The Things We Cannot Say (2019) by Kelly Rimmer is set in the backdrop of World War II. It weaves together two timelines and features two separate but nonetheless compelling protagonists. In 1942, Alina Dziak navigated a life interrupted by the war, struggling to preserve her love and navigate difficult choices in occupied Poland. In the present day, Alice, a busy mother of two, grapples with her beloved grandmother's declining health, whose last wish is for Alice to discover her concealed past in Poland. Guided by a series of mysterious letters and photographs left by her grandmother, Alice embarks on an emotional journey to uncover her family's secret history.
Shortly after the publication of The Things We Cannot Say, the novel became a New York Times bestseller. Likewise, reviewers and audiences alike reviewed the book positively. The New York Journal of Books said that The Things We Cannot Say "is sure to evoke emotion in even the most cynical reader." Other reviews pointed to the novel's rich characterization and heartrending story as two of the novel's best aspects.
