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The Things We Cannot Say

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The Things We Cannot Say

Written by: Kelly Rimmer
Narrated by: Ann Marie Gideon, Nancy Peterson
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About this listen

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.

For more by Kelly Rimmer, look for
  • Before I Let You Go
  • Truths I Never Told You
  • The Warsaw Orphan
  • The German Wife
  • The Paris Agent
  • The Midnight Estate
20th Century Fiction Friendship Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Women's Fiction World Literature Village Solider War Heartfelt Tearjerking Thought-Provoking Romance Mystery Polish History Ireland Historical Fiction True Crime Mystery
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I like knowing more about the European viewpoint of the war. Even if it’s fictionalized

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This book is moving and tells a beautiful and often heartbreaking story through two different voices. I enjoyed it very much. I've read a fair bit of WWII fiction but few set in Poland. There was a lot to explore without having too many threads and too many characters. The pace was a bit uneven and there were a couple of unanswered questions at the end. It's well written with a strong performance. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of historical fiction.

4.5 Stars - A Great Read

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I had just come back from Warsaw, and so perhaps this story struck a cord. I am not Polish (that I know of) but it is such a resilient and vibrant place! This book feels like a personal quest for the author, bringing in intimate family details. It is not a casual book, but one rich with emotions, losses and gains. Every character is complex and three dimensional, even the walk-ins.

so very well crafted!

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Such a touching story. Especially enjoyed the narrator for Aleena. Interesting to hear about an aspect of world war 2 that is not often told.

Touching story

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What an outstanding book! I was moved to tears in many places. I lived it. A must read!

Excellent Book!

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