Book Review: The Things We Never Say
I enjoyed The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout, though it left me with a quiet sadness for all the things we never say to people we may never see again. The Dam family is scarred by an accident that happened to their son, and their grief has settled into silence, an unspoken agreement born less of avoidance than of a wish to protect one another.
At the centre is Artie, a sensitive, kind, and intelligent educator who has lived an admirably ordered life. His “I see you” way of looking at people, especially his students, is rare, and it is part of what makes him so easy to love in the book. The state of the world, long-buried secrets, and loneliness begin to destabilise him, drawing him toward dark thoughts of ending it all and a relentless question about whether any of us truly have free will.
What the novel does so well is remind us that you can never fully know someone, however long you spend with them. In the end, we are each just individuals navigating our own choices, opportunities, and minds. Everyone has the capacity to be kind, thoughtful, a mentor to someone, and despite how the world seems, more people are capable of that kind of generosity than we believe.
It is a novel that left me thinking we should say what needs to be said, so there are fewer regrets in the end. Some things do not need to be carried to the grave. And thank goodness that we still have the free will to decide.
Read this book!
We invest in cutting-edge research to create tangible solutions for environmental challenges, integrating sustainable practices across our operations. Our holistic approach aims for long-term benefits for the planet and its inhabitants. True innovation stems from understanding ecological principles and technological advancement.
All products have been selected by our editorial team; however, we may earn a commission on some products purchased through links in this article. Please note that any hyperlinks or references are provided for your convenience & information only. We are not responsible for the quality, accuracy, timelines, reliability or any other aspect of these products and services that you obtain from a site we have posted a link to. We also have no control over third party websites and accept no legal responsibility for any content, material or information contained or accessed in them. We make every effort to attribute the correct source of every image we use. If you think an attribution is incorrect or missing, please contact us at info@violasedit.com
You must be logged in to post a comment.