The Things We Never Say

The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout (2026), 224 pages

I am not sure what to say about this book. I see what Strout was going for; Artie a middle-aged teacher struggles with his life, current political conditions, and what the future entails, but feel she really missed the mark. The book was almost painful to read as it clunkily tried to tackle big issues without garnering a whole lot of compassion and, really, any interest in the characters. I suspect the book would have been more compelling if Strout had written more and deep-dived some of the story lines. As is, it reads as a person trying to get their anger at the current state of the world out too fast and coming across frustrated and malcontent. I would pass on this if I was you.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry / Rachel Joyce 320 pp.

Look at this attractive cover image, and note the cheerfully unwieldy title.  Add a map of England tracing Harold's pilgrimage covered with lighthearted graphics and you know you're going to be reading a sweet, fun little tale, right?

So much for books and covers and all that.  What a downer!  Harold and his wife live quietly in southern England.  That is, they hardly speak to one another.  One day, Harold receives a letter from a former co-worker, who is dying in the far north of England.  Harold owes a debt to this woman, Queenie, although the reader won't learn why for a long while.  He spontaneously decides that the best way to make good on his obligations is to walk the 600 miles to see her. The novel is beautifully written and very engaging.  I can't criticize anything about it except its deeply melancholic tone.