A review by bookwormfr_t0
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

What a beautifully written book.  There are 5 characters we follow: Marilyn, James, Nath, Lydia, and Hannah; which sounds like a lot but each read distinctly from each other.  They have their own internal struggles and distinctive thoughts that I think this story will appeal to all audiences; which was surprising because I did not expect to relate or identify with any of these characters but I did.  

 There are so many themes in this novel, but one that really stood out to me was how parents insecurities and expectations can impact children in a variety of ways.  Specifically, how parents regrets from their own lives form how they raise their children, which can have negative effects.

 Ng does a beautiful job weaving this story so delicately together it is filled with emotion and is tragically sad.  The way Ng writes the character thoughts and emotions (especially Lydia) is visceral and palpable.

**I do see that it is categorized as a 'mystery/thriller' here on Storygraph, do not go into this book expecting a thriller.  This is a tragic character study of a family suffering from loss and crushing grief.**
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