Secrets, Sacrifice, and Survival: A WWII Saga That Spans Decades

Greetings, Reader Friend!

A dying, now-mute grandmother insists non-verbally that her granddaughter, Alice, fly to Poland and carry out a confusing and seemingly impossible final wish.

If Alice goes to Poland, what will happen to Eddie, her autistic son whom she cares for? This American mother’s life revolves around her heavy family responsibilities, so guilt overwhelms her at the thought of leaving her family, even briefly, to accomplish a mission she doesn’t understand.

And yet, loyalty to the grandmother (Babcia) who helped raise her compels her to book a flight to Poland, trusting her husband (who has little relationship with his son) to care for their son and daughter.

So begins The Things We Cannot Say, a tension-filled dual-time-period novel set in the life of a family in small-town Poland at the beginning of World War II, and in the contemporary U.S. in the life of a family stretched to its limits caring for their autistic, non-verbal son.

The Things We Cannot Say, by Kelly Rimmer, cover image

Characters:

• Alina Dziak – Polish protagonist who’s a naïve farm girl as the novel begins; with the onset of World War II and its challenges, she matures

• Alice Michaels – American protagonist; her life revolves around her autistic son and her dying grandmother; she, too, matures as the story progresses

• Tomasz Slaski – Alina’s lifelong soulmate and fiancé; he becomes a medical student and ultimately works to resist the Nazi occupation of Poland

• Saul Weiss – a kind Jewish surgeon who befriends Tomasz; he plays an important role in the novel’s denouement

• Eddie Michaels – Alice and Wade’s autistic and non-verbal son

• Wade Michaels – Alice’s husband; his strengths, weaknesses, and character development play a major role in Alice’s maturing

• Pascale “Callie” Michaels – Alice and Wade’s brilliant ten-year-old daughter; she, too, matures as the novel progresses

• Julita Slaski-Davis – Alice’s mother; she’s a hard-boiled lawyer and judge who’s emotionally distant from her daughter

• Emilia Slaski – Tomasz’s younger sister; a lifelong friend of Alina’s because of Alina’s kindness and care for her

Strengths:

• Suspenseful plot (including a love story) drives readers to keep reading

• This novel offers readers a deep immersion and detailed insights into two cultures (kudos to the author!)

• While showing respect to both cultures, the author portrays intense emotional dramas in each setting

Weakness:

In a few places, coincidences seem a bit opportune.

Content review:

This novel includes violence and physical intimacy characteristic of the traumatic era of World War II in Poland.

My Recommendation:

I enjoyed the plot, suspense, and character development of The Things We Cannot Say. Historical fiction readers who can tolerate realistic (but not graphic) descriptions of Nazi atrocities during World War II will find this novel a rewarding read.