Things We Never Said’ was a very enjoyable book. I really liked how every chapter started off with a snapshot and then a cassette recording of his wife’s explanation of the photo. I felt for, Sean, the main protagonist, as he listened to his wife’s revelations. But when they realise suicide isn't the only option- it isn't the right option, the course of their lives begin to change. But what can you do if you've already signed your life away? Compelling and deeply moving … this is superb storytelling which transports the reader with ease between past and present, across a gulf of fifty years, while gradually revealing the connection between the two. Two intertwined stories explore a past filled with terror and grief, and a heart-breaking present, in writing as smooth and bittersweet as fine dark chocolate’ More than anything, I loved her unwavering relationship with her faith. The novel begins with her standing in prayer and really captures how peaceful the act is for many Muslims. This feeling of tranquillity juxtaposed with Mehreen’s Chaos was a particularly powerful image. I also loved the conflict she faced in justifying suicide when it goes against the teachings of Islam.

I could so identify with life in the early 80s when Catherine and Sean met, the music, the smoking, the styles, and the fiery sense of injustice and eagerness to protest was so familiar! As the story progresses, the title of the book becomes clearer, if only Sean and Catherine had actually voiced their worries and feelings during the course of the marriage, perhaps they would have had an easier time. All The Things We Never Said is another mental health awareness book that is important to be read by everyone to understand the issues and someone we can help, or to know we are not going through it alone. Mehrín. Cara. Olivia. Všechny tři mají tajemství. Všechny tři jsou tak bezradné a cítí se tak samy, že nevidí jiné východisko.I first read Yasmin’s short story in A Change is Gonna Come and really loved it so I was really looking forward to reading her debut book. So I knew as soon as I heard about this book that I would love it and it did not disappoint! Invisible disabilities?’ Mum asks. The sarcasm in her voice is the first thing I’ve been able to relate to her about in ages." Mehreen is such a wonderful character, she’s unapologetically, unflinchingly Muslim. We see her pray and talk about how that helps her, we even get a scene where the girls go out for a meal and they find somewhere halal so Mehreen can eat and I loved that Cara and Olivia were so understanding and accepting of it. I know how you can feel so left out if you’re the only Muslim in the group. But one of my favourite things that Yasmin spoke about is something that is SO IMPORTANT when speaking about mental health and especially suicide in Muslim communities. That Mehreen did not commit suicide because of her love for Allah, and that takes strength. But as disconcerting as the tapes turn out to be, Sean prays that they will ultimately confirm the one thing he never dared question. Does destiny exist? And were his and Catherine’s love and life together always meant to be? I found this to be a very enjoyable book. Yes, there was a lot of reminiscing of this couple over their past vacations, raising their child, etc. but there was also hurts identified and secrets revealed.

There were so many things that I loved about this book. It had me thinking quite a bit about "The Notebook" by Nicholas Sparks, and I will tell anyone who asks that "The Notebook" has been my favorite since I read it. A brave and moving story about how much can be lost and what happens next. A compelling and impressive debut’ El libro, en apariencia simple porque muchas de las cosas que en él aparecen son previsibles, es una bomba de emociones. No porque trata un tema peliagudo como la muerte, sino porque su eje central es sencillamente el amor. Y el amor no necesita artificios, ni grandes reflexiones filosóficas. El amor solo necesita la crónica de la vida diaria. Y así lo expone el escritor. No adorna nada, solo narra la vida de dos seres humanos que se quisieron con sus errores y sus aciertos. Sobrecogedor, sencillo, directo.

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BBC Arts correspondent Rebecca Jones presents two thought provoking short dramas from the next generation of dramatists. Things We Never Said is reminiscent of another book “P.S. I Love You” by Cecelia Ahern, except that it is with audio cassettes rather than letters and the couple in this book are mature adults rather than the young couple in Ahern’s book. I think I like the idea of cassettes better simply because you would get to hear the person’s voice again. Sean’s much-loved wife Catherine dies of cancer and following his return from her funeral he’s given a wrapped cardboard box by family friend Maggie. The box contains twenty-nine envelopes each with a photograph and tape that Catherine recorded on a Dictaphone machine before she died. As Sean opens them, one envelope every Sunday, he relives their life together and it feels that Catherine is still with him in spirit if not in body. Jane Rogers, author of the Booker-longlisted The Testament of Jessie Lamb‘Tightly-woven and tender, Written similarly to 13 reasons why, and p.s. I love you, I was expecting something more;whether it was more excitement and drama, heartbreak and tragedy or a more heartfelt, beautiful love story and unfortunately I got neither.

A tak se přihlásí na stránku MementoMori, která má určit čas i způsob jejich smrti a přidělí jim kamaráda na sebevraždu. A tak se Mehrín, Cara a Olivia seznámí a zjistí, že společně mohou být jedna druhé oporou. Jenže už není cesty zpět. The plot of this story was absolutely amazing and full of twists and turns. The plot was never boring and was extremely fast pace which is what I love. Like I already said, I love that this was told in multiple points of view so we got to see the story through three completely different yet so similar people. This debut novel is an absolute triumph in voice and style - each of the 3 POV characters are so fully realized, you will feel like you've known them your entire life and will not want to let them go. The book has three points of view but it is easy to distinguish between them as they each have distinct voices and personalities. All three girls are struggling yet when they meet each other, even they cannot understand why the others would want to commit suicide and I thought it was so important to see that. That just by looking at someone, even if they are smiling and laughing, they could still be drowning inside. They could still be struggling to cope with everything that is happening in their life. So it’s important not to dismiss someone, just because they look okay.What is it like traveling without sight? On the road to a memorial party a man tries to come to terms with grief as well as navigate the world as a blind person. V průběhu čtení mě chvílemi dost mrazilo. Představte si, že jste ve fast foodu a u stolku vedle sedí tři holky. Kamarádky, řeknete si. Možná si jich ani vůbec nevšimnete. Jenže co když se ty kamarádky seznámily skrz společné nutkání se zabít a právě teď přede všemi a před nikým sepisují dopisy na rozloučenou rodičům? Může to být kdokoliv. Co když ten člověk,co sedí naproti vám v metru,jede metrem naposled?\\ . Trošku mě mrzí, že anotace na přebalu knihy prozrazuje hodně z děje, myslím, že bych byla z akce mnohem víc překvapená, kdybych anotaci nečetla, na druhou stranu tomu rozumím, tohle rozhodně čtenáře přiláká. What I did not understand is, why did Catherine have to tell Sean about certain things that would only make his life worse than what it is right now. Sean has lost his wife Catherine to cancer, and she has left him a box containing voice messages and photographs for him to open, one a week, over 29 weeks. These reveal her thoughts and experiences of their life together, beginning when they met as teenagers until she was aware her life was ebbing away as her illness took over. The description of her sensing the shadows drawing her into them, and away from the path of pain she was in, was so evocative and absolutely heartbreaking.