“All Those Things We Never Said”: About the Book
Days before her wedding, Julia Walsh is blindsided twice: once by the sudden death of her estranged father…and again when he appears on her doorstep after his funeral, ready to make amends, right his past mistakes, and prevent her from making new ones.
Surprised, to say the least, Julia reluctantly agrees to turn what should have been her honeymoon into a spontaneous road trip with her father to make up for lost time. But when an astonishing secret is revealed about a past relationship, their trip becomes a whirlwind journey of rediscovery that takes them from Montreal to Paris to Berlin and back home again, where Julia learns that even the smallest gestures, she might have taken for granted have the power to change her life forever.
The Review
“All Those Things We Never Said” by Marc Levy came out in 2013 BUT if you haven’t had this book on your radar, you should include it on your must-read list. Marc Levy, one of France’s most popular authors, captured the raw emotion around second chances in life and in love without creating a syrupy novel. It is, rather, a book that shares what it would be like to have more time with a loved one who has died. The plot twist is unique, and we don’t want to spoil it for you.
The book revolves around Julia, who is rather self-involved, and that part of her character doesn’t change much throughout the book. Julia finds herself on a globe-trotting adventure to find a lost love after cancelling her wedding due to her father’s death. Canadians will appreciate that a portion of the novel is set in Montreal. The book has elements of science fiction that seem possible as AI continues to get more sophisticated.
For all the fantastical elements of the book, the love story between Julia and Thomas seems a bit superfluous. The true story of love is between a father and a daughter as they reconnect in the most unexpected of ways. When the book focuses on their relationship, it is beautifully written and engaging. Other characters in the book aren’t as well developed, including Julia’s fiancé Adam and her lost love Thomas. Her best friend, Stanley is more fleshed out and feels like a deeper part of Julia’s life because of the attention given to their relationship.
“All Those Things We Never Said” would work well as a movie. We hope to see it on the big-screen one day. Overall, the book is heart-felt and an enjoyable read that will have you thinking about what may be possible in the future.
Favourite Passage From the Book
“Julia, you can blame your childhood, accuse your parents for all of the problems you confront, make them responsible for the trials of your life, for your weaknesses, for your fears, but, in the end, we’re responsible for our own existence, and we become who we decide to become. You have to learn to put your dramas in perspective – there are always families worse than yours.”
In real life, or even in this novel, truer words have never been spoken. We are responsible for our choices no matter what trials and tribulations that we have with our family. This was the lesson that Julia needed to learn to find true happiness.
