Over the years, I have read all of Elizabeth Strout’s New York Times’ best-selling books, beginning with Olive Kitteridge, and she has never disappointed me. Her latest, The Things We Never Say, is a slim, delicious little novel full of surprises, and a prime example of Strout’s distinctive writing. Her stories are usually set in a small town in rural Maine, featuring settings, characters, and plotlines that are easily relatable and fascinating to read. Baby boomer women in particular understand the complexities of her mature characters, as many of us have already walked in their shoes, or know someone who has, and can empathize with their experiences.

Instead of reintroducing spinoffs of the Kitteridge clan this time, we meet Artie Dam, a 50-something high school history teacher in a small coastal town. His wife, Evie is a therapist, and together they have a grown son, Rob. Everything seems normal if you consider having secrets to be normal. This book is particularly timely. With this being Father’s Day weekend, a large part of this story concerns the relationship between Artie and his son, Rob. A tragic car accident involving Rob when he was a teenager has cast an indelible cloud over their lives and changed them forever.

People are imperfect, and much as we strive to put our best face forward, everyone has struggles and challenges. While Artie strives to guide his students in a positive direction, he understands that each one has his or her own behind-the-scenes story that must be considered. Most of us have benefited from having that one special teacher at some point in our education we will remember for the rest of our lives.

Artie enjoys his quiet time on his sailboat, a pastime his wife does not share. During a period of depression, he nearly drowns while getting ready to go for a sail. This accident shakes him to his core and brings him to the realization that he really wants to continue living, and his close call casts a different light on his life going forward. He takes a greater interest in his son’s marriage breakup, and reignites the relationships he has with both his friends and coworkers.

This book is slightly more than 200 pages, and about three-quarters of the way through, I thought the author had written the ending, but Strout still had some surprises in store. The story is more character-driven than plot-driven, but the characters are multi-faceted and hold our interest until the last page of the Epilogue. The story also references the current political climate in the United States, and the characters are unusually candid in their views, which is surprising. It’s brave of Strout to take a political position in her fiction. If you’re a fan of Elizabeth Strout’s writing, you will not be disappointed with The Things We Never Say. It might even affect how you view your own life. If you’re new to Elizabeth Strout’s writing, I am confident you will want to read more by this author.

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