What do you think?
Rate this book
What's Left Unsaid
Sasha is just about managing to hold her life together. She is raising her teenage son Zac, coping with an absent husband and caring for her ageing, temperamental and alcoholic mother, as well as holding down her own job. But when Zac begins to suspect that he has a secret sibling, Sasha realises that she must relive the events of a devastating night which she has done her best to forget for the past nineteen years.
Sasha’s mother, Annie, is old and finds it difficult to distinguish between past and present and between truth and lies. As Annie sinks deeper back into her past, she revisits the key events in her life which have shaped her emotionally. Through it all, she remains convinced that her dead husband Joe is watching and waiting for her. But there’s one thing she never told him, and as painful as it is for her to admit the truth, Annie is determined to go to Joe with a guilt-free conscience.
As the plot unfurls, traumas are revealed and lies uncovered, revealing long-buried secrets which are at the root of Annie and Sasha’s fractious relationship.
The novel spans several decades, telling the history of the Stein family from the turn of the twentieth century to the present day. Speaking of her inspiration for her novel, Deborah says; ‘My own mother was evacuated at the age of five during World War Two and my father was a young man working as an ARP warden. This novel is purely fictitious, but I wanted to explore the traumas that many ordinary people of the war generation suffered, experiences which would be quite unimaginable to many of us today and then to contrast them with the issues we all face in the modern day.’
Deborah Stone read English Literature at Durham University. She lives in North London with her husband, two sons and her dog.
Sasha’s mother, Annie, is old and finds it difficult to distinguish between past and present and between truth and lies. As Annie sinks deeper back into her past, she revisits the key events in her life which have shaped her emotionally. Through it all, she remains convinced that her dead husband Joe is watching and waiting for her. But there’s one thing she never told him, and as painful as it is for her to admit the truth, Annie is determined to go to Joe with a guilt-free conscience.
As the plot unfurls, traumas are revealed and lies uncovered, revealing long-buried secrets which are at the root of Annie and Sasha’s fractious relationship.
The novel spans several decades, telling the history of the Stein family from the turn of the twentieth century to the present day. Speaking of her inspiration for her novel, Deborah says; ‘My own mother was evacuated at the age of five during World War Two and my father was a young man working as an ARP warden. This novel is purely fictitious, but I wanted to explore the traumas that many ordinary people of the war generation suffered, experiences which would be quite unimaginable to many of us today and then to contrast them with the issues we all face in the modern day.’
Deborah Stone read English Literature at Durham University. She lives in North London with her husband, two sons and her dog.
- GenresFictionContemporary
303 pages, Paperback
First published July 24, 2018
24 people are currently reading
260 people want to read
About the author
Deborah Stone
5 books57 followersDeborah Stone is the best-selling author of four gripping psychological thrillers that keep readers turning pages late into the night. Her novels have won multiple awards and critical acclaim, establishing her as a standout voice in contemporary psychological suspense and thriller fiction.
Her latest release, Nowhere Man (October 3, 2024), is available in paperback, Kindle, and as an audiobook. It follows the success of Semi-Detached (April 3, 2023) which was recently honoured with the Chill With A Book Readers' Award.
Deborah’s second novel, Me and My Shadow, received the prestigious Chill With A Book Premier Award, given only to books that earn outstanding ratings across all reviewer categories. Her debut, What's Left Unsaid, won the Runner-Up Prize for Best Book of 2018 in the same awards and remains a reader favourite.
In addition to fiction, Deborah is the author of the highly respected non-fiction guide, The Essential Family Guide to Caring for Older People, a finalist in the Wishing Shelf Book Awards 2022.
A recognised expert on elder care, Deborah frequently appears on BBC, ITV, Sky, and Channel 5, offering expert advice on aging, care planning, and family support. She contributes regularly to national newspapers and lifestyle magazines, helping families navigate the complexities of caring for older relatives.
She lives in London with her husband and their delightfully mischievous golden retriever
Her latest release, Nowhere Man (October 3, 2024), is available in paperback, Kindle, and as an audiobook. It follows the success of Semi-Detached (April 3, 2023) which was recently honoured with the Chill With A Book Readers' Award.
Deborah’s second novel, Me and My Shadow, received the prestigious Chill With A Book Premier Award, given only to books that earn outstanding ratings across all reviewer categories. Her debut, What's Left Unsaid, won the Runner-Up Prize for Best Book of 2018 in the same awards and remains a reader favourite.
In addition to fiction, Deborah is the author of the highly respected non-fiction guide, The Essential Family Guide to Caring for Older People, a finalist in the Wishing Shelf Book Awards 2022.
A recognised expert on elder care, Deborah frequently appears on BBC, ITV, Sky, and Channel 5, offering expert advice on aging, care planning, and family support. She contributes regularly to national newspapers and lifestyle magazines, helping families navigate the complexities of caring for older relatives.
She lives in London with her husband and their delightfully mischievous golden retriever
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
September 4, 2018
What’s Left Unsaid by Deborah Stone is a 2018 Troubador Publishing publication.
An effective, emotional, intimate look at the realities of family and the secrets they keep-
On the surface, Sasha’s life is stable. But, behind closed doors she is dealing with a moody teenager, an absentee husband, and a mother suffering from dementia.
In short order, Sasha’s life implodes, as stunning secrets bubble to the surface and the fallout is devastating Yet at the end of the day, those shocking revelations just might be the catalyst for closure and new beginnings.
I love family sagas and drama. Just love it. All the complexities of human relationships are endlessly fascinating to me. It goes without saying then, that this book was a good fit for me.
I thought the voice of ‘Joe’ which comes from the grave was a very nice touch. His insights are invaluable, as well as poignant.
Families are complicated, and while secrets are often what makes family dramas so compelling in novels, but in truth, most families have secrets. This is why, I think, when we read about family turmoil and challenges, we are looking to see how the characters react, the way they meet these unexpected twists in their otherwise normal routines. We like to see if they fail or succeed, if they become cynical or bitter, or if they rise to the challenge and make the best of what they’ve been given. The author does a fantastic job of exploring the way each character dealt with stress, tragedy and loss and how it shaped them as human beings, for better or worse.
This is a very absorbing novel, quickly read, but very thought provoking. The emotions evoked run the gamut, but, are so realistic I felt like a voyeur intruding on this family’s raw and most private moments.
Deborah Stone as a real knack for characterizations and handles a dual timeline with ease. This is a writer I will be keeping my eye on.
An effective, emotional, intimate look at the realities of family and the secrets they keep-
On the surface, Sasha’s life is stable. But, behind closed doors she is dealing with a moody teenager, an absentee husband, and a mother suffering from dementia.
In short order, Sasha’s life implodes, as stunning secrets bubble to the surface and the fallout is devastating Yet at the end of the day, those shocking revelations just might be the catalyst for closure and new beginnings.
I love family sagas and drama. Just love it. All the complexities of human relationships are endlessly fascinating to me. It goes without saying then, that this book was a good fit for me.
I thought the voice of ‘Joe’ which comes from the grave was a very nice touch. His insights are invaluable, as well as poignant.
Families are complicated, and while secrets are often what makes family dramas so compelling in novels, but in truth, most families have secrets. This is why, I think, when we read about family turmoil and challenges, we are looking to see how the characters react, the way they meet these unexpected twists in their otherwise normal routines. We like to see if they fail or succeed, if they become cynical or bitter, or if they rise to the challenge and make the best of what they’ve been given. The author does a fantastic job of exploring the way each character dealt with stress, tragedy and loss and how it shaped them as human beings, for better or worse.
This is a very absorbing novel, quickly read, but very thought provoking. The emotions evoked run the gamut, but, are so realistic I felt like a voyeur intruding on this family’s raw and most private moments.
Deborah Stone as a real knack for characterizations and handles a dual timeline with ease. This is a writer I will be keeping my eye on.
October 14, 2018
Thank you to Matador publishing who provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
This is a book narrated by three family members: Sasha (adult daughter), Joe and Annie (parents). The daughter Sasha has always felt nothing but love from her Dad Joe who has been deceased for fifteen years. Her relationship with Mom Annie is another matter entirely. It's as if she felt threatened by her daughter's fond relationship with her father. Annie also has a drinking problem. Sasha is married to Jeremy and they have a teenage son Zac. Zac has been a bit difficult to communicate with as of late. And it doesn't help that husband Jeremy is off on business trips much of the time while Sasha works in advertising from home. However, Zac recently came up with an idea to have a sort of documentary made of his family, and a young woman has been coming to his house as well as his grandmother's to film it.
As Annie is being interviewed, the reader is suddenly transported back to the war in England. At this time, children were being shuttled by train to the country for safety where they were cared for by other families. Annie's story of her experience at the hands of the woman who took her in during this time was simply riveting. The world could have gone away and I actually wished that the whole book could have proceeded onward from this perspective. The later part of Annie's life was quite interesting as well, where she worked in a clothing business as a model for buyers that came to purchase dresses.
