You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Scan barcode
saracook's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
mskristi4's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
4.75
sierradummitt's review against another edition
5.0
*Gifted*
I loved this book. There were a few times I honestly wanted to throw it out the window, but only because the author did that well of a job enticing those feelings with her writing.
WWII books are plentiful, and many are the same but I can honestly say that I haven’t ever read one like this. Written in the format of letters and “evidence” threw me off at first, but I ended up enjoying how it moved the story along. I also didn’t even know that there were German POW camps in America.
It was a fascinating read and is definitely a reread in the future.
I loved this book. There were a few times I honestly wanted to throw it out the window, but only because the author did that well of a job enticing those feelings with her writing.
WWII books are plentiful, and many are the same but I can honestly say that I haven’t ever read one like this. Written in the format of letters and “evidence” threw me off at first, but I ended up enjoying how it moved the story along. I also didn’t even know that there were German POW camps in America.
It was a fascinating read and is definitely a reread in the future.
keepingyouonread's review against another edition
4.0
Things We Didn’t Say is a historical fiction novel about a translator working in a POW camp in Minnesota. Johanna doesn’t want to be at the camp, she has dreams of finishing college and continuing her studys in Oxford but when she’s asked to be a translator for the camp (and help with public relations) and her scholarship is revoked, she reluctantly returns home. The novel is told entirely in letters, recounting Johanna’s time at the camp, her friendships and laying out a charge of treason.
What I liked: I love historical fiction that teaches me – this book has Japanese-Americans teaching spy classes, a POW camp in Minnesota, and thought provoking discussion on what we perceive to be right and wrong.
What didn’t work for me: It did take me a few chapters to get into the letters, but I soon found myself enjoying them and hearing from the different characters. It also allowed for other characters to share their POV and hid some of what is going on until later in the book.
A note: This book is published as Christian fiction which may turn off some readers, and while Johanna struggles with her faith and there is some talk about religion and God, I did not find it overbearing or preachy. I didn’t know that the Nazi’s had used religious writings to justify/help their cause.
Who should read it: This book has a lot of potential discussion points so I’d highly recommend it to book clubs. Historical fiction fans, specifically those that enjoy WWII books, I read a lot of WWII books and felt like this book taught me something new. Slightly standoffish and prickly Johanna gave me Olive Kitteridge vibes, so I’d encourage fans of that book to give this one a try.
Thank you Uplit reads and Bethany House for the gifted copy.
What I liked: I love historical fiction that teaches me – this book has Japanese-Americans teaching spy classes, a POW camp in Minnesota, and thought provoking discussion on what we perceive to be right and wrong.
What didn’t work for me: It did take me a few chapters to get into the letters, but I soon found myself enjoying them and hearing from the different characters. It also allowed for other characters to share their POV and hid some of what is going on until later in the book.
A note: This book is published as Christian fiction which may turn off some readers, and while Johanna struggles with her faith and there is some talk about religion and God, I did not find it overbearing or preachy. I didn’t know that the Nazi’s had used religious writings to justify/help their cause.
Who should read it: This book has a lot of potential discussion points so I’d highly recommend it to book clubs. Historical fiction fans, specifically those that enjoy WWII books, I read a lot of WWII books and felt like this book taught me something new. Slightly standoffish and prickly Johanna gave me Olive Kitteridge vibes, so I’d encourage fans of that book to give this one a try.
Thank you Uplit reads and Bethany House for the gifted copy.
cbear550's review against another edition
4.0
Good book, enjoyed the characters a lot. The format of the book being only letters and newspaper articles was not my favorite, but I followed the plot easily. Would recommend to fans of WWII Historical fiction.
bellesmoma2021's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
Things We Didn’t Say by Amy Lynn Green is a remarkable debut novel. The first thing that drew me into this story is the formatting. I knew that this book was written in epistolary form and was prepared for that storytelling journey, but what I really loved and appreciated is that this story isn’t a typical epistolary narrative– when the reader opens the cover of this book and begins to dig into the pages of this story, the reader is moving through an evidence folder that tells the story of a woman on trial for treason via letters, notes, newspaper articles, and other personal documents. It’s like an epistolary novel squared. What a cool way to tell a story! And I was there for every minute. This book hooked me from page one and would not let me go. This highly engaging story kept me turning pages well past midnight several nights in a row. I really like how Amy Lynn Green writes. Her sentences are varied and beautiful and flow seamlessly. I so appreciate good writing! I loved how much depth of character Green is able to create through simple letters, notes, and news articles. What great storytelling! The characters are my favorite aspect to this story. Peter Ito is a fantastic hero. I love how he is never afraid to tell Johanna the truth even if it may rub her wrong at first. He is a straight-shooter and, boy, do we need more people like Peter around today. Johanna is an excellent character. She is complex. She is highly intelligent. She is very confident. She is really naïve. And she is willing to change once she realizes a negative about her character. There were moments I struggled with her. As an older lady, I wanted to shake her and say, “Stop being so self-focused. Look up and see the actual world around you, you’re being played!” I remember being 22 and I was basically the same as Johanna. I was young, healthy, college-smart, and confident in my plans for my future. Then life hit me and knocked me around some and I realized I was just a young, naïve, self-focused young lady and I had a lot of growing still to do. A lot of that growing included learning humility. Don’t get me wrong, Johanna is a wonderful, well-meaning young lady. She is kind. She is strong in her morality. She fights for what is right. But she is myopic and inexperienced, and this gets her in trouble. As far as her trouble goes, I was angry by the situation. I was angry at the biased news-telling. The sensationalism created on purpose by the newspaper man made me want to punch his character. But I was also angry at how easy it was for the people of Ironside to become so mean and ugly because of the sensationalism. It’s such a telling commentary on today’s Society. It very much feels like truth no longer matters because people WANT to be mean, angry, and contentious. They want to fight. They want to hurt. They want war. It makes me so sad. I definitely had a lot of feels with this excellent story!
