Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer

16 reviews

lindsayvale's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Violence, Grief, Pregnancy, and War

Moderate: Dementia

nikkilerae's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

At the moment - I just finished this book less than 2 minutes ago - I find myself in a state of bittersweet awe. Tears have fallen. This story is a sad one, but also a fulfilled and emotionally full one. Much of this story is based on true events and the magnitude of those events cannot be passed by, nor should they ever be. This is a book I think every person should read. I believe it will be a reminder of what should never be forgotten as well as renewal of faith in humanity. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Hate crime, Racism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, War, and Deportation

mskelley88's review

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

"The Things We Cannot Say" is a touching story that intertwines past and present with finesse, delivering moments that tug at your heartstrings without overwhelming you.

Let’s address the elephant in the room: the length. The book isn’t horribly long, but it does feel like it could’ve been a bit tighter. Some parts dragged, making it seem longer than it needed to be. And yes, there were a few predictable turns. However, these are minor issues in the grand scheme of things.

The real gem of this novel is the present-day storyline involving Alice. Her journey through life, parenting, and marriage with an autistic child is beautifully and authentically portrayed. Alice's story of balancing the demands of a special needs child with her own life resonated deeply, offering a poignant exploration of the sacrifices and love inherent in parenthood.

One scene from the WWII plotline was incredibly challenging for me to read. As a mom of an infant, it struck a deep chord and was genuinely heartbreaking. This underscores Rimmer's ability to evoke strong emotions through her writing.

In summary, "The Things We Cannot Say" is a heartfelt read that deftly balances dual timelines. It’s a testament to the unspoken bonds that connect us and the enduring power of love. If you’re in the mood for a novel that skillfully blends historical depth with modern-day issues, this one’s worth your time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Violence, and War

jharv34's review

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

An absolutely beautiful story, while it may be fictional, it creates such an incredible tale of struggles, past and present, the polarity between life and death, the complexity of different points of time, and how it all comes together. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Violence, Grief, Murder, and War

jcqln112's review

challenging emotional hopeful informative medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Terminal illness, Violence, Xenophobia, and War

Moderate: Child death

stacyaj's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Violence, and Vomit

desdowns's review

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

0.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism and War

Moderate: Death, Torture, Violence, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Rape

kimveach's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Outstanding.  I love this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual content, Excrement, Dementia, and Alcohol

whatemilysreading's review

emotional inspiring mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

WOW. Okay I don’t read a lot of historical fiction (especially WWII) because it can be very SAD you guys!! This book was no exception but it was Very Good. While I cared much more about Elena’s story and putting the puzzle pieces together than I did Alice’s family struggles I see how it was needed to balance out the story. Did I cry? Of course I did. How do you all read books like this all the time?? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Gun violence, and Antisemitism

Moderate: Genocide and Violence

mel_s_bookshelf's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Wow. Just wow.
THIS is the story I feel like I have been waiting for for the last couple of months, the one that would blow me away!

I can't help but compare with Winter Garden which I also recently read, because there were definitely a lot of similarities - historical WWII fiction, dual timelines, family drama - and I have to say, this book absolutely nailed it in a way that Winter Garden didn't quite hit the mark.

I was equally drawn into both timelines, which wove themselves together seamlessly. The family struggles in the 'present' day felt completely authentic and the characters were well developed. Some difficult themes were explored, and I felt like these were all handled exceptionally well.

The historical timeline was, as can be expected with WWII fiction, absolutely heartbreaking, but equally inspiring. The character development of Alina was particularly strong.

This was my first Kelly Rimmer book and I definitely will be trying more!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Antisemitism, and War

Moderate: Gun violence, Violence, Grief, and Pregnancy