“What do you do if you find yourself as a new mom and you realize you’re just not capable?”
Told in two timelines, Grace struggles with postpartum depression in 1957 while Beth, in 1996, reluctantly helps her father move into a nursing home since he is suffering from dementia. Beth then helps her siblings clean out her fathers house where she finds letters from her mother, Grace, revealing untold family truths.
Synopsis below provided by the publisher.
“I want a career and I want to see other women have the option to make choices, too, instead of operating as a breeding machines for entitled men.”
The plot was very slow to build. The first half felt repetitive and the characters were hard to connect with. It was surprising to feel such a disconnect from the characters since the subjects at hand were so solemn and emotional. The second half presented some unexpected twists after a different narrator surprisingly enters… which helped move the plot along. The ending was okay.
Gender roles and the feminist movement in the 1950’s is explored and sufficiently represented. The issues brought up in the book regarding this are engaging topics.
Overall, the topics presented were interesting but the characters were flat and the plot was tedious.
Kelly Rimmer is a best selling author. Visit her website.
Read Publishers Weekly review for Truths I Never Told You.
The Things We Cannot Say was a New York Times best seller. Watch K. Rimmer discuss The Things We Cannot Say below in a Q&A.
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Thank you to NeGalley and the publisher for an advance copy. Opinions are my own.