I am sorry it took me so long to get to this wonderful story, but I am so glad I got there eventually. Things We Didn’t Say is a seriously good story that I highly, highly recommend. If you have not yet read this stellar story, then I recommend purchasing as copy and diving in ASAP!
I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the publisher, Bethany House, via NetGalley. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
panda_incognito's review against another edition
4.0
This debut novel avoids the common pitfalls of Christian fiction and has mainstream appeal. The characters are very compelling, and the author did an amazing job of telling a satisfying story through an epistolary style. I found the main character's voice believable and compelling, and laughed out loud many times at her funny descriptions and unique turns of phrase. The letter writers also had distinct voices, unlike in [b:The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society|39832183|The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society|Mary Ann Shaffer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1529026760l/39832183._SY75_.jpg|2754161], the most obvious read-alike. This book also takes its themes much more seriously than the other, which tended to make everything quirky and cute.
This World War II story involves themes related to education, calling, friendship, small town dynamics, and loving your enemies, and the book engages with serious issues in a thoughtful way. It also involves multiple different voices, ranging from Jo, the main character, to her friend, Peter Ito, to the town's pastor, to the newspaper man, to Jo's roommate and college officials, to various members of the town who submit newspaper editorials. The story also includes letters that Jo processed and censored in the POW camp, both to and from German soldiers. All of the voices and personalities are unique, which is what made the epistolary style work so well, and the tension between different characters helps to drive the plot.
I really enjoyed this book, and would give it five stars except for the way that the story begins to drag on partway through. Because the author consistently foreshadows a coming disaster, I found the middle somewhat slow, and the ultimate disaster seemed rather anticlimactic and rushed. However, the only issues that I have with this story are pacing-related, and it is excellent overall.
This is a great book for people who enjoy clean historical fiction, World War II, or Christian books that are subtle and not preachy. It can also open readers' eyes to the experiences of Japanese Americans during World War II, and the dilemmas faced by German prisoners of war and those who had to make ethical decisions about caring for them. Even though I was already familiar with most of the historical information that the author brought into the story, the personal details that she evoked related to these historical issues are memorable and humanizing. I would definitely recommend this book, and am excited to see what the author does next.
This World War II story involves themes related to education, calling, friendship, small town dynamics, and loving your enemies, and the book engages with serious issues in a thoughtful way. It also involves multiple different voices, ranging from Jo, the main character, to her friend, Peter Ito, to the town's pastor, to the newspaper man, to Jo's roommate and college officials, to various members of the town who submit newspaper editorials. The story also includes letters that Jo processed and censored in the POW camp, both to and from German soldiers. All of the voices and personalities are unique, which is what made the epistolary style work so well, and the tension between different characters helps to drive the plot.
I really enjoyed this book, and would give it five stars except for the way that the story begins to drag on partway through. Because the author consistently foreshadows a coming disaster, I found the middle somewhat slow, and the ultimate disaster seemed rather anticlimactic and rushed. However, the only issues that I have with this story are pacing-related, and it is excellent overall.
This is a great book for people who enjoy clean historical fiction, World War II, or Christian books that are subtle and not preachy. It can also open readers' eyes to the experiences of Japanese Americans during World War II, and the dilemmas faced by German prisoners of war and those who had to make ethical decisions about caring for them. Even though I was already familiar with most of the historical information that the author brought into the story, the personal details that she evoked related to these historical issues are memorable and humanizing. I would definitely recommend this book, and am excited to see what the author does next.
wintermote's review against another edition
5.0
This May be my favorite read of the year! Told entirely in letters, newspaper columns, (and a few reports) this was an engaging look at a historical time period and the dynamics of a POW camp. The author dealt with so many important questions of war, grace, loving our enemies, trust, selfishness, and relationships. I couldn’t put it down! I HAD to know what was going to happen next.
I won a copy of this book in some giveaway on fb…I think it was directly from the author but I don’t remember which fb group it was in . All I have to say is that’s the best giveaway I’ve EVER won!!! I’ll be buying a copy for the library I work for, and recommending it to my church library and sharing with friends!
I won a copy of this book in some giveaway on fb…I think it was directly from the author but I don’t remember which fb group it was in . All I have to say is that’s the best giveaway I’ve EVER won!!! I’ll be buying a copy for the library I work for, and recommending it to my church library and sharing with friends!