One of the best books I’ve read this year
- Book: What’s Left Unsaid
- Location: United Kingdom
- Author: Deborah Stone
What a great read this is! I absolutely loved it.
The story is told by Sasha, her mother Annie and Joe, her father.
Sasha is having a difficult time of it: her husband has left her, and her son Zac is undergoing teenage angst; obstreperous and constantly angry. On top of that, her mother is suffering the beginnings of dementia.
Annie talks to Joe all the time and reminisces about her past. Evacuated to the country during the war, she suffered greatly in her temporary home and came back a broken little girl.
Grown into a beautiful young woman, she is swept away by Joe, a famous TV personality and Sasha is soon born, Unfortunately, Annie is a cold mother who has nothing good to say to and about Sasha, constantly belittling her. Obviously Sasha can’t wait to leave home and attend university, eventually marrying Jeremy, giving birth to Zac and settling into a contented life, working from home.
But the past and its secrets rear their ugly heads and threaten to tear the family apart. Sasha is barely able to hold it together. If it wasn’t for Sebastian, her beloved dog (loved him!) and her love for Zac she might have jumped into the abyss.
There were times I hated Annie, surprised that Sasha didn’t just break contact with her. Zac wants his mum to be honest with him, is resentful and therefore lacks respect in his treatment of her, which was annoying at times. Jeremy has lived a lie all of the marriage, hurting Sasha deeply.
The gist of the book, to me, was that secrets and lies will eventually come into the light and the ripple effects can be devastating for everyone involved.
When all is revealed and dealt with, the ending of the story is bittersweet and full of hope.
This was such a wonderful story, I didn’t want it to end and highly recommend it – I will definitely be looking for Deborah Stone’s next book.
by Hannelore Cheney
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