Title: The Things We Cannot Say
Author: Kelly Rimmer
Publisher: 26th February 2019 by Hachette Australia
Pages: 432 pages
How I Read It: ARC book
Genre: historical fiction, WWII
My Rating: 5 crowns
Synopsis:
2019 Life changed beyond recognition for Alice when her son, Eddie, was born with autism spectrum disorder. She must do everything to support him, but at what cost to her family? When her cherished grandmother is hospitalised, a hidden box of mementoes reveals a tattered photo of a young man, a tiny leather shoe and a letter. Her grandmother begs Alice to return to Poland to see what became of those she held dearest.
WWII Alina and Tomasz are childhood sweethearts. The night before he leaves for college, Tomasz proposes marriage. But when their village falls to the Nazis, Alina doesn't know if Tomasz is alive or dead.
2019 In Poland, separated from her family, Alice begins to uncover the story her grandmother is so desperate to tell, and discovers a love that bloomed in the winter of 1942. As a painful family history comes to light, will the struggles of the past and present finally reach a heartbreaking resolution?
Inspired by the author's own family history, The Things We Cannot Say unearths a tragic love story and a family secret whose far-reaching effects will alter lives forever.
My Thoughts
Wow. Just ... wow! I couldn’t put this book down and by the end I was a crying mess. This is a dual time narrative (a fave of mine) and BOTH stories are just so powerful with incredible interwoven connections. It’s been some time that such a book has touched me so deeply. The talent of this author is incredible as Kelly incorporates so many diverse themes - history, contemporary, women and domestic issues with a heartfelt love story that will linger long after the last page is turned.
‘There’s an odd sensation within my chest—the splintering and shattering of something precious that had been straining under pressure for years. Truths unspoken are falling out all over the place today, and it turns out there is a straw that’s just too heavy for this old camel to carry.’
The story alternates between Alice, in the present day and her grandmother, Alina in Nazi occupied Poland at the start of WWII. To have two such emotionally charged reads is quite a feat, all tied together with the threads of family. Both stories are that strong that they could have been independently told, but the true power comes in the familial links that will break your heart. To fuse contemporary and historical - modern day issues with the horrors of Nazi invasion - and do it that well, is incredible. I am in awe of Kelly’s writing finesse.
‘Life has a way of shattering our expectations, of leaving our hopes in pieces without explanation. But when there’s love in a family, the fragments left behind from our shattered dreams can always be pulled together again, even if the end result is a mosaic.’
The sad story of Poland’s history, surrounding the WWII era, is beyond comprehension - almost six million Polish citizen deaths during during those years. Against such a backdrop is the story of Alina and Tomasz, childhood sweethearts, and their fight for survival. Come to present day and Alice’s daily struggles are heightened when her grandmother asks her to return to Poland to uncover answers to questions of long ago. When she eventually makes that journey, not only past but present dilemma’s all come to a head. How will it all play out?
‘This moment is an investment in myself. I’m giving myself permission to make a memory that benefits no one but me. I love being a mother, and I love being a wife. I even love being a daughter and a granddaughter. But as I stand here on the mountaintop, I’m not any of those things. I am simply Alice, and for one breathtaking moment, I’m completely present.’
I do not doubt that ‘The Things We Cannot Say’ will be high on my list of 2019 unforgettable reads. The brilliant fusion of genres will pull readers in and sit with you for some time after you have finished. This is my first Kelly Rimmer, but based on her storytelling I am eager to read more. A war story, yes - but it is so much more. This tale encapsulates love and loss, strength and courage and the tale of two women, separated by time, but rising to meet the challenges before them.
“Our love is bigger than this war—I promise you that.”
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
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