. I also liked the spiritual themes artfully woven into the story without being preachy. Overall, this was an interesting and enjoyable novel and I look forward to what the author will pen next!

I received a complimentary ecopy of this book from Netgalley and Bethany House Publishers. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

The format of the story is in letters from one person to another. Our main characters are Peter, a Japanese heritage, American-born soldier who is working at a language and culture school during the war plus Johanna Berglund who serves as a German translator at a POW camp in her hometown in Minnesota. Through the letters the reader encounters the xenophobia, the war angst, the US-based camps for POWs and the detention centers where Japanese Americans were herded.
It takes a bit to get used to the letter format and there is a little jumping around of the letter dates. Once you settle in, though, you get a fantastic look at the era.

What I Loved:
Things We Didn’t Say is of my favorites of the year and already on my reread list. I thought telling it as an epistolary was absolutely brilliant!
Being an epistolary means it’s not a classic narration, but that the entire story is told through letters. I personally love epistolaries, but it’s not always easy for everyone to read. I’ll confess that I did struggle to find my footing in the first few letters. There are just so many characters you’re introduced to so quickly. But once I felt grounded in the story, I didn’t have any more problems. So if you’re new to epistolaries and you find yourself lost at first, just keep reading. Things will level out soon, and you wouldn’t want to miss this wonderful novel.
I was smitten with the characters right away and was in no hurry for this story to end. And I was blown away by some of the twists that Green managed to tuck away in this plot that seemed rather straightforward at first. I was certainly on the edge of my seat toward the end.
I can’t praise this one enough, and I’m looking forward to whatever Green has for us next!


Rating and Recommendations: I’m giving Things We Didn’t Say 5 stars. I highly recommend it to those looking for Christian historical, WWII fiction, or Christian epistolary.

~ I received a copy from NetGalley. All thoughts are my own. I was not compensated for this review or required to give a favorable one.

When I read the description of Things We Didn't Say, I knew I wanted to read this debut novel. I haven't seen any books before about the camps of German POWs. I was amazed at how well this author pulled together those camps, the Japanese who were interned in camps, and the attitudes of American citizens. It is written in epistolary style, with the story told entirely through letters and newspaper accounts.
Johanna was perfectly happy studying languages and literature at the University of Minnesota. Then, she received an unexpected letter: A POW camp is being set up at her hometown of Ironside Lake, Minnesota. They need a translator to help with communication with the German prisoners and to censor their letters. No way is she going to quit her beloved studies and have to interact with people, especially in her hometown! Then, she is informed that the anonymous person who is financing her scholarship has added a new requirement, which effectively forces Johanna into taking the job of translator.
As the summer wears on, Johanna keeps pouring out her frustrations to her friend Peter, a Japanese language teacher whose family, as Japanese Americans, are interned in a camp. Johanna works hard to try to get her fellow townspeople to see the German POWs as fellow humans, but she gains more and more enemies. Eventually, she finds herself accused of treason! What can she do?
I really enjoyed Things We Didn't Say. It is quite well-done. The letters are an effective way to naturally tell a story. It was quite interesting to see how public opinion changed, and was influenced by the local newspaper. I liked the glimpses of life in the Japanese camps, too. I also liked that this book wasn't focused on romance! There was a gentle romance, but it was not a main thrust of the book.
I received a review copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.
WARNING: Golly appears twice in the book, and heck once.

Written as a series of letters and newspaper articles, "The Things We Didn't Say" by Amy Lynn Green tells the story of an American girl Johanna Berglund who has a Japanese American friend and pen pal Peter that is training American soldiers during WWII to learn Japanese in preparation of going to the war in the Pacific. She is also hired to serve as a German translator to German POW's in rural Minnesota.

The book at the beginning starts out slow and the letter format is hard to get used to but after the first few chapters the story picks up and is much easier to follow. The ending is excellent and there are twists and turns along the way that lead to an excellent end to the story. I liked the perspective from the townsfolk from Minnesota, the German POW's and a Japanese American who joins up with the American army to fight in the Pacific. It is unique in that it is set in the United States whereas most WWII novels published are set in Europe. I recommend this novel to readers of the WWII novel genre.

Things We Didn't Say by Amy Lynn Green is a mesmerizing novel, told entirely with letters. It is a fascinating look at World War II in a place not often examined: in the United States POW camps. This work is brilliant on many levels. The storytelling through letters is successful, which is a feat on it own. But the topic of POWs and the issues around treating people a certain way only because of their race-- this is an important topic and a time in history we cannot afford to forget. This novel is amazing and will be devoured by readers of historical fiction. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

I could not put this book down. This book offers the type of reading where you neglect the sink full of dishes and go to bed past your bedtime. The type of reading where you have to put your hand over the page so you don't spoil it for yourself. The BEST kind of reading. Midwest America during WW2 our heroine, Johanna serves in a POW camp censoring letters. Her dearest friend, Peter is miles and miles away facing his own battles. How will this small town adjust to new visitors? Have tissues at the ready and stock up on stamps. I guarantee you will want to send out some snail mail after reading this epistolary novel.

I realize how late I am in reviewing this book, but wow. How iconic. I shouldn’t give away too much but I was not expecting the last few pages at all. The format being in mostly letters back and forth was a change, but a very welcome one for a nosy person like me. Safe to say I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and look forward to seeking it out at my local bookstore.

What a treat this was! I loved that the chapters were written as letters - always a fun and unique way to tell a story and help the reader form an intimate bond with the characters. A really great historical fiction read!

I will never write a review that does this book justice. Amy Lynn Green balances well witty banter, humour, but also serious and important subjects. this is a very timely book. One that will linger within me for a while.

I enjoyed getting a glimpse into the struggles and joy's, Johanna faced during the war. She was an interesting character and would have made a good friend. It was fun to watch her intereact with others and gave me a different perspective on the war. I like how Amy Lynn Green weaved the Lord's truth throughout this book. The reader can learn along with the characters these truth.

I listened to part this book as an audiobook. I thought the narraror did a good job. It was easy for me to understand and follow.

I recommend this book to my family and friends.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

I found Things We Didn't Say by Amy Lynn Green to be a wonderful story. I am giving it a five plus stars. I look forward to more like this one from the author in the future.

Thank you NetGalley! This was a great story. I ,love anything WW2. This one is a little different take than many other WW2 stories. Highly recommended!

As a Minnesota native I was interested in reading this book. Johanna ends up becoming a translator at a German POW camp when her scholarship to study linguistics is taken away. She reluctantly returns to her hometown to server as a translator and letter writer for the prisoners at the camp. Because of her camp work and evolving thoughts on who the enemy really is she is eventually is accuse of treason. The story is presented in a series of letters between Joanna and Peter and touches on what life was like for those who were imprisoned in internment camps and what it was like to be the persons working in those camps. I enjoyed this story and look forward to more titles from this author. I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.