Joe was much older than Annie when they married. His family was Jewish and ran a successful tailor shop. However, Joe managed to crack the entertainment industry and had his own show on the BBC. As a child, Sasha was used to the creme de la creme of society coming to their home for dinner parties. Although now deceased, Joe still narrates his point of view on the family history, and these are usually brief but very profound and honest musings.
Through these three alternating perspectives, the story unfolds of a family with hidden secrets and tragedies. I very much enjoyed the writing style of the story unfurling through the three narrators. It created a more personal connection with the reader of the complex nature of a family.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
This is a book narrated by three family members: Sasha (adult daughter), Joe and Annie (parents). The daughter Sasha has always felt nothing but love from her Dad Joe who has been deceased for fifteen years. Her relationship with Mom Annie is another matter entirely. It's as if she felt threatened by her daughter's fond relationship with her father. Annie also has a drinking problem. Sasha is married to Jeremy and they have a teenage son Zac. Zac has been a bit difficult to communicate with as of late. And it doesn't help that husband Jeremy is off on business trips much of the time while Sasha works in advertising from home. However, Zac recently came up with an idea to have a sort of documentary made of his family, and a young woman has been coming to his house as well as his grandmother's to film it.
As Annie is being interviewed, the reader is suddenly transported back to the war in England. At this time, children were being shuttled by train to the country for safety where they were cared for by other families. Annie's story of her experience at the hands of the woman who took her in during this time was simply riveting. The world could have gone away and I actually wished that the whole book could have proceeded onward from this perspective. The later part of Annie's life was quite interesting as well, where she worked in a clothing business as a model for buyers that came to purchase dresses.
Joe was much older than Annie when they married. His family was Jewish and ran a successful tailor shop. However, Joe managed to crack the entertainment industry and had his own show on the BBC. As a child, Sasha was used to the creme de la creme of society coming to their home for dinner parties. Although now deceased, Joe still narrates his point of view on the family history, and these are usually brief but very profound and honest musings.
Through these three alternating perspectives, the story unfolds of a family with hidden secrets and tragedies. I very much enjoyed the writing style of the story unfurling through the three narrators. It created a more personal connection with the reader of the complex nature of a family.
February 23, 2019
Sasha is mom to teenage son, Zac. Her husband is not around, and she is also responsible for her alcoholic mother, Annie.
Zac has reason to suspect he has a secret sibling, and Sasha is faced with the past she has tried desperately to forget.
Annie is aging and feels like she is being visited late husband Joe. She is reliving some secrets from her past as well, and as she does, she is determined to confront all she has worked hard to bury.
Trauma, secrets, and lies are at the heart of the difficult mother-daughter relationship between Annie and Sasha, but this isn’t just their story; I t’s a story of family across generations beginning in the early 1900s through the present day. Specifically, it addresses how World War II trauma affected a family long after the war was over.
I was completely invested in What’s Left Unsaid. Stories of family dynamics are my favorites, and families evolving across time are especially interesting. This book is deeply affecting with so many topics to think about. The Stein family’s story is vividly realistic; it truly could be any family. Warm and well-written, with forgiveness at its core, I found What’s Left Unsaid engaging and compassionate and a novel well worth reading.
Thank you to the author for the complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
Zac has reason to suspect he has a secret sibling, and Sasha is faced with the past she has tried desperately to forget.
Annie is aging and feels like she is being visited late husband Joe. She is reliving some secrets from her past as well, and as she does, she is determined to confront all she has worked hard to bury.
Trauma, secrets, and lies are at the heart of the difficult mother-daughter relationship between Annie and Sasha, but this isn’t just their story; I t’s a story of family across generations beginning in the early 1900s through the present day. Specifically, it addresses how World War II trauma affected a family long after the war was over.
I was completely invested in What’s Left Unsaid. Stories of family dynamics are my favorites, and families evolving across time are especially interesting. This book is deeply affecting with so many topics to think about. The Stein family’s story is vividly realistic; it truly could be any family. Warm and well-written, with forgiveness at its core, I found What’s Left Unsaid engaging and compassionate and a novel well worth reading.
Thank you to the author for the complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
September 15, 2018
Sasha is just about managing to hold her life together. She is raising her son, Zac, coping with an absent husband, and caring for her ageing, tempromental and alcoholic mother, as well as holding down her job. But Zac suspects he has a secret sibling. Sasha realises that she must relive the event of a devastating night of which she has done her best to forget for the last 19 years.
Sasha's life implodes as secrets bubble to the surface and the fall out is devastating. The book is divided into three parts and told by Sasha, her mother Annie and her late father Joe. I loved Joes narration. We are taken back to the war years when Annie was evacuated to rural Wales, where we are told the events that took place that made Annie the way she is.
Annie is not a very likeable character, but when you get her backstory, you do feel a little empathy for her. This is a sad but also at times funny read. I liked Sasha, a character everyone can relate to. This is a lovely story that's well written. You just want to keep on reading to find out what the family secret is. This is a well written page turner.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Matador and the author Deborah Stone for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Sasha's life implodes as secrets bubble to the surface and the fall out is devastating. The book is divided into three parts and told by Sasha, her mother Annie and her late father Joe. I loved Joes narration. We are taken back to the war years when Annie was evacuated to rural Wales, where we are told the events that took place that made Annie the way she is.
Annie is not a very likeable character, but when you get her backstory, you do feel a little empathy for her. This is a sad but also at times funny read. I liked Sasha, a character everyone can relate to. This is a lovely story that's well written. You just want to keep on reading to find out what the family secret is. This is a well written page turner.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Matador and the author Deborah Stone for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 10, 2018
4☆ An Absorbing Family Drama
What's Left Unsaid is a thrilling and Endearing story of secrets and lies, drama, dementia and family.
This is a very poignant read which draws you in and plays with your emotions.
The story is told in three parts and voiced by Joe ( Sasha's Father, voiced as a ghost), Sasha (The Daughter and Zacs Mum), and Annie ( Sasha's Mother who has Dementia)
Sasha might as well be a single parent for what help her hubby is. He is never home and when he is home he doesn't seem to contribute to anything.
Zac is a typical sassy teenager, he is grumpy, angry, don't communicate.
Sasha and Zac clash at every opportunity.
However Zac might have uncovered a family secret that Sasha would rather be kept a secret!
As it's about to blow her life into turmoil!
Thankfully the adorable pup Stanley, loyal and extremely loveable was there to always support Sasha. Any book that features a gorgeous fur Baby is a winner for me!
Annie has dementia, and likes a tipple of alcohol she isn't the most warmest of characters and her relationship with Sasha is very fraught. But I found her story heart breaking.
I recently lost my auntie on Christmas day to dementia and it's still very raw for me so reading about the dementia bought back many memories.
Joe was an interesting character, I enjoyed his observations from above. His accounts were insightful and at times emotional.
Straight away I was drawn into the plot, it started to unravel pretty quickly, but was packed full of drama and secrets.
The characters were endearing, well written and relatable.
The plot was absorbing, poignant and thought provoking and tugged on your emotions.
I thoroughly enjoyed this family saga and would definitely recommend reading this gripping book if you enjoy poignant reads full of drama and plenty of buried secrets waiting to be uncovered!
Thank you to Love Book Group Tours for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2018/0...
What's Left Unsaid is a thrilling and Endearing story of secrets and lies, drama, dementia and family.
This is a very poignant read which draws you in and plays with your emotions.
The story is told in three parts and voiced by Joe ( Sasha's Father, voiced as a ghost), Sasha (The Daughter and Zacs Mum), and Annie ( Sasha's Mother who has Dementia)
Sasha might as well be a single parent for what help her hubby is. He is never home and when he is home he doesn't seem to contribute to anything.
Zac is a typical sassy teenager, he is grumpy, angry, don't communicate.
Sasha and Zac clash at every opportunity.
However Zac might have uncovered a family secret that Sasha would rather be kept a secret!
As it's about to blow her life into turmoil!
Thankfully the adorable pup Stanley, loyal and extremely loveable was there to always support Sasha. Any book that features a gorgeous fur Baby is a winner for me!
Annie has dementia, and likes a tipple of alcohol she isn't the most warmest of characters and her relationship with Sasha is very fraught. But I found her story heart breaking.
I recently lost my auntie on Christmas day to dementia and it's still very raw for me so reading about the dementia bought back many memories.
Joe was an interesting character, I enjoyed his observations from above. His accounts were insightful and at times emotional.
Straight away I was drawn into the plot, it started to unravel pretty quickly, but was packed full of drama and secrets.
The characters were endearing, well written and relatable.
The plot was absorbing, poignant and thought provoking and tugged on your emotions.
I thoroughly enjoyed this family saga and would definitely recommend reading this gripping book if you enjoy poignant reads full of drama and plenty of buried secrets waiting to be uncovered!
