The Things We Cannot Say: A WWII Historical Fiction Novel
Product ID: 75428434
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OVER 1 MILLION COPIES SOLD! The New York Times bestseller--for fans of All the Light We Cannot See and The Tattooist of Auschwitz ! From the bestselling author of Truths I Never Told You, Before I Let You Go , and the The Warsaw Orphan , Kelly Rimmer's powerful WWII novel follows a woman's urgent search for answers to a family mystery that uncovers truths about herself that she never expected. "Fans of The Nightingale and Lilac Girls will adore The Things We Cannot Say ." --Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author In 1942, Europe remains in the relentless grip of war. Just beyond the tents of the refugee camp she calls home, a young woman speaks her wedding vows. It's a decision that will alter her destiny...and it's a lie that will remain buried until the next century. Since she was nine years old, Alina Dziak knew she would marry her best friend, Tomasz. Now fifteen and engaged, Alina is unconcerned by reports of Nazi soldiers at the Polish border, believing her neighbors that they pose no real threat, and dreams instead of the day Tomasz returns from college in Warsaw so they can be married. But little by little, injustice by brutal injustice, the Nazi occupation takes hold, and Alina's tiny rural village, its families, are divided by fear and hate. Then, as the fabric of their lives is slowly picked apart, Tomasz disappears. Where Alina used to measure time between visits from her beloved, now she measures the spaces between hope and despair, waiting for word from Tomasz and avoiding the attentions of the soldiers who patrol her parents' farm. But for now, even deafening silence is preferable to grief. Slipping between Nazi-occupied Poland and the frenetic pace of modern life, Kelly Rimmer creates an emotional and finely wrought narrative. The Things We Cannot Say is an unshakable reminder of the devastation when truth is silenced...and how it can take a lifetime to find our voice before we learn to trust it. Don't miss Kelly Rimmer's newest novel, The Paris Agent , where a family's innocent search for answers brings a long-forgotten, twenty-five-year-old mystery featuring two female SOE operatives comes to light! For more by Kelly Rimmer, look for Before I Let You Go Truths I Never Told You The Warsaw Orphan The German Wife The Midnight Estate Review: An absorbing read - I loved this book which I found gripping and I couldn't put it down, especially as I was about half way through. I enjoyed the past and present stories equally, though the past doesn't gloss over any of the horror. And nor should it; we must never, ever forget the atrocities in the hope they will not be repeated. Having been to Krakow myself I enjoyed picturing it in my head as I read the descriptions. However, the one thing I HATED was the author's over use of italics, often where they were not at all necessary. When reading a book one naturally puts emphasis where is is needed, and to have these italics dotted about willy nilly was very distracting. Review: Very moving and a relevant reminder to never forget - When I started reading this I thought this isn't going to be as good as The Nightingale (although the latter was magnificent). In my opinion it was better. I was brought to tears a couple of times and made me reflect in comparison, to the small ways that Nazi beliefs and doctrines started, to the horrors that unfolded. In my opinion what is slowly being repeated now with Reform, in the UK. This book needs to be read. It's written from two familial narratives and takes us into two worlds. We must never forget.
| Best Sellers Rank | 462,199 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) 52 in Jewish Fiction 406 in War Story Fiction 1,286 in Women Writers & Fiction |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 63,793 Reviews |
R**T
An absorbing read
I loved this book which I found gripping and I couldn't put it down, especially as I was about half way through. I enjoyed the past and present stories equally, though the past doesn't gloss over any of the horror. And nor should it; we must never, ever forget the atrocities in the hope they will not be repeated. Having been to Krakow myself I enjoyed picturing it in my head as I read the descriptions. However, the one thing I HATED was the author's over use of italics, often where they were not at all necessary. When reading a book one naturally puts emphasis where is is needed, and to have these italics dotted about willy nilly was very distracting.
S**R
Very moving and a relevant reminder to never forget
When I started reading this I thought this isn't going to be as good as The Nightingale (although the latter was magnificent). In my opinion it was better. I was brought to tears a couple of times and made me reflect in comparison, to the small ways that Nazi beliefs and doctrines started, to the horrors that unfolded. In my opinion what is slowly being repeated now with Reform, in the UK. This book needs to be read. It's written from two familial narratives and takes us into two worlds. We must never forget.
E**A
Prepare to get emotional
A beautiful but heartbreaking read. I didn't give full stars just because I wasn't quite satisfied with the ending. This is just my opinion but I really wanted for Alice to find where Saul's family had been killed then buried and for Saul to have been layed to rest with them, then Alina and Tomasz and Saul and his family all would have been alone where they belong together for ever. But all in all it was a wonderful read and very thought provoking, being based on WW2 events makes it so much more emotional. I really enjoyed the narrative of going between modern day hectic life and during WW2 it kept my interest so I ended up reading the story really quickly. The two narratives also fit together perfectly.
