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A review by portybelle
Nothing Left Unsaid by Janey Godley
4.0
If you buy this book expecting it to be very funny, you might be surprised. There is a lot of humour but it is more of an intriguing drama. Within each chapter, we hear the thoughts of Senga’s daughter Sharon who has come home to be with her dying mother. They have had a close relationship but Sharon is quite shocked to find that there is a lot about her mother’s life that she did not know. Each chapter also includes sections of Senga’s diary. There’s a very different style to this, conversational almost, as Senga confides the details of her daily life in her big red book.
Reading Senga’s diary brings back memories for Sharon and she realises that she didn’t understand what her mum’s life was like back then. It was hard for her as a single parent and yet she had done what she could to keep her kids clothed, fed and above all happy.
This book offers a nostalgic look at the 70s and there’s a lot you might recognise. Smoking on a public transport, the Radio Rentals man, home perms, Ken and Deidre on Coronation Street, Fray Bentos pies, Pippa Dee parties, the long hot summer of 76. One particular phrase made me smile and I hadn’t heard or thought of it for ages – Annacker’s midden is a phrase my mum might have used to described my teenage bedroom! The 70s setting for the novel was only a generation or so ago, yet it seems like a different world.
One important theme in this book is that of women helping women. Senga and her friends may not have much materially but they have strength, courage and resilience. I so enjoyed reading about how they all helped and supported each other. They were spirited, full of life and determination despite the difficulties they faced.
I really enjoyed reading about Senga and her friends in the 70s. Their lives weren’t easy but Janey Godley showed how community and friendship was so important. She also didn’t shy away from showing the darker side of life due to poverty, poor living conditions and domestic abuse. I thought this was a solid debut novel and would read more from Janey Godley. However, as you may know, she has a terminal cancer diagnosis so whether she has any more novels planned, I don’t know. Like Janey Godley herself, her characters show determination, resilience and courage.
Reading Senga’s diary brings back memories for Sharon and she realises that she didn’t understand what her mum’s life was like back then. It was hard for her as a single parent and yet she had done what she could to keep her kids clothed, fed and above all happy.
This book offers a nostalgic look at the 70s and there’s a lot you might recognise. Smoking on a public transport, the Radio Rentals man, home perms, Ken and Deidre on Coronation Street, Fray Bentos pies, Pippa Dee parties, the long hot summer of 76. One particular phrase made me smile and I hadn’t heard or thought of it for ages – Annacker’s midden is a phrase my mum might have used to described my teenage bedroom! The 70s setting for the novel was only a generation or so ago, yet it seems like a different world.
One important theme in this book is that of women helping women. Senga and her friends may not have much materially but they have strength, courage and resilience. I so enjoyed reading about how they all helped and supported each other. They were spirited, full of life and determination despite the difficulties they faced.
I really enjoyed reading about Senga and her friends in the 70s. Their lives weren’t easy but Janey Godley showed how community and friendship was so important. She also didn’t shy away from showing the darker side of life due to poverty, poor living conditions and domestic abuse. I thought this was a solid debut novel and would read more from Janey Godley. However, as you may know, she has a terminal cancer diagnosis so whether she has any more novels planned, I don’t know. Like Janey Godley herself, her characters show determination, resilience and courage.