Thank you to Love Book Group Tours for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2018/0...
June 25, 2019
I didn't choose this novel; I was contacted by the writer, Deborah Stone and asked to read and review it. The book description seems acceptable enough, a story about different generations in a family and some well kept family secrets - ok, I thought.
I read the introduction and then about the quarter marker I realized that the main story is to be about Annie, the mother of Sasha, who looks back on her life through the set up of a camera- interview initiated by Zak, Sasha's teenage son. Annie, at the age of 5 like many of her generation was transported to a safe rural backwater in this case Wales for the war years. And there she will suffer at the hands of the ignorant, uneducated, Mrs Wiggins:
Mrs Wiggins brings over two small pieces of bread and some lard in her hand, which she throws onto my plate. She also gives me a mug of water. I realise that I am starving, having not eaten all day, and I put the first slice to my saliva-filled mouth, but before I can take my first bite, Mrs Wiggins slaps the bread out my hand. 'You little heathen! Well, there's nowt for you now. Bed! Now! Let's go.'
So, I didn't really want to read anymore about a 5 year old being tortured and abused by a stupid old woman. Annie has to get up at 4.15, the 'lav' is outside and there will be a list of chores for her to do throughout the day.
Hot urine stings my legs and runs into my shoes. I wiggle out of my tights and lie down on the cold bed, clutching the photograph from Blackpool. (A holiday picture of her mother.)
The poor child has been on the train all day from London, and earlier she notes the need to pee, but doesn't know where to go or who to ask etc. So, she's been holding it in all this time.
I decided that that was it for me. I've read stories like this before, about children evacuated to and I think it was Wales, where they are abused and used, most often as agricultural labourers. I didn't really want to read another such story, even the mysterious family secret about a second child born to Sasha, doesn't entice me.
However, there are a couple more indicators in the first section which warned me that this was not my type of book. Another reviewer stated how much she liked the character Sasha, who copes with a difficult argumentative teenager, an alcoholic mother with memory lapses, an absentee husband, who turns up for meals and barely features in family life, plus her own part-time job. I didn't like Sasha at all, I thought the entire family walked straight over her and rang rings around her - I wanted to yell - where is your Gumption - woman? Why the hell do you let everyone treat you like the doormat? This could be part of the plot, but I'm doomed to never find out - who cares! Here's an example of how the great lawyer/earner, Jeremy speaks to his wife at the table - when he can be bothered to speak that is:
Zac the son has just announced that he's arranged for Grandma to be interviewed:
'How utterly charming, Zac. Hopefully, that won't be imminently.' Jeremy turned to me, fixing me with a hard stare, as though he were in court about to savage one of his witnesses.
'Sasha, I assume this is just a little joke?'
I stared at my plate and played with my peas.
Gosh she sounds a bit like Jane Eyre aged 11. No doubt more plot lines being laid for future resolution.
Finally there are certain markers in certain novels that annoy me. For instance - take this short description:
I struggled over the threshold, laden with over-stuffed shopping bags. The handle broke on one of my supposed bags for life and fruit tumbled all over the wooden hall floor. Stanley emerged sleepily from his bed in the kitchen and headed over to sniff the fallen food.
Why does she have to tell us the floor is 'wooden' - really is it necessary to the - plot? the character of Sasha or - perhaps it's just one of those notifiers I call them - which indicate to us readers the sort of socio-economic class of characters who are inhabiting this book - as it will no doubt appeal to a certain socio-economic class of readers. No doubt the house is a Victorian semi-detached. Sasha has a gardener to maintain the garden at rear.
So the only person I like in the novel so far is Stanley and he's the dog - natural, fun, and intrinsically doggy,- although he is a golden-retriever.
So, that's me all done and dusted.
Thanks a billion to Matador, for a free copy via Kindle.
I read the introduction and then about the quarter marker I realized that the main story is to be about Annie, the mother of Sasha, who looks back on her life through the set up of a camera- interview initiated by Zak, Sasha's teenage son. Annie, at the age of 5 like many of her generation was transported to a safe rural backwater in this case Wales for the war years. And there she will suffer at the hands of the ignorant, uneducated, Mrs Wiggins:
Mrs Wiggins brings over two small pieces of bread and some lard in her hand, which she throws onto my plate. She also gives me a mug of water. I realise that I am starving, having not eaten all day, and I put the first slice to my saliva-filled mouth, but before I can take my first bite, Mrs Wiggins slaps the bread out my hand. 'You little heathen! Well, there's nowt for you now. Bed! Now! Let's go.'
So, I didn't really want to read anymore about a 5 year old being tortured and abused by a stupid old woman. Annie has to get up at 4.15, the 'lav' is outside and there will be a list of chores for her to do throughout the day.
Hot urine stings my legs and runs into my shoes. I wiggle out of my tights and lie down on the cold bed, clutching the photograph from Blackpool. (A holiday picture of her mother.)
The poor child has been on the train all day from London, and earlier she notes the need to pee, but doesn't know where to go or who to ask etc. So, she's been holding it in all this time.
I decided that that was it for me. I've read stories like this before, about children evacuated to and I think it was Wales, where they are abused and used, most often as agricultural labourers. I didn't really want to read another such story, even the mysterious family secret about a second child born to Sasha, doesn't entice me.
However, there are a couple more indicators in the first section which warned me that this was not my type of book. Another reviewer stated how much she liked the character Sasha, who copes with a difficult argumentative teenager, an alcoholic mother with memory lapses, an absentee husband, who turns up for meals and barely features in family life, plus her own part-time job. I didn't like Sasha at all, I thought the entire family walked straight over her and rang rings around her - I wanted to yell - where is your Gumption - woman? Why the hell do you let everyone treat you like the doormat? This could be part of the plot, but I'm doomed to never find out - who cares! Here's an example of how the great lawyer/earner, Jeremy speaks to his wife at the table - when he can be bothered to speak that is:
Zac the son has just announced that he's arranged for Grandma to be interviewed:
'How utterly charming, Zac. Hopefully, that won't be imminently.' Jeremy turned to me, fixing me with a hard stare, as though he were in court about to savage one of his witnesses.
'Sasha, I assume this is just a little joke?'
I stared at my plate and played with my peas.
Gosh she sounds a bit like Jane Eyre aged 11. No doubt more plot lines being laid for future resolution.
Finally there are certain markers in certain novels that annoy me. For instance - take this short description:
I struggled over the threshold, laden with over-stuffed shopping bags. The handle broke on one of my supposed bags for life and fruit tumbled all over the wooden hall floor. Stanley emerged sleepily from his bed in the kitchen and headed over to sniff the fallen food.
Why does she have to tell us the floor is 'wooden' - really is it necessary to the - plot? the character of Sasha or - perhaps it's just one of those notifiers I call them - which indicate to us readers the sort of socio-economic class of characters who are inhabiting this book - as it will no doubt appeal to a certain socio-economic class of readers. No doubt the house is a Victorian semi-detached. Sasha has a gardener to maintain the garden at rear.
So the only person I like in the novel so far is Stanley and he's the dog - natural, fun, and intrinsically doggy,- although he is a golden-retriever.
So, that's me all done and dusted.
Thanks a billion to Matador, for a free copy via Kindle.
October 30, 2018
I devoured this book in a day.
What's Left Unsaid is told by three points of view of, Sasha (Daughter), Annie (Mother) and Joe (Father). It skips from present to past and tells the story of how Annie and Joe coped during the war, how they came to meet, become married and have their daughter Sasha.
Secrets are unearthed, loves are lost and lives are changed.
What's Left Unsaid is told by three points of view of, Sasha (Daughter), Annie (Mother) and Joe (Father). It skips from present to past and tells the story of how Annie and Joe coped during the war, how they came to meet, become married and have their daughter Sasha.
Secrets are unearthed, loves are lost and lives are changed.
October 2, 2018
There are some books that grab you from the first page, even the first paragraph. What’s Left Unsaid did just that for me:
“If Annie had just been honest with me, we might have avoided much of the ugliness which followed… but she wasn’t and we didn’t…”
How could I resist? I didn’t! It helped when I realised the story is told in one of my favourite formats; it’s written from different points of view under the name of three characters: the protagonist, Sasha, her mother Annie and her late father, Joe. I especially liked Joe’s objective viewpoint that balanced out the subjective viewpoints of the other two characters as they describe the complex and difficult relationship between them. Even so, the question hovering throughout the text is what is truth and what is lies. It’s a cleverly written narrative and I loved the writing style of Deborah Stone; she moves from character to character, slipping easily into their voices, alternately moving the reader to understand each with empathy, yet being able to see the flaws in them as well.
The plot is tense and tightly woven, moving at different paces to reveal the secrets held for years held by this family. There are many themes: family secrets and deceptions, emotional power struggles between characters, dementia, miscommunications, understandings and forgiveness. All delicately intertwined throughout the text.
