I’ve just returned from a wonderful vacation – which I will tell you about in future posts – and I’m not even unpacked, but I HAVE to tell you about the amazing book I read while traveling. It was so good:

The Things We Cannot Say: A Novel by Kelly Rimmer

Just when I think I may have reached my limit for WWII historical fiction, I find another book in this genre to recommend.

“In 1942, Europe remains in the relentless grip of war. Just beyond the tents of the Russian 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.”

from all the things we cannot say book jacket inside cover

At first this book reminded me too much of the one I JUST READ AND ALSO RECOMMENDED because it is a dual timeline with the modern storyline being a dying grandmother and her granddaughter (Alice) uncovering family secrets before it’s too late. But this book is even better!

At its core this book is a love story. But obviously a love story set in impossible and horrible circumstance. The defining setting of the story is the Nazi occupation of Poland, specifically a small village of Trzebinia where Alina lives with her parents and brothers on a small farm. Her childhood sweetheart, Tomasz, is attending medical school before they can get married. But while he is gone, the Nazis take control of her town, and all must end up fighting for survival and good.

Six million Polish citizens died during WWII the book notes.

“To destabilize a group of people is not at all difficult, not if you are willing to be cruel enough. You simply knock out the foundations, and a natural consequence is that the rest begins to tumble.”

I could relate to Alice who feels indispensable in her immediate family as the main caregiver to two kids. So when her babcia (grandmother) asks her to go on a quest to Poland to seek answers, Alice initially thinks it impossible. How can her family deal without her? But ultimately this trip ends up being a good thing for all of her loved ones. And the resulting storyline of Alice discovering her family heritage was so well written and interesting to me. I think anyone with Polish heritage would especially enjoy this book.

This book was and emotional and engrossing read. I loved it. Please check it out if you enjoy this genre.