The Things We Cannot Say: A WWII Historical Fiction Novel

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........

Very well written book. It covers a lot of issues: love, family relationships, autism, the strain that a child with difficulties can put on a couple and their love for each other and most importantly it gives us a glimpse to the devastating impact on people lives, that WW2 caused.

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 — all wrapped in the harrowing backdrop of World War II.

This is a must read story. I have read many books similar to The Things We Cannot Say but none as moving at this. The story reverts back in time and I felt as though I was there in Poland during WW2 and the Nazi occupation but then came back to the present seeing how a young family deals with everyday life with an autistic son. Absolutely amazing, it will remain with me for a very long time.

The story of deep love,suffering & how humans rise above it all & find a purpose & inner strength to survive is amazing. Sadly events in our world today are no better . We can see daily similar suffering on our television news. Life is precious our world needs to thrive & survive. Let's hope it does. A wonderful book. Thank you.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. First novel I have read by Kelly Rimmer. Couldn’t put it down. Shed a few tears. Sad but inspiring. I intend to read more of Kelly Rimmer’s work. First class story teller.

Beautifully written story of wartime Poland. We can never fully appreciate what people had to endure back then but for novelists who craft this information into readable stories. have the hankies ready, you’ll need them.

Good read

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 !!

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. 😢 The writing style was exquisite and I loved how each chapter slowly brought us closer to the truth as I hoped Grandma 𝐵𝑎𝑏𝑐𝑖𝑎 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.

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.

Written in a way that English 2nd language young adolescents can read it.

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.