I always think that, when we reach a certain age we are formed by the things that we have done, what has happened to us, how we have been treated and how we have treated others. In What’s Left Unsaid the flashbacks to Annie’s earlier life reveal her vanity, her prejudices of others and her jealousy of her own daughter. As a reader I was torn between disliking much of what she was and yet having compassion for what she has become; a woman in the throes of dementia. The flashbacks of Joe’s earlier life show his Jewish family’s struggles to move from a totalitarian Russia at the end of the nineteenth century to the North of England where they face fascism and suffer poverty that they fight to escape, much as they have escaped from an oppressive regime.
The characters are many layered. The protagonist, Sasha is living in a loveless marriage and cannot understand either her husband, Jeremy, who has a secret of his own or her son, Zac, typically a monosyllabic, hormonal teenager. She has no closeness with her mother yet is forced to be deeply involved in her life. The author cleverly and subtly reveals the tensions hidden in Sasha, much as she does in all the major characters. Her internal dialogue initially shows her timidity, her nervousness, in the way she approaches her family. Yet there is also exasperation and even anger. And this comes out more and more as the story progresses.
Joe’s words, spoken from beyond the grave, are wise and, as I said earlier, objective. I felt they gave a distanced reflective view on human nature as a whole. Yet, through the dialogue and thoughts of the other characters, his personality in life is exposed to have had had the same flaws and weaknesses as their own.
Even without the story being allocated to each character the reader is left in no doubt who is speaking; each have their own distinctive voice.
The narrative describing the settings give a good sense of place and provide an interesting background to the story.
What’s Left Unsaid is a complex and poignant read. Thought provoking and absorbing it left me reflecting on the complexities of marriage and families. I would recommend this to readers who enjoy well-written family sagas
“If Annie had just been honest with me, we might have avoided much of the ugliness which followed… but she wasn’t and we didn’t…”
How could I resist? I didn’t! It helped when I realised the story is told in one of my favourite formats; it’s written from different points of view under the name of three characters: the protagonist, Sasha, her mother Annie and her late father, Joe. I especially liked Joe’s objective viewpoint that balanced out the subjective viewpoints of the other two characters as they describe the complex and difficult relationship between them. Even so, the question hovering throughout the text is what is truth and what is lies. It’s a cleverly written narrative and I loved the writing style of Deborah Stone; she moves from character to character, slipping easily into their voices, alternately moving the reader to understand each with empathy, yet being able to see the flaws in them as well.
The plot is tense and tightly woven, moving at different paces to reveal the secrets held for years held by this family. There are many themes: family secrets and deceptions, emotional power struggles between characters, dementia, miscommunications, understandings and forgiveness. All delicately intertwined throughout the text.
I always think that, when we reach a certain age we are formed by the things that we have done, what has happened to us, how we have been treated and how we have treated others. In What’s Left Unsaid the flashbacks to Annie’s earlier life reveal her vanity, her prejudices of others and her jealousy of her own daughter. As a reader I was torn between disliking much of what she was and yet having compassion for what she has become; a woman in the throes of dementia. The flashbacks of Joe’s earlier life show his Jewish family’s struggles to move from a totalitarian Russia at the end of the nineteenth century to the North of England where they face fascism and suffer poverty that they fight to escape, much as they have escaped from an oppressive regime.
The characters are many layered. The protagonist, Sasha is living in a loveless marriage and cannot understand either her husband, Jeremy, who has a secret of his own or her son, Zac, typically a monosyllabic, hormonal teenager. She has no closeness with her mother yet is forced to be deeply involved in her life. The author cleverly and subtly reveals the tensions hidden in Sasha, much as she does in all the major characters. Her internal dialogue initially shows her timidity, her nervousness, in the way she approaches her family. Yet there is also exasperation and even anger. And this comes out more and more as the story progresses.
Joe’s words, spoken from beyond the grave, are wise and, as I said earlier, objective. I felt they gave a distanced reflective view on human nature as a whole. Yet, through the dialogue and thoughts of the other characters, his personality in life is exposed to have had had the same flaws and weaknesses as their own.
Even without the story being allocated to each character the reader is left in no doubt who is speaking; each have their own distinctive voice.
The narrative describing the settings give a good sense of place and provide an interesting background to the story.
What’s Left Unsaid is a complex and poignant read. Thought provoking and absorbing it left me reflecting on the complexities of marriage and families. I would recommend this to readers who enjoy well-written family sagas
January 17, 2019
This is a super debut from author Deborah Stone which revolves round three generations of the same family and the influences that have made them who they are.
Annie is a mother and grandmother whose mind isn’t as keen as it once was. Sasha is Annie’s daughter that is trying to deal with her own life problems and Zac is Sasha’s son. When Annie lets something from the past slip to Zac, it really knocks him off his feet and he wants to find out more. Zac arranges for his Grannie, mother and father to make a film of their past lives that he will always have for when he is older. When his father declines it makes his mum more keen to go ahead.
As the interviews begin Annie can recall with clarity events that happened years ago, especially her time as a five-year-old girl bundled off to the supposed safety of the countryside through the war years. A time that left her traumatized. Annie’s story goes on to tell how she met her husband Joe and although he had died he too has his time telling his side of the story.
Every family has its skeletons in the cupboard and this family seems to have a church yard of them. While the filming is taking place, Sasha has to face even more distress with her mum’s health and her husband’s confession. The whole family are turned upside down and in shock. What tragic things there are have been left in the dark to fester, leaving at times a coldness in the family instead of understanding and comfort from loved ones.
I think if there was a lesson to be learnt from this story then it is to talk to each other. So many rifts had been made with secrets in this family, could they possibly make amends before it was too late.
I wish to thank the author for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.
Annie is a mother and grandmother whose mind isn’t as keen as it once was. Sasha is Annie’s daughter that is trying to deal with her own life problems and Zac is Sasha’s son. When Annie lets something from the past slip to Zac, it really knocks him off his feet and he wants to find out more. Zac arranges for his Grannie, mother and father to make a film of their past lives that he will always have for when he is older. When his father declines it makes his mum more keen to go ahead.
As the interviews begin Annie can recall with clarity events that happened years ago, especially her time as a five-year-old girl bundled off to the supposed safety of the countryside through the war years. A time that left her traumatized. Annie’s story goes on to tell how she met her husband Joe and although he had died he too has his time telling his side of the story.
Every family has its skeletons in the cupboard and this family seems to have a church yard of them. While the filming is taking place, Sasha has to face even more distress with her mum’s health and her husband’s confession. The whole family are turned upside down and in shock. What tragic things there are have been left in the dark to fester, leaving at times a coldness in the family instead of understanding and comfort from loved ones.
I think if there was a lesson to be learnt from this story then it is to talk to each other. So many rifts had been made with secrets in this family, could they possibly make amends before it was too late.
I wish to thank the author for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.
September 5, 2018
One day or another the truth will come out ...
When I saw this book I was afraid that I would not be able to read and review it on time, but when there is a will, there is a way and by shifting some things around, I could fit it into my schedule.
From the very first pages, I already gave myself a pat on the schoulder for adding it to my reading list, because I really, truely, totally loved it.
The book is divided in 3 big parts. The first one is told by Sasha and Annie and everything is glued together by Joe. It's about the present (Sasha) and Annie takes us for a walk down on memory lane. The second part is told from Joe's point of view and the third part has the same structure as the first one.
It absolutely is a beautiful story. It's fluently written and peppered with some little jokes, but the author also has included some situations that either made you grab a tissue or were testing the elasticity of your heartstrings. Of course, secrets being revealed always add some extra pizzazz.
If this does not give you an idea about my feelings, I think the rating says it all.
Thank you, Deborah Stone, Matator books and Love Books Group
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
When I saw this book I was afraid that I would not be able to read and review it on time, but when there is a will, there is a way and by shifting some things around, I could fit it into my schedule.
From the very first pages, I already gave myself a pat on the schoulder for adding it to my reading list, because I really, truely, totally loved it.
The book is divided in 3 big parts. The first one is told by Sasha and Annie and everything is glued together by Joe. It's about the present (Sasha) and Annie takes us for a walk down on memory lane. The second part is told from Joe's point of view and the third part has the same structure as the first one.
It absolutely is a beautiful story. It's fluently written and peppered with some little jokes, but the author also has included some situations that either made you grab a tissue or were testing the elasticity of your heartstrings. Of course, secrets being revealed always add some extra pizzazz.
If this does not give you an idea about my feelings, I think the rating says it all.
Thank you, Deborah Stone, Matator books and Love Books Group
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
May 1, 2019
What’s Left Unsaid is a highly emotional family drama/historical fiction. Told from three points of view, the story spans three generations of the Stein family. As the story unfolds, there is a little humor and a lot of hardship: parents who don’t want the horrors of their childhood known, parents who don’t want to relive their adult grief by sharing that secret pain, and parents who finally come to grips with who they are. Yes, basically, it is all the parents’ faults. Seriously though, Ms. Stone’s tale shows how it takes walking in another’s shoes to truly understand them.
