There are many reasons we don't say what we should to the
people we love— fear, uncertainty, embarrassment,
hopelessness, shame, or simply not knowing that there is
something that should be said. All of these factors and
more have kept the family in THINGS WE DIDN'T SAY silent for
much too long.
The father, Michael, is still shell-shocked from having been
married to Mallory (a woman with definite psychological
issues), overwhelmed trying to raise three children, and
facing the unpromising future of a print journalist. Casey,
his fiancé, moved in a year ago and is struggling with a
lack of acceptance from the children, the loss of passion in
her relationship with Michael, and the pull of a personal
history she hasn't had the courage to share. Oldest
daughter Angel is angry, bitter, and happy to take it out
on Casey who she perceives to be an unwelcome intruder.
Youngest daughter Jewel needs love and stability and is
prone to stress-induced stomachaches. Things seem to be OK
with saxophone playing Dylan, until he doesn't show up at
school one day. The search for Dylan will force the family
to break the silence and face many truths that will change
their future, one way or another.
With THINGS WE DIDN'T SAY, Kristina Riggle has crafted the
compelling story of a family splintering under the pressure
of all they can't or won't say. Since the story is told in
first person from multiple perspectives, we are able to
understand the motives behind the actions long before the
other characters. These insights add dimension to the
characters and foster compassion even when we may not agree
with their choices. Once I started reading, I couldn't put
it down; I had to find out what happened to each member of
the family. I suspect you will react the same way.
Twenty-six-year-old Casey thought love and a fierce
stubborness would be enough to hold together her fragile new
family with fiance Michael and his three children: two
difficult teens and a quirkly little girl prone to
stress-induced stomachaches. But Michael's ever-lengthening
silences make her wonder if she has a place in the house at all.
Then, fourteen- year-old Dylan doesn't show up at school,
pushing Casey's uncertainly to the backburner. His father's
convinced he's just cutting class, but Casey fears something
much worse as every lead she chases turns up nothing. Then,
the kids' volatile mother crashes on the scene daughter
Angel digs up an ugly fact about Casey's past, and suddenly
Casey's new life—her fresh start—unravels before her eyes.
Even if they can find Dylan safe and sound, it's clear that
this family's problems run much deeper than anyone dared say
out loud.
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