The Things We Cannot Say

A WWII Historical Fiction Novel

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Pub Date 19 Mar 2019 | Archive Date 19 Apr 2020

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Description

The New York Times bestseller—for fans of All the Light We Cannot See!

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 New York Times bestseller—for fans of All the Light We Cannot See!

From the bestselling author of Truths I Never Told You, Before I Let You Go, and the The Warsaw Orphan, Kelly Rimmer’s powerful...

Advance Praise

“Kelly Rimmer has raised the already high bar with this unforgettable novel, The Things We Cannot Say. It is that rare author that takes the reader so deeply into a world that you smell the smells, feel the hunger, see the devastation. Alina and Tomasz’s story is one of bravery, resilience, and the lengths we will go to for the ones we love. If this book isn’t a giant bestseller, I will eat my hat. Fans of Jodi Picoult and Kristin Hannah now have a new go-to author.” -Sally Hepworth, author of The Secrets of Midwives

“Kelly Rimmer has raised the already high bar with this unforgettable novel, The Things We Cannot Say. It is that rare author that takes the reader so deeply into a world that you smell the smells...


Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9781525823565
PRICE $18.99 (USD)
PAGES 448

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Average rating from 156 members


Featured Reviews

I received an ARC of this book from netgalley.com.

This book has gutted me. I read a lot of historical fiction, but the devastation in this book has torn a new hole in my heart. This book shows what love can be between lovers and between family members. The POV goes between a modern mom with a 7 year old on the autism spectrum and her grandmother as a young woman in Poland. One of the best reads of 2019 for sure.

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“The Things We Cannot Say” was an absolutely beautiful book. The book masterfully weaves together the story of Alina, Tomasz, and their families during the Nazi Occupation of Poland with Alice, Alina’s great-granddaughter, her family, and their lives in current times. I must say I was initially hesitant to read it, fearing it would be overly depressing in its depiction of the tragedy of World War II. And while the book, to its credit, does not gloss over the horrors of World War II, the story and its characters were infused with a strength and goodness that kept it far from depressing. It was instead filled with hope, tenderness, and determination. You will finish the book astounded at the dignity and courage of those fighting for survival and meaning in the darkest times. You will also be left with the realization that dark times, whatever form they take, do not necessarily destroy the goodness of those struggling through them but rather that goodness and grace may be what ends up shining the brightest on the other side of those dark times. That realization is a gift from the author and one of the many reasons this book is a treasure not to be missed. I was privileged to receive an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the Publisher, Greydon House in exchange for an honest review.

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This is an historical romance at its finest. The story centers on Alina Dziak, a young Polish girl, who had to navigate through life during the occupation of her country during WW11. “The Things We Cannot Say” is a heart wrenching, terrifying and enlightening.

The storyline although romantic seemed closed to historical accuracy. It is told in two movements with two narratives in alternating chapters: Alina’s recounts her life and events she lived through during the war and Alice’s, Alina’s grand-daughter, present day voice recounts her day to day life and her trip to Poland to see what became of those cherished by Alina.

Much of this book is based on the romance between Alina and her boyfriend Tomasz. It is a bit mushy but I was in the right mind set for this kind of story so I really loved it. For those who read a lot the war time period will see the events developed long before it was written but Ms. Rimmer gave it her own spin and has provided powerful timelines that smoothly came together to conclude this sad but lovely story. By the end of the book I had my box of tissues near me….

It is a wonderful read, with its awesome twists that came from time to time to keep the tension on, making this book hard to put down. I couldn’t swap the pages fast enough to see where the drama would lead. Indeed I wasn’t disappointed in roller coaster story, so captivated by the level of turmoil in both stories and how that impacted the families that I stayed glues to every word…”The Things We cannot Say” also showcases the lengths one will go for those we love. Ms. Rimmer’s has an undeniable talent to draw believable and captivating players and to place them in roles true to character. Well-done.

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The Things We Cannot Say is a bittersweet, unforgettable, and superbly-written novel. It takes place during the 1930s in Nazi-occupied Poland, and also in modern-day, America. This powerful novel is about loyalty, love, sacrifice, and perseverance. I quickly fell in love with the main characters and became engrossed in their lives. I was transported into the story with ease and found the book impossible to put down. I have never been disappointed by this talented and amazing author, and I don’t think that you will either.

In occupied Poland, the author develops for the reader, three main characters, Alina Dziak, her fiance`, Tomasz, and Saul, Tomasz’s friend. The author pens her larger-than-life scenes with enough authentic details that I felt as if I was living in occupied Poland. My anguished heart broke as I experienced life under the Nazis, as a Jew, a Catholic, and a rebellious outlaw.

The author transitions the reader into modern-day American life, seamlessly, with the same emotional pull and realism as she had with occupied Poland. With this portion of the book, however, the story revolves around Alina’s granddaughter, Alice, and her struggles with, Eddie, her beautiful but challenging autistic son, an absent but loving husband, and an entitled genius daughter. I loved many characters in this book, but my absolute favorite was Eddie. And in the end, it was Eddie’s words that brought me to tears.

This book is a quality read, thought-provoking, and heartwrenching. I highly recommend it. —Five shining stars— from this reader.

Thank you, Graydon House Publishing and NetGalley, for my advanced review copy. I absolutely loved it!

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Fantastic storyline showing how life was like in Poland during the Nazi occupation. The Nazis were terrible to the Poles and I didn’t know how much so until I read this book and researched after. The author has done an amazing job.

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This was historical fiction at its finest! The book centers around Alina Dziak, a 17-year-old Polish girl, navigating through life during the occupation of Poland during WWII. Her love for her childhood sweetheart, Tomasz, endures even with all the separation and suffering at wartime. Fast forward to modern day America, and we are immersed in the life of Alice, Alina's granddaughter, who is dealing with the stresses of being a mother to a son with autism spectrum disorder. As Alina travels to Poland to uncover the secrets of her grandmother's past, I found myself unable to put this book down. The Things We Cannot Say was heart wrenching, terrifying, and enlightening. I absolutely recommend, especially to those who love historical fiction! (less)

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This has been my favorite read of the past year! The story was fascinating with an original spin on WWII historical fiction. I couldn't put this book down and had many emotional moments with the characters. Fans of The Nightingale will love this story! I can't wait to read more from Kelly Rimmer.

Thank you Graydon House and NetGalley -this was a beautiful book!

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What a truly remarkable and well written book! This is my favorite genre to read but this book had me reading nonstop. I had knots in my stomach the whole time I was reading it. It is a horrific part of history and Kelly Rimmer did a wonderful job telling this story. It even had a few surprises that I had no idea were coming! Definitely worth reading and would recommend. Thank you netgalley for letting me give an honest review of this book.

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