What’s Left Unsaid starts with a confrontation between Sasha and her son Zac. The ugly tension between them was stressful to read. The teenager’s acrimony oozed out of every pore. From that scene forward, Sasha’s life gets more stressful as Zac stirs the pot that leads to family secrets and closeted skeletons spilling out.
What’s Left Unsaid is laid out in three acts. Ms. Stone’s writing quality and story telling shine through each part. She pours history into the stories of Sasha’s parents, Annie and Joe. Much of the family drama stems from Annie and Joe’s young lives. However, Sasha and her husband, Jeremy have a few secrets of their own. I found Jeremy’s secret to be unnecessary, as it didn’t add to the overall story.
There are many skeletons in the Stein family’s closets. Every generation has its own secrets. Those secrets explain some of the less-than-stellar behaviors, but does that excuse the behavior? I did feel empathy for each character’s hardships, but I didn’t feel that absolved their subsequent behavior. What’s Left Unsaid is a heart-wrenching read for those who love family dramas and historical fiction.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. For more reading recommendations, visit Book Junkie Reviews at www.abookjunkiereviews.wordpress.com
What’s Left Unsaid starts with a confrontation between Sasha and her son Zac. The ugly tension between them was stressful to read. The teenager’s acrimony oozed out of every pore. From that scene forward, Sasha’s life gets more stressful as Zac stirs the pot that leads to family secrets and closeted skeletons spilling out.
What’s Left Unsaid is laid out in three acts. Ms. Stone’s writing quality and story telling shine through each part. She pours history into the stories of Sasha’s parents, Annie and Joe. Much of the family drama stems from Annie and Joe’s young lives. However, Sasha and her husband, Jeremy have a few secrets of their own. I found Jeremy’s secret to be unnecessary, as it didn’t add to the overall story.
There are many skeletons in the Stein family’s closets. Every generation has its own secrets. Those secrets explain some of the less-than-stellar behaviors, but does that excuse the behavior? I did feel empathy for each character’s hardships, but I didn’t feel that absolved their subsequent behavior. What’s Left Unsaid is a heart-wrenching read for those who love family dramas and historical fiction.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. For more reading recommendations, visit Book Junkie Reviews at www.abookjunkiereviews.wordpress.com
August 12, 2018
Sacha lives with her husband Jeremy and their son Zac along with their dog Stanley. Zac decides that they should make a film of their lives so that he will have something to look back on when they are no longer there. He also wants to involve Sacha’s mother Annie. The thing is that Annie is getting rather forgetful to say the least and as with many older people she can remember 50 years ago much better than a few moments previously. Dementia is unfortunately beginning to take its grasp on her When she is interviewed for the film her clarity is amazing and she relives her childhood and memories. Chapters alternate between Sacha, Joe (her deceased father) and Annie. Zac discovers a secret- one that Sacha has kept for a very long time. Everyone has their secrets and some have sadly shaped who they are today. I found this an engaging read and felt for Sacha even before the secrets part of the story. She appeared to have so much to cope with and no one to talk to, as well as being taken for granted by those around her. Much of the read is about the past- which is really interesting. Sacha’s father’s family coming over from Russia and there struggle of being Jewish. Her mother of being evacuated during the war and how it affected her most of her life. A story of families and secrets, of truths and lies.
December 19, 2018
Thanks to Netgalley for my copy. 3.5*
This is an interesting tale of family dynamics and long held secrets with some very unlikeable characters. Told in different time-lines by different characters it held my interest throughout. I had no sympathy for the grandmother Annie until reading of her life in Wales as an evacuee in the war.
This is an interesting tale of family dynamics and long held secrets with some very unlikeable characters. Told in different time-lines by different characters it held my interest throughout. I had no sympathy for the grandmother Annie until reading of her life in Wales as an evacuee in the war.
August 22, 2019
What's Left Unsaid is a story of a family in all its glorious complexities.
Sasha is a freelance copywriter, wife to Jeremy and mother to teenager, Zac. Sounds fairly standard but Jeremy is never there, he's a successful lawyer always working away. Sasha's relationship with Zac is a little fraught, as parent/teenager relationships often are. And then there's her mother, Annie, a bitter woman, full of ill feeling, wine and forgetfulness. Sasha's life is far from satisfactory but she carries on, in a kind of befuddled way, putting up rather stoically with her mother's unpleasantness towards her.
The first part of the story is told from the viewpoints of Sasha and Annie with short contributions from Joe, Sasha's late father. I wasn't at all sure about his parts at first but as the story progressed I thought it was an interesting way of unfolding the family story and the more I read the more I liked his input. Joe comes at it from an onlooker's stance, seeing the difficulties in Sasha and Annie's relationship and filling in the blanks for the reader. The second section brings forward Joe's life story and gives more background to how he and Annie met, his successful career on TV and his love for Sasha. The third part reverts back to Sasha and Annie and brings about the conclusion to both of their stories.
When I started reading What's Left Unsaid, I was a little unsure as to exactly what the story was going to be about. Once I finished it and looked back I could see it was a story of family dynamics, of how what we experience in childhood can affect our whole lives. Whilst Annie and Sasha had completely different upbringings, they both suffered. Annie's experiences during the war changed her forever and impacted on her ability to be a good mother. This in turn led to Sasha having a very difficult relationship with her mother, never feeling loved or valued by her, and consequently being a bit of a sap.
Both women have a secret and whilst it was not exactly a huge surprise when they were revealed, it was done sympathetically and I liked the way that it explained so much about their behaviour over the years. I liked Sasha and didn't like Annie at all, but I think Annie was by far the more interesting of the two women. Her acerbic manner and her increasing inability to remember make her a very interesting character and then when her back story unfolded it just added to the intrigue. I was so interested to read that the author had used her own parents' wartime experiences as inspiration.
This is a book that has so much that I enjoy: family ups and downs, social history, secrets and lies. It's very much a character led story and those characters fascinated me. I found it to be a well-written and thoughtful debut novel, a slice of life story and a family history combined.
Sasha is a freelance copywriter, wife to Jeremy and mother to teenager, Zac. Sounds fairly standard but Jeremy is never there, he's a successful lawyer always working away. Sasha's relationship with Zac is a little fraught, as parent/teenager relationships often are. And then there's her mother, Annie, a bitter woman, full of ill feeling, wine and forgetfulness. Sasha's life is far from satisfactory but she carries on, in a kind of befuddled way, putting up rather stoically with her mother's unpleasantness towards her.
The first part of the story is told from the viewpoints of Sasha and Annie with short contributions from Joe, Sasha's late father. I wasn't at all sure about his parts at first but as the story progressed I thought it was an interesting way of unfolding the family story and the more I read the more I liked his input. Joe comes at it from an onlooker's stance, seeing the difficulties in Sasha and Annie's relationship and filling in the blanks for the reader. The second section brings forward Joe's life story and gives more background to how he and Annie met, his successful career on TV and his love for Sasha. The third part reverts back to Sasha and Annie and brings about the conclusion to both of their stories.
When I started reading What's Left Unsaid, I was a little unsure as to exactly what the story was going to be about. Once I finished it and looked back I could see it was a story of family dynamics, of how what we experience in childhood can affect our whole lives. Whilst Annie and Sasha had completely different upbringings, they both suffered. Annie's experiences during the war changed her forever and impacted on her ability to be a good mother. This in turn led to Sasha having a very difficult relationship with her mother, never feeling loved or valued by her, and consequently being a bit of a sap.
Both women have a secret and whilst it was not exactly a huge surprise when they were revealed, it was done sympathetically and I liked the way that it explained so much about their behaviour over the years. I liked Sasha and didn't like Annie at all, but I think Annie was by far the more interesting of the two women. Her acerbic manner and her increasing inability to remember make her a very interesting character and then when her back story unfolded it just added to the intrigue. I was so interested to read that the author had used her own parents' wartime experiences as inspiration.
This is a book that has so much that I enjoy: family ups and downs, social history, secrets and lies. It's very much a character led story and those characters fascinated me. I found it to be a well-written and thoughtful debut novel, a slice of life story and a family history combined.
October 29, 2018
Secrets can be very dangerous, and secrets within a family can often do untold damage when they finally come out., as this book eloquently reveals.
Sasha is struggling, her mother is getting older, and has issues with alcohol, her teenage son is moody and belligerent and her husband is distant and disconnected. When her mother Annie accidentally reveals a family secret to teenage Zac, he begins to try to find out the truth, which in turn leads to big questions for his parents. As the story unfolds , it becomes clear that there are layers of hidden truths and tragedies woven into the family history, dating back to the second world war.
