Everything I Never Told You

Genre: Contemporary

Book Type: Physical

Author: Celeste Ng

Pages: 297

Publisher: Penguin Books (May 12, 2005)

Book Description:

“Lydia is dead. But they don’t know this yet.” So begins this exquisite novel about a Chinese American family living in 1970s small-town Ohio. Lydia is the favorite child of Marilyn and James Lee, and her parents are determined that she will fulfill the dreams they were unable to pursue. But when Lydia’s body is found in the local lake, the delicate balancing act that has been keeping the Lee family together is destroyed, tumbling them into chaos. A profoundly moving story of family, secrets, and longing, Everything I Never Told You is both a gripping page-turner and a sensitive family portrait, uncovering the ways in which mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, and husbands and wives struggle, all their lives, to understand one another.

Thoughts:

Where do I even begin with this amazing and captivating novel?! First and foremost, if you haven’t yet had the pleasure of reading this, you should add it to your TBR asap! This book discusses everything from sibling relationships, marriage, friendships, decisions we make in life, regrets, love, grief, the American Dream, social dynamics, and so much more. This was one of the best books I read this year!

From the first sentence, you are drawn into this story and want to know, “What happened to Lydia?!” Although you find out rather quickly, the story takes such a deep dive into what lead up to this tragic event.

Through the course of the book, I could not help but relate to each character for vastly different reasons. The sibling dynamic was incredible and the pressure each child felt left me in tears. The relationship between Marilyn and James was exceptional, as it dove in to societal norms, stereotypes, the need to feel loved, but also the social pressures of being a mom and wanting to pursue your dreams (and at what expense).

This book was one of the moving books I’ve read, and goes down as one of my favorite books of all time. It had me questioning how I am parenting my children; if I am happy with the decisions I have made along the way; the push and pull of a marriage; and if I am telling my children everything I want to say to them, before it’s too late. Yes, that sounds dramatic, but living in an age where everyone is striving to fit, I cannot express enough how much this book spoke so beautifully on so many topics. By the end of the book, I was crying (uncontrollably, I must add), and highly recommend this book.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️