Monday, January 20, 2020

The Words I Never Wrote by Jane Thynne


First Line: There's no point in pretending.

Juno Lambert can't resist buying the 1931 Underwood typewriter that once belonged to famed journalist Cordelia Capel. Once she gets home, she opens the case and discovers an unfinished novel that compels her to go to Germany to fill in the gaps of the story of Cordelia and her sister and the secrets that lie between them.

Jane Thynne's The Words I Never Wrote employs a dual timeline that often can work beautifully, but in the case of Juno and the Capel sisters, it doesn't work quite as well.

For me, Juno is the weakest link. Her up-and-coming film star boyfriend's desertion to Hollywood has made her indecisive, and more than compulsion, her decision to go to Germany to uncover the Capel sisters' story seems to be simple avoidance. And speaking of that boyfriend of hers, every move he makes, every word he speaks is utterly predictable. It would have been better if he wasn't in the book at all, leaving Juno to follow her passion more naturally. (Or this timeline could have been left out entirely, leaving more time for the intriguing Capel sisters.)

The story of Cordelia and her sister Irene is very strong. Cordelia's career in journalism begins in 1936 Paris with fashion columns in the newspaper. But she's very politically motivated, so she doesn't describe fabrics and hemlines for long. Cordelia's older sister Irene takes a much more glamorous route. Irene marries a German industrialist and finds herself in a lakeside mansion in Berlin. The sisters are close and exchange letters, but when Cordelia learns that Irene's husband is a Nazi sympathizer, she insists that Irene takes a stand against Nazism and leave Berlin. Irene chooses to stay, and Cordelia breaks off communication.

Thynne paints a vivid portrait of Nazi Berlin before, during, and after the war that I found fascinating. How the two sisters spent the war years also kept me turning the pages, as I wondered how long it would take the younger, idealistic Cordelia to learn that there is more than one way to take a stand for what you believe in. The only other thing in The Words I Never Wrote that bothered me-- besides Juno the present-day narrator-- was the feeling that, no matter how much I learned about Cordelia and Irene, I still wasn't being let in. These two characters were still standing back and not sharing their lives fully-- and I wanted them to. I wanted to tell them that the Gestapo wasn't sitting in the room with me. I wanted to feel as though I were sharing their lives, and I wasn't being allowed to. It's this aloofness and Juno that make me like Thynne's story... but with serious reservations. Your mileage could certainly vary.


The Words I Never Wrote by Jane Thynne
eISBN: 9781524796600
Random House © 2020
eBook, 384 pages

Historical Fiction, Standalone
Rating: C+
Source: Net Galley

 

7 comments:

  1. Hmm.....dual timelines can work if both stories are strong. As you say, though, Cathy, if they're not, it's harder. I do like the premise (guess it's the writer in me). Not sure it would be for me, though. Well, I may try it.

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    1. One of these days when you have nothing else to read, eh?

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  2. Yes, I can see why you aren't totally happy with this book. Much of the storyline does sound quite interesting, but...each of us knows what works for us and what doesn't. I find the WWII (and before) books interesting, but I'm also finding that a little goes a long way. Perhaps just a theme I've gotten a bit weary of. On to the next, right?

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    1. On to the next for you, but I'm finding that I have yet to tire of the WWII theme as long as they have strong women characters in them. 'bout time we learned what the womenfolk were up to back then!

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  3. Hmmm, don't like reading about WWII and Nazis. But you read it so I don't have to, and I'll take your word for it.

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