A powerful and emotional family drama with a strong central character, and a well developed plot, this was a pleasure to read , and kept me engaged and entertained from beginning to end. The pacing was spot on , and the ending packed a real emotional punch.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
Sasha is struggling, her mother is getting older, and has issues with alcohol, her teenage son is moody and belligerent and her husband is distant and disconnected. When her mother Annie accidentally reveals a family secret to teenage Zac, he begins to try to find out the truth, which in turn leads to big questions for his parents. As the story unfolds , it becomes clear that there are layers of hidden truths and tragedies woven into the family history, dating back to the second world war.
A powerful and emotional family drama with a strong central character, and a well developed plot, this was a pleasure to read , and kept me engaged and entertained from beginning to end. The pacing was spot on , and the ending packed a real emotional punch.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
May 8, 2019
Three points of view on one family over three generations. Annie thinks back to her life during the war, her daughter Sasha is dealing with her life falling apart while thinking back to growing up with a celebrity dad and cold mother. Joe, a husband and a father gives a masculine point of view beyond the grave.
What's Left Unsaid is a contemporary novel dealing with the everyday problems of family people in England. Moody teenage son, a happy-messy dog, balancing work-life as a freelancer and taking care of an ageing mother.
Deborah Stone's storytelling is vivid and her characters relatable. There are a few typos and word repetition through the book but not in excessive amounts.
This book is a good read to you if you like your realistic contemporary stories with a side of history.
What's Left Unsaid is a contemporary novel dealing with the everyday problems of family people in England. Moody teenage son, a happy-messy dog, balancing work-life as a freelancer and taking care of an ageing mother.
Deborah Stone's storytelling is vivid and her characters relatable. There are a few typos and word repetition through the book but not in excessive amounts.
This book is a good read to you if you like your realistic contemporary stories with a side of history.
September 2, 2018
I have to be honest and say I started this book with a hint of trepidation. I worried that certain aspects of the story would hit too close to home, but I put my big girl panties (i.e. oxter warmers *snorts*) on and dived right in.
WLU tells of the difficult relationship between 40-something, Sasha, and that of her ailing mother, Annie. On paper Sasha seems to have it all - the house complete with dog (love Stanley), her own business, a loving husband, and a teenage son just about to make his way in the world. Only the foundations of her life aren’t as sturdy as they first appear and all it would take is one strong gust of wind for this house of cards to come crumbling down.
Told from three different POV: Sasha, her mother Annie and her late-father Joe. I felt the inclusion of Joe’s narration was genius as we try to decipher the truth from lies. I also like to think that our loved ones are watching over us after they’ve gone. Giving help and protection where they can - in the (my) hope we are never truly alone.
Secrets abound by both women and as Jean Racine said, “There are no secrets that time does not reveal.”
My advice before you start this story is slot out some time for yourself, because once you start it you won’t be able to put the book down till you know everything, and I mean EVERYTHING. Also, if you’re like me, hide the biscuits (in my case coconut rings) - I was so intent on unravelling the story that the biscuits were disappearing at a rate of knots. I feel no shame. Well, maybe just a tad *pinches fingers*... oopsies!
For me, WLU was a compelling read. Difficult at times emotionally. You all know me by now - I do become a tad invested and let my emotions run away with me *smirks* Although I would dare anyone not to shed at least one tear whilst reading this story.
I am haunted by one line in particular from the book:
“We hurt those whom we love the most because we can.”
Just because we can do something doesn’t mean we should, I say *sighs* Hindsight is a wonderful thing though, eh?
Enough of that now as I’m running out of tissues...
But guess what? I learnt two new words in this book. They have been safely stored for future reference and use - you’ve been warned! *smirks*
Sheesh! I’ve been blethering on for ages. I better shut up now before you all nod off.
I’ll sum up by saying that WLU will make you think, and above all, make you feel. Just remember - we are each key to our own happiness.
WLU tells of the difficult relationship between 40-something, Sasha, and that of her ailing mother, Annie. On paper Sasha seems to have it all - the house complete with dog (love Stanley), her own business, a loving husband, and a teenage son just about to make his way in the world. Only the foundations of her life aren’t as sturdy as they first appear and all it would take is one strong gust of wind for this house of cards to come crumbling down.
Told from three different POV: Sasha, her mother Annie and her late-father Joe. I felt the inclusion of Joe’s narration was genius as we try to decipher the truth from lies. I also like to think that our loved ones are watching over us after they’ve gone. Giving help and protection where they can - in the (my) hope we are never truly alone.
Secrets abound by both women and as Jean Racine said, “There are no secrets that time does not reveal.”
My advice before you start this story is slot out some time for yourself, because once you start it you won’t be able to put the book down till you know everything, and I mean EVERYTHING. Also, if you’re like me, hide the biscuits (in my case coconut rings) - I was so intent on unravelling the story that the biscuits were disappearing at a rate of knots. I feel no shame. Well, maybe just a tad *pinches fingers*... oopsies!
For me, WLU was a compelling read. Difficult at times emotionally. You all know me by now - I do become a tad invested and let my emotions run away with me *smirks* Although I would dare anyone not to shed at least one tear whilst reading this story.
I am haunted by one line in particular from the book:
“We hurt those whom we love the most because we can.”
Just because we can do something doesn’t mean we should, I say *sighs* Hindsight is a wonderful thing though, eh?
Enough of that now as I’m running out of tissues...
But guess what? I learnt two new words in this book. They have been safely stored for future reference and use - you’ve been warned! *smirks*
Sheesh! I’ve been blethering on for ages. I better shut up now before you all nod off.
I’ll sum up by saying that WLU will make you think, and above all, make you feel. Just remember - we are each key to our own happiness.
September 16, 2018
I really liked this book. It's written from three different perspectives. Joe who is the husband and father and is actually deceased, Annie the wife and mother and their daughter Sasha. Everyone in this book is hiding a secret and this is the story of the unfolding of these secrets. I didn't particularly like any of the characters in this book, except perhaps Joe who seemed to be a decent man. Certainly not Annie in spite of her troubled childhood and the fact she is very much a victim. I didn't even warm to her in her senility. Even Sasha I didn't like very much, nor her husband or her son. A right bunch of miserable people leading miserable lives. However it is the sort of character driven book that I very much enjoy. And it all made sense in the end! Thanks to Netgally for allowing me to review this book.
August 20, 2018
Sasha is a busy mother trying to juggle working from home, raising her teenage son, Zac, and caring for her ailing mother with dementia while her husband is always gone for work. Annie forgets and lets slip a secret to Zac about the brother he never knew he had. As he tries to uncover the truth, other deeper secrets are revealed about Annie's past, her difficult relationship with her daughter, and why Zac's father is always gone.
Throughout the book, I had a really hard time liking Annie. Sure, she had a rough childhood, but that was no excuse for the way she raised her daughter, Sasha. But at the end of the book, everything is explained that made me understand and feel compassion for her character. Zac's father Jeremy was awful though and there's no excuse for what he did to Sasha. I had a hard time getting into this book at first, but the author made the characters so relatable and real that i really wanted to find out their secrets. Thank you to Deborah Stone and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
Throughout the book, I had a really hard time liking Annie. Sure, she had a rough childhood, but that was no excuse for the way she raised her daughter, Sasha. But at the end of the book, everything is explained that made me understand and feel compassion for her character. Zac's father Jeremy was awful though and there's no excuse for what he did to Sasha. I had a hard time getting into this book at first, but the author made the characters so relatable and real that i really wanted to find out their secrets. Thank you to Deborah Stone and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
August 5, 2024
Sympathy for fictional characters is often a matter of perspective; we tend to sympathize with characters whose past and point of view we know the most about. Because we understand them, we can forgive. How else could the Dexter series have been so popular? But in Deborah Stone’s unsettling family novel, What’s Left Unsaid, all the sympathy I felt for one character was weighed against the emotional damage she inflicted on all the other characters. Is it possible for someone to be so awful that it doesn’t matter how much they went through? Is there an amount of trauma that means someone gets a free pass to be horrible for the rest of their lives? These are callous questions, but something about the central figure in this book meant that I had to ask...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.
August 4, 2018
Thank you NetGalley and Matador for the eARC.
What a wonderful read, I loved it!
This is the story of families with deep secrets that finally come to light; the ripple effects are disastrous and almost bring Sasha, the main character, to the edge of insanity. Her love for her son Zac and the comfort of her beloved dog Sebastian are the only anchors in her life. Her mother Annie, starting on the slippery slope of dementia, is difficult to like, but when you finally get to her backstory, you feel empathy and want to cry for the little girl she once was.
The story is told by Sasha, her mother Annie and her father Joe and takes place from the war to the present time. It is sad, funny and eventually, once the truths have come to light and dealt with, a bittersweet and hopeful story. I didn't want it to end. Wonderful! Highly recommended.
