Kelly Rimmer The Things We Cannot Say

Generational story centers on a main character's life during the Nazi occupation of Poland and her American grand daughter, who is urged to return to Poland as a final wish. There is a breakdown in the grandmother's ability to communicate the issue. As the reader, I got frustrated. Two stories woven together that unravel during the last 2-3 chapters. Slow start, and repetitive until "The twist..."

A wonderful read....

I love this book best thing I have read this year hands down. I checked the copy I read out of the library but I purchased a copy off EBay for my Mom. I highly recommend this book to others just have a box of tissues on hand the last 20 or so pages of the book. Quite the tear jerker two thumbs up!

Captivating and unforgettable

Captivating, powerful and an unforgettable read, The Things We Cannot Say evoked a range of emotions - which I love in a great novel. At times it was heartbreaking, yet it was also a celebration of love, courage and resilience and despite being set in a terrible period in history, it still left me filled with hope. Long after finishing, I am still moved by how amazing The Things We Cannot Say was and it has made it's way into my list of favourite reads.

Every teacher and health professional should read this book

I would love to see this book as compulsory reading for anyone who works with children. It would make a great discussion book for teens as it would garner understanding and help stop bullying. Government officials should also read it. Highly recommend it

Excellent Book Worth Reading

Very well written novel and a story that will draw you in. Wonderfully structured characters, and a gripping story. I could not put this book down and read it in two days. It’s a beautiful, emotional, heartwarming journey that left me breathless and will stay with me.

Exquisite and Deeply Moving

I have no idea what it is about the period of my life that I have entered recently but I can tell you this much; I have gone 35.89 years without ever reading a book about the Second World War, Auschwitz or the blight on our collective history that is the treatment of peoples during this time.In the past 8 weeks I have read two and been incredibly moved, to the point of relentless tears.Rimmer juxtaposes the story of Alina, a polish girl experiencing the occupation of her homeland and all the entails with the story of Alice; a modern day mother to a genius and a son with autism. The unlikely intertwining is striking in its warmth and humility.There's horror, humour and a heartfelt expression of what a family owes to its legacy. I absolutely loved it and am ... MoreI have no idea what it is about the period of my life that I have entered recently but I can tell you this much; I have gone 35.89 years without ever reading a book about the Second World War, Auschwitz or the blight on our collective history that is the treatment of peoples during this time.In the past 8 weeks I have read two and been incredibly moved, to the point of relentless tears.Rimmer juxtaposes the story of Alina, a polish girl experiencing the occupation of her homeland and all the entails with the story of Alice; a modern day mother to a genius and a son with autism. The unlikely intertwining is striking in its warmth and humility.There's horror, humour and a heartfelt expression of what a family owes to its legacy. I absolutely loved it and am henceforth a dedicated fan of both the author and the 'genre.'

Good book

I read the second book in this series. It was great so looked up the prequel. It was a great story, too. I would definitely recommend it. I read a lot of books from this time period. I loved this one. Very well written and touching.

Must Read

One of the best books that I read that swapped perspectives between a young girl growing up through occupied Poland and a woman who has to figure out how to balance herself between her family. Love, family, and communication are consistent themes throughout this novel and will pull you in for the heart-tugging, yet satisfying ending. Highly recommend!

Worth Reading Great Book!

Very well written novel and a story that will draw you in. Wonderfully structured characters, and a gripping story. I could not put this book down and read it in two days. It’s a beautiful, emotional, heartwarming journey that left me breathless and will stay with me.

a brilliant read!

"What happens when stories like theirs are lost? What happens when there's no one left to pass your experience on to, or you just can't bring yourself to share it?"The Things We Cannot Say is the sixth novel by best-selling Australian author, Kelly Rimmer. On a farm in southern Poland in 1940, seventeen-year-old Alina Dziak lives in hope. Her twin brothers have been sent to work camps by the Nazis. The occupying force takes all their farm produces. Her life has shrunk to the farm and her family and escaping the notice of the soldiers. But Tomasz Slaski, the man to whom she has promised her heart, Tomasz will return from Warsaw to marry her: this, she truly believes.For Florida mother Alice Michaels, life in 2019 is already busy: her husband has a stressful job in ... More"What happens when stories like theirs are lost? What happens when there's no one left to pass your experience on to, or you just can't bring yourself to share it?"The Things We Cannot Say is the sixth novel by best-selling Australian author, Kelly Rimmer. On a farm in southern Poland in 1940, seventeen-year-old Alina Dziak lives in hope. Her twin brothers have been sent to work camps by the Nazis. The occupying force takes all their farm produces. Her life has shrunk to the farm and her family and escaping the notice of the soldiers. But Tomasz Slaski, the man to whom she has promised her heart, Tomasz will return from Warsaw to marry her: this, she truly believes.For Florida mother Alice Michaels, life in 2019 is already busy: her husband has a stressful job in the plastics industry, her 10 year-old daughter Pascale is highly gifted and needs additional challenges to keep her satisfied, and her 7 year-old son, Edison is on the autism spectrum, requiring a disproportionate amount of her attention to keep their lives organised and prevent meltdowns.The stroke that lands her beloved 95 year-old grandmother, Hanna in hospital, rendering her non-verbal, naturally disrupts the necessarily rigid schedule of Alice's days, and puts added pressure on her already-strained marriage. Hanna virtually raised Alice, so when she asks or, rather, insists, that Alice goes to Poland on a vague mission (vague because it is communicated via Eddie's useful-but-by-no-means-perfect communication app), Alice finds she cannot refuse. But in Poland, despite a few clues and a highly competent guide, Alice hits brick walls.Rimmer explores several topics in this novel, in particular the stigma of an autism spectrum diagnosis and persecution by Nazis of Polish Jews during the wartime occupation. Her extensive research into these is apparent on every page, and she captures the setting with consummate ease.Alina's narrative tells a heartfelt wartime romance that prevails through hunger