Blog tour: Things We Didn't Say

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Welcome to the blog tour for Things We Didn’t Say by Amy Lynn Green.

More about the book…

Headstrong Johanna Berglund, a linguistics student at the University of Minnesota, has very definite plans for her future . . . plans that do not include returning to her hometown and the secrets and heartaches she left behind there. But the US Army wants her to work as a translator at a nearby camp for German POWs.

Johanna arrives to find the once-sleepy town exploding with hostility. Most patriotic citizens want nothing to do with German soldiers laboring in their fields, and they're not afraid to criticize those who work at the camp as well. When Johanna describes the trouble to her friend Peter Ito, a language instructor at a school for military intelligence officers, he encourages her to give the town that rejected her a second chance.

As Johanna interacts with the men of the camp and censors their letters home, she begins to see the prisoners in a more sympathetic light. But advocating for better treatment makes her enemies in the community, especially when charismatic German spokesman Stefan Werner begins to show interest in Johanna and her work. The longer Johanna wages her home-front battle, the more the lines between compassion and treason become blurred--and it's no longer clear whom she can trust.

More about the author…

Amy Lynn Green is a publicist by day and a freelance writer on nights and weekends. She was the 2014 winner of the Family Fiction short story contest, and her articles have been featured in Crosswalk, Focus on the Family magazines, and other faith-based publications over the past 10 years. This is her first novel. Learn more at www.amygreenbooks.com.

And now, my thoughts…

How did this book end up in my hands? I was gifted a copy of this book so that I could participate in this amazing blog tour.

Was it a page-turner? Definitely. Having the story told through letters was a very clever choice as I felt more and more engaged and involved in the unfolding of events as the book progressed. While wanting to know how it ended, however, I did take my time to read each letter as if I was the intended recipient. We should start writing more letters and less emails. Everything seems to be consumed fast nowadays but some things, like this novel, need to be savoured.

Did the book meet my expectations? Well, well, well… what can I say? I was in my element here. This novel ticked off so many boxes me. Well-researched WWII setting – check. Well-rounded characters that you feel connected to – check. A narrative entirely told through letters and notes – check. Besides, Johanna is a translator and I am a translator… I felt immediately connected.

Three words to describe it. Unique. Thought-provoking. Epistolary.

Do I like the cover? Yes, I really do. It’s simple, fresh, and I dare say it has something hopeful about it. I love the layout, the colours, the fonts used… basically, I love everything about it.

Have I read any other books by the same author? This is the author’s debut novel. A brilliant debut!

 

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