What a wonderful read, I loved it!
This is the story of families with deep secrets that finally come to light; the ripple effects are disastrous and almost bring Sasha, the main character, to the edge of insanity. Her love for her son Zac and the comfort of her beloved dog Sebastian are the only anchors in her life. Her mother Annie, starting on the slippery slope of dementia, is difficult to like, but when you finally get to her backstory, you feel empathy and want to cry for the little girl she once was.
The story is told by Sasha, her mother Annie and her father Joe and takes place from the war to the present time. It is sad, funny and eventually, once the truths have come to light and dealt with, a bittersweet and hopeful story. I didn't want it to end. Wonderful! Highly recommended.
August 20, 2018
An epic journey through family secrets that people have kept for so long that they themselves have almost turned into the ghosts in their closets.
It's like the unknown past has been shaping the younger generations as well, with or without their knowledge.
It's an engaging book that takes you far away from the couch you're sitting on while reading it.
Thank you Matador for the copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
It's like the unknown past has been shaping the younger generations as well, with or without their knowledge.
It's an engaging book that takes you far away from the couch you're sitting on while reading it.
Thank you Matador for the copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
August 4, 2018
An engaging, compelling read that balances the intricacies of every day life with mystery and plot.
October 18, 2018
‘Just because you cannot say I love you does not mean that you do not love.’
British author Deborah Stone offers no biographical information from which we may understand the depth of her artistry. WHAT’S LEFT UNSAID is simply one of the most impressive novels about family and secrets and relationships and, yes, personal histories we all share that has surfaced this year. Her prose is eloquent, her manner of delivery of a multicharacter story in conversational pages for individual characters is a very sensitive technique for creating a drama as though we the readers are personally attuned to the varying stances of each character.
The provided synopsis shares the plot well – ‘Sasha is just about managing to hold her life together. She is raising her teenage son Zac, coping with an absent husband and caring for her ageing, temperamental and alcoholic mother, as well as holding down her own job. But when Zac begins to suspect that he has a secret sibling, Sasha realises that she must relive the events of a devastating night which she has done her best to forget for the past nineteen years. Sasha’s mother, Annie, is old and finds it difficult to distinguish between past and present and between truth and lies. As Annie sinks deeper back into her past, she revisits the key events in her life which have shaped her emotionally. Through it all, she remains convinced that her dead husband Joe is watching and waiting for her. But there’s one thing she never told him, and as painful as it is for her to admit the truth, Annie is determined to go to Joe with a guilt-free conscience. As the plot unfurls, traumas are revealed and lies uncovered, revealing long-buried secrets which are at the root of Annie and Sasha’s fractious relationship.’
Yet it is most important to view a sample of a character page to appreciated the style of this drama. Deborah opens with ‘Joe’ – the father of Sasha and husband of Annie – ‘If Annie had just been honest with me, we might have avoided much of the ugliness which followed…but she wasn’t and we didn’t. I sometimes wonder if I should blame myself. After all, throughout my life, I prided myself on being a great reader of souls. Yet it appears that I missed all the signs. Or did I simply choose the path of least resistance? I have so much time on my hands now to contemplate my possible past motivations; a task which I recognise is ultimately futile. The truth is that I accepted what the fates threw at me. Annie and I created a set of armour plating to hide behind as we forged through our lives, colliding with others in our path, damaging them.’ Then we meet Sasha – ‘I heard a strange scratching sound as I reached the top of the stairs leading to my attic office. I glanced around before taking another step, but I could see nothing in the hallway. I edged towards the door, floorboards creaking underneath my feet, my heart picking up speed. Walking slowly towards my desk, I saw one of my files lying open, weighted down with a pair of scissors. I picked them up and glancing around, I crept over to the window and rattled it. It was tightly shut. ‘Boo!’ I jumped, dropping the scissors to the floor. The tea I was holding leapt in a perfect arc into my handbag. ‘ Zac! You frightened the life out of me. What are you doing hiding behind the door?’ I grabbed a wad of tissues from the box on the filing cabinet and swabbed my phone, pressing the home button to check it was still functioning. ‘I didn’t realise you’d be back so early today.’ ‘I just thought I’d surprise you,’ Zac answered. ‘I had an unexpected free period.’ His face looked slightly flushed and he was still wearing his football kit, his long legs caked in dried mud. There were streaks of dirt on his cheeks and neck, as though he had made a poor attempt at army camouflage. ‘You almost gave me a bloody heart attack, you idiot! What are you doing up here anyway?’ ‘I was just looking for some sticky tape to fix the cover on my book.’ ‘You’ve got some on your desk in your bedroom. If you tidied up a bit, you might even find it. But before you do that, can you go and shower? You’re dropping mud all over my floor. How many times have I asked you to take your filthy kit off before walking dirt all over the house?’ ‘Christ, you’re in a bad mood. Hello to you too.’ Zac lurched towards the doorway. He was so tall now that he needed to duck slightly as he crossed over the threshold. He hurdled down the stairs two at a time, flecks of soil bouncing off him as he went. I could feel a headache wrestling to emerge from between my temples…’
Brilliant writing and an entrancing journey into the life of a family fractured. Highly Recommended.
British author Deborah Stone offers no biographical information from which we may understand the depth of her artistry. WHAT’S LEFT UNSAID is simply one of the most impressive novels about family and secrets and relationships and, yes, personal histories we all share that has surfaced this year. Her prose is eloquent, her manner of delivery of a multicharacter story in conversational pages for individual characters is a very sensitive technique for creating a drama as though we the readers are personally attuned to the varying stances of each character.
The provided synopsis shares the plot well – ‘Sasha is just about managing to hold her life together. She is raising her teenage son Zac, coping with an absent husband and caring for her ageing, temperamental and alcoholic mother, as well as holding down her own job. But when Zac begins to suspect that he has a secret sibling, Sasha realises that she must relive the events of a devastating night which she has done her best to forget for the past nineteen years. Sasha’s mother, Annie, is old and finds it difficult to distinguish between past and present and between truth and lies. As Annie sinks deeper back into her past, she revisits the key events in her life which have shaped her emotionally. Through it all, she remains convinced that her dead husband Joe is watching and waiting for her. But there’s one thing she never told him, and as painful as it is for her to admit the truth, Annie is determined to go to Joe with a guilt-free conscience. As the plot unfurls, traumas are revealed and lies uncovered, revealing long-buried secrets which are at the root of Annie and Sasha’s fractious relationship.’
Yet it is most important to view a sample of a character page to appreciated the style of this drama. Deborah opens with ‘Joe’ – the father of Sasha and husband of Annie – ‘If Annie had just been honest with me, we might have avoided much of the ugliness which followed…but she wasn’t and we didn’t. I sometimes wonder if I should blame myself. After all, throughout my life, I prided myself on being a great reader of souls. Yet it appears that I missed all the signs. Or did I simply choose the path of least resistance? I have so much time on my hands now to contemplate my possible past motivations; a task which I recognise is ultimately futile. The truth is that I accepted what the fates threw at me. Annie and I created a set of armour plating to hide behind as we forged through our lives, colliding with others in our path, damaging them.’ Then we meet Sasha – ‘I heard a strange scratching sound as I reached the top of the stairs leading to my attic office. I glanced around before taking another step, but I could see nothing in the hallway. I edged towards the door, floorboards creaking underneath my feet, my heart picking up speed. Walking slowly towards my desk, I saw one of my files lying open, weighted down with a pair of scissors. I picked them up and glancing around, I crept over to the window and rattled it. It was tightly shut. ‘Boo!’ I jumped, dropping the scissors to the floor. The tea I was holding leapt in a perfect arc into my handbag. ‘ Zac! You frightened the life out of me. What are you doing hiding behind the door?’ I grabbed a wad of tissues from the box on the filing cabinet and swabbed my phone, pressing the home button to check it was still functioning. ‘I didn’t realise you’d be back so early today.’ ‘I just thought I’d surprise you,’ Zac answered. ‘I had an unexpected free period.’ His face looked slightly flushed and he was still wearing his football kit, his long legs caked in dried mud. There were streaks of dirt on his cheeks and neck, as though he had made a poor attempt at army camouflage. ‘You almost gave me a bloody heart attack, you idiot! What are you doing up here anyway?’ ‘I was just looking for some sticky tape to fix the cover on my book.’ ‘You’ve got some on your desk in your bedroom. If you tidied up a bit, you might even find it. But before you do that, can you go and shower? You’re dropping mud all over my floor. How many times have I asked you to take your filthy kit off before walking dirt all over the house?’ ‘Christ, you’re in a bad mood. Hello to you too.’ Zac lurched towards the doorway. He was so tall now that he needed to duck slightly as he crossed over the threshold. He hurdled down the stairs two at a time, flecks of soil bouncing off him as he went. I could feel a headache wrestling to emerge from between my temples…’
Brilliant writing and an entrancing journey into the life of a family fractured. Highly Recommended.