L**E
Very moving story
Loved this book. Despite working out what the outcome would be, I still ended up crying at the beautiful, emotive story.
D**I
An interesting, moving and well-researched book, telling a story which must be told
I bought this book because of the red shoes on the cover. The story is interesting and haunting and is dealt with very well by the author. The travelling between the present and the past is very well written and never confusing. Dealing with the autistic child is expertly done. I became completely immersed in the story, especially as I've just become a Babcia myself! My Polish Catholic Dad came to the UK after the war, and then went to Ireland to study, where he met my Irish Mum. They settled in England - both died 12 and 8 years ago - still feels like yesterday. And, I've just written a book myself, consisting of their childhood stories, then what happened to my Dad in Poland, especially as he was in Gdynia when the Nazis invaded, then how and why he went to Dublin, met my Mum, and then all us children (including another Eddie, and a handicapped sister Ludmila) came along. I felt incredibly close to them both when I was writing their story, realising I hadn't appreciated all the incredible hardships they went through - BUT, their love was great, as with Alina and Tomasz, and they had a long and happy life together. We really do need to always remember what happened at that time, not only with the Nazis but also the Russians, and to perhaps show that the human race CAN live together in peace. As someone once said, "when the power of love overcomes the love of power, there will be peace". If only........
T**S
What a book
I realised when reading this book that my grandmother was roughly Alinas age, born 1926. She was German though. She too never discussed her past, never even spoke it so none of us learnt it. She died when I was very young. I have always wondered about trying to find her past. What an absolute honour to have been able to know your Babciaโs story and to share it with us. I wish more stories were told so that they donโt get lost. Now more than ever the world needs to remember the past to ensure it is not repeated. I held my breath reading this book, couldnโt put it down.
J**O
Brilliant read
What a lovely book, emotive, poignant and a beautiful ending.
K**N
Great book
The Things We Cannot Say is a beautifully crafted novel that weaves together the past and present with poignant emotional depth. Kelly Rimmer masterfully tells a story about love, loss, secrets, and resilience โ all wrapped in the harrowing backdrop of World War II.
S**E
Brilliant
The multi layered narrative is a real page turner. I learnt historical information that I was not aware of - it was a true eye opener. The difficulties encountered by Alice as a mother, were things I could identify with. I am a huge fan of Kristen Hannah and Ken Follet - Kelly Rimmer is now officially one of my favourite authors too !!
A**7
Beautiful and poignant
After reading this book, one cannot help but compare the terrible invasion of Poland in 1939 with the senseless invasion taking place in Ukraine today. Perhaps that is why Poland is so ready to assist the refugees pouring into its country today, because the memory of what happened so long ago is still in everyone's mind. Why don't we learn from our past mistakes? Alina and Tomasz are childhood sweethearts. The night before he leaves for university in Warsaw, he proposes to her. But when her village of Trzebinia falls into Nazi hands, Alina doesn't know whether Tomasz is dead or alive. The story is told in two timelines, both equally compelling. It is 2019 when Alice's Polish grandmother suffers a stroke and has little time to live. Unable to speak, she desperately conveys the urge to seek out Tomasz in Poland. But Tomasz was Alice's grandfather, who died last year. Is Grandma suffering from a memory lapse or is she hiding a bigger secret? I absolutely loved this book. The characters were multi-layered and so imperfect that they seemed real. We follow Alice, who struggles with a young son with Asperger's Syndrome, a prodigy daughter and a work-addicted husband as she travels to Poland and begins to uncover a heartbreaking story that will touch her family in more ways than one. I braced myself for the ugly cry I knew was coming and I wasn't wrong. It made me feel so many emotions. ๐ข The writing style was exquisite and I loved how each chapter slowly brought us closer to the truth as I hoped Grandma ๐ต๐๐๐๐๐ would hang on until Alice could give her the answer she had been waiting for. This is a poignant story of loss, sacrifice, unconditional love and family bonds. Can't recommend it enough.
A**A
Lovely book
I think I have read the book in less than a week. I couldnt stop reading. Alina and Alice family had a hard Time, but love is above all.
L**A
Book's title grabs interest
Written in a way that English 2nd language young adolescents can read it.
W**E
Lost for words
Read it in four days. I went through a valley full of emotions. My mother was born in Breslau in 1939. It couldn't be her story, and yet it was her story and mine. Polish history. Jewish history. German history. The title says what's going on inside me. The unspeakable wants to come to light, and yet no words can be found. Instead, unspeakable pain. Guilt. After all these years. Hope. Humanity. This story is one of many, and at the same time, it is the story. I wish I could put this story into the hearts of everyone. We could use this salvation.
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