November 20, 2018
You can tell as soon as you begin reading this book that you’re going to enjoy it. The opening works so well and is a real attention-grabber. And the rest of the novel doesn’t disappoint.
Sasha is a lovely character. As a woman approaching a rather important birthday, I love female characters I can relate to, and I can’t bear it when a woman approaching middle age is portrayed as supremely confident, and with a body that makes men gasp! It isn’t realistic and it’s annoying. Sasha drinks wine and eats whole packets of biscuits when she’s fed up – far more relatable, far more real, without falling into stereotype.
The three points of view here work exceptionally well. There’s no ‘head-hopping’ and the differing viewpoints really work in enabling you to sympathise with characters that you might otherwise absolutely despise – Annie, for example. When we hear about her from Sasha, all our sympathy is with Sasha, but when we learn about Annie’s past, we see why she is like she is, and while we still feel so much for Sasha, we can feel for Annie too.
The author really shows these different characters so well – she has a firm understanding of human nature and relationships. Her characters are real, and fully developed.
And Sasha has a lovely dog too, who is very much a part of the story – always a plus for me!
My only gripe is that there were a few errors in the text – issues with tense and capitalisation, though not enough to spoil things, and I did feel that some of Joe’s story relied a little too heavily on telling. That said, this is a lovely book, and thoroughly enjoyable to read. I’ll definitely look out for more from this author.
Sasha is a lovely character. As a woman approaching a rather important birthday, I love female characters I can relate to, and I can’t bear it when a woman approaching middle age is portrayed as supremely confident, and with a body that makes men gasp! It isn’t realistic and it’s annoying. Sasha drinks wine and eats whole packets of biscuits when she’s fed up – far more relatable, far more real, without falling into stereotype.
The three points of view here work exceptionally well. There’s no ‘head-hopping’ and the differing viewpoints really work in enabling you to sympathise with characters that you might otherwise absolutely despise – Annie, for example. When we hear about her from Sasha, all our sympathy is with Sasha, but when we learn about Annie’s past, we see why she is like she is, and while we still feel so much for Sasha, we can feel for Annie too.
The author really shows these different characters so well – she has a firm understanding of human nature and relationships. Her characters are real, and fully developed.
And Sasha has a lovely dog too, who is very much a part of the story – always a plus for me!
My only gripe is that there were a few errors in the text – issues with tense and capitalisation, though not enough to spoil things, and I did feel that some of Joe’s story relied a little too heavily on telling. That said, this is a lovely book, and thoroughly enjoyable to read. I’ll definitely look out for more from this author.
July 20, 2020
What's Left Unsaid is the debut novel of the author Deborah Stone. It's a family drama fiction. The main characters are Joe, Annie, Sasha and Zac.
The book is narrated by three characters: Joe, Sasha and Annie. Zac is a teenager and son of Sasha and Jeremy. Sasha's mother Annie has a drinking problem and her father Joe Stein was well known and a bone fied celebrity.
Mother daughter relationship between Annie and Sasha is not so simple. It has the complexity of deep secrets and lies which makes the story interesting.
Every family has some drama and the story of Stein's family seemed so realistic to me and I could relate well to it. I always love to read about family dramas even though they make me emotional many times while reading.
It was the first book by Deborah but the writing seems so polished and the story narration is amazing. I really liked this book. It was a long read but the plot was so gripping that I binge read it and finished it in two sittings. It's a must read.
The book is narrated by three characters: Joe, Sasha and Annie. Zac is a teenager and son of Sasha and Jeremy. Sasha's mother Annie has a drinking problem and her father Joe Stein was well known and a bone fied celebrity.
Mother daughter relationship between Annie and Sasha is not so simple. It has the complexity of deep secrets and lies which makes the story interesting.
Every family has some drama and the story of Stein's family seemed so realistic to me and I could relate well to it. I always love to read about family dramas even though they make me emotional many times while reading.
It was the first book by Deborah but the writing seems so polished and the story narration is amazing. I really liked this book. It was a long read but the plot was so gripping that I binge read it and finished it in two sittings. It's a must read.
March 22, 2019
This was a very interesting and thought provoking read. It’s a story about family, relationships and deep secrets that come out. This is a well written story that is told through the point of views of three of the characters. It takes place from War time to present time.
The characters were also very interesting and relatable, and all this mixed together made me want to keep reading and wanting to find out more about their secrets. This book is full of sadness but by the end we as the reader are left feeling hopeful.
I really enjoyed this book but the pacing for me was a bit off, especially at the end.
Overall a book that I enjoyed, and that I would recommend.
I would like to thank Lovereading UK for sending me a digital review copy of this book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
The characters were also very interesting and relatable, and all this mixed together made me want to keep reading and wanting to find out more about their secrets. This book is full of sadness but by the end we as the reader are left feeling hopeful.
I really enjoyed this book but the pacing for me was a bit off, especially at the end.
Overall a book that I enjoyed, and that I would recommend.
I would like to thank Lovereading UK for sending me a digital review copy of this book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
November 14, 2018
This story drew you right in from the very beginning! The intrinsic detail the reader gets from every narrator not only sets the pace and scene of the book, but also helps the reader connect with each character. We get to understand the reasonings and quirks of the characters - in particular Annie and Sasha because of this and their backgrounds. This is one of the main actions on what moves the story along.
I found a couple of spelling errors and missing words, but it didn’t deter me from the story. I absolutely loved how realistic this story is, almost made me question whether this autobiographical as the themes that were portrayed were very spot on in an eccentric, disfunctional family unit. I know I can indeed spot a few similarities here...
Great decision to pick this up and read, and I’m glad I did! Thank you for giving me the chance to read it, I have already recommended this book to a few friends and family members.
I found a couple of spelling errors and missing words, but it didn’t deter me from the story. I absolutely loved how realistic this story is, almost made me question whether this autobiographical as the themes that were portrayed were very spot on in an eccentric, disfunctional family unit. I know I can indeed spot a few similarities here...
Great decision to pick this up and read, and I’m glad I did! Thank you for giving me the chance to read it, I have already recommended this book to a few friends and family members.
January 16, 2019
This is a lovely read; a peek into someone else's life and the secrets and lies which lie hidden there.
Sasha works from home; she spends her days doing everything for her teenage son and husband - the husband who is at home less and less due to his work schedule. The only saving grace is Stanley, the family retriever. Sasha also has her elderly mother to look after; with a failing memory Annie has never been the easiest of parents to get along with. But slowly, we begin to understand what makes this family tick ...
I wasn't quite sure where this one was going to begin with, but once I relaxed into it and sorted out who the characters were in my head, I really enjoyed the read! Every family has it's skeletons, but this family's are quite possibly a bit more shocking than most. Day to day events are followed mainly in Sasha's story, with the past being covered by Annie's memories - and there are some really shocking revelations in there! Her childhood moved me to tears and what followed can be tracked back to those events. It is quite obvious that the author is a dog lover; Stanley really comes to life on the page and his little foibles made me smile all the way through!
Definitely an interesting book, my only criticism would be the speed it was all wrapped up with which seemed out of sync with the rest of the story. I do, however, enjoy a tale which is neatly finished off and this is definitely a very good read and one I'm happy to recommend.
My thanks to Deborah Stone for my copy of her novel. The choice to read - and the opinions stated here - are entirely my own.
Sasha works from home; she spends her days doing everything for her teenage son and husband - the husband who is at home less and less due to his work schedule. The only saving grace is Stanley, the family retriever. Sasha also has her elderly mother to look after; with a failing memory Annie has never been the easiest of parents to get along with. But slowly, we begin to understand what makes this family tick ...
I wasn't quite sure where this one was going to begin with, but once I relaxed into it and sorted out who the characters were in my head, I really enjoyed the read! Every family has it's skeletons, but this family's are quite possibly a bit more shocking than most. Day to day events are followed mainly in Sasha's story, with the past being covered by Annie's memories - and there are some really shocking revelations in there! Her childhood moved me to tears and what followed can be tracked back to those events. It is quite obvious that the author is a dog lover; Stanley really comes to life on the page and his little foibles made me smile all the way through!
Definitely an interesting book, my only criticism would be the speed it was all wrapped up with which seemed out of sync with the rest of the story. I do, however, enjoy a tale which is neatly finished off and this is definitely a very good read and one I'm happy to recommend.
My thanks to Deborah Stone for my copy of her novel. The choice to read - and the opinions stated here - are entirely my own.
October 25, 2018
What's Left Unsaid by Deborah Stone has received a Chill with a Book Readers' Award.
www.chillwithabook.com
"This story engaged me from the first page."
Pauline Barclay - Founder of Chill with a Book Awards
www.chillwithabook.com
"This story engaged me from the first page."
Pauline Barclay - Founder of Chill with a Book Awards
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews