The Things I Didn't Say in Aussie Book Club

Nov 30, 2015 Jeann (Happy Indulgence) rated it really liked it

Shelves: love-oz-ya, young-adult, ya-contemporary, penguin-australia

This review appears on Happy Indulgence! Check it out for more reviews.

Speech is our primary way of communicating with people. But for Piper, the only way she can communicate in public is with gestures, writing, and non-verbal cues. Imagine how terrifying it would be to not have the ability to speak or to be called on by a teacher who doesn’t know any better in class?

The Things I Didn’t Say captures what it’s like for a teenager with selective mutism, a social anxiety disorder that is often misu This review appears on Happy Indulgence! Check it out for more reviews.

Speech is our primary way of communicating with people. But for Piper, the only way she can communicate in public is with gestures, writing, and non-verbal cues. Imagine how terrifying it would be to not have the ability to speak or to be called on by a teacher who doesn’t know any better in class?

The Things I Didn’t Say captures what it’s like for a teenager with selective mutism, a social anxiety disorder that is often misunderstood. Prior to reading the book, I thought selective mutism was experienced as part of post-traumatic stress disorder. But that’s not the case, often there’s no answer for why people experience the disorder and why they can speak to people they are comfortable with, yet be uncontrollably mute in other social situations.

It’s pretty frightening, but it’s written in a really relatable way that spreads awareness about the condition. Often, people think that just because you don’t speak, that you’re also deaf as well. There are many people who bully and misunderstand Piper’s condition. But the people she befriends makes it less scary for her to be in social situations, due to their understanding and helping her through them.

West is a popular, handsome jock who connects to Piper on a deeper level. While he sounds pretty cliche, I liked how there was a deeper level to him behind his persona, because popular people have a stigma as well. He doesn’t like soccer, and he doesn’t want to be a lawyer like his parents. He just wants to follow his own aspirations to open a restaurant, and he really cares about Piper and what she’s going through, because she listens to him and she’s not just with him for the status.

Seeing their relationship evolve from non-verbal cues and from West’s patience and understanding was a really sweet experience. It turns out that you can actually create a bond with a person from not saying anything at all. And that’s when you tend to connect to them on a deeper level, to really listen to what they’re saying to you and to understand what you’re really experiencing. We can all take cues from Piper and West’s relationship because they had an emotional connection.

While the romance and relationship in The Things I Didn’t Say was my favourite part of it, I did feel like the book lacked a certain depth or emphasis on the concluding thoughts about selective mutism. While it was eye-opening seeing the condition in action, there weren’t any other explanations behind a change in Piper’s behaviour, why she could speak in front of her parents and certain people, and what prompted the change when she starts speaking to others. What drives her behaviour, and what changed within this timeframe? Was it an internal thing that she willed herself to do, or was it a physical condition that suddenly relaxed over time? I thought a stronger concluding message could have helped us to really understand the condition.

The writing was also quite simplistic, making the book lighter and fluffier than what the theme leads you to believe. While it was easy to connect to the characters on a more basic level, they didn’t that deep characterisation behind their words and actions to really help us understand their personalities.

The Things I Didn’t Say features an adorable relationship between a popular guy and a girl who can’t speak. I really enjoyed Piper and West’s story and how they built an authentic relationship with each other, while also finding out more about selective mutism, an often misunderstood anxiety condition.

I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Oct 08, 2015 Cassie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-in-2016, owned

Well, now I'm a sobbing mess. ...more

7 likes · Like · see review

Oct 14, 2015 Emily Mead rated it really liked it

Shelves: contemporary, mental-illness

Brilliantttttt

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Feb 24, 2016 Steph Cuthbert rated it it was amazing

Shelves: young-adult, loveozya

When I stop ugly crying I will write a review. Loved it. Loved it.
UPDATE: This is one of the most interesting contemporary YA novels I've ever read. Before reading The Things I Didn't Say, I had heard of selective mutism, but had no understanding about what it was. This is the perfect example of how reading broadens your understand of the world by allowing you to step into another person's experience. Kylie sprinkled in details about SM from her (obviously) extensive research, but it never felt ...more

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Oct 11, 2015 Sass rated it it was amazing

The Things I Didn't Say is easily in the running for my best book of 2016, and it's only March. I loved this. LOVED. It's sweet and painful by turns, and it all feels so, so real.

If you've read Kylie's sadly out-of-print MASQUERADE, THE THINGS I DIDN'T SAY is nothing like it in tone, plot or structure, but her glorious writing, vivid characters and the way you can sink into her book like a bubble bath remain. ...more

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May 15, 2016 Danielle rated it liked it

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

This was such an interesting read and was extremely cute. I loved that I got to learn about such an unknown social anxiety disorder and how people, both suffers and those around them, deal with such an illness.

However, I did feel that the writing was not the best and I found myself wanting more descriptions and details while reading.

I still enjoyed the book and think it's such a good read for those who may be struggling with social anxiety, or those wanting to better un ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Jun 27, 2016 Jenna rated it liked it

Shelves: romance, contemporary, young-adult, diverse, aus-ya, mental-health

3.5 stars.

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Oct 25, 2015 Alice rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-in-2016, aussie-reads

4.5 STARS!
I had an exam this morning and then came home and read most of this book in 4 hours, I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! Piper's story had be absolutely intrigued. I did not know anything about Selective Mutism before I read this book, and while I have never personally experienced what Piper goes through on a daily basis, I found it super interesting to see how interacting with different people affected her. With her family, Piper is able to speak like anyone else. But in social situations, the w ...more

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Oct 28, 2015 Angel - Angel Reads rated it really liked it

Shelves: love-oz-ya

This review and more can be seen at Angel Reads
The Things I Didn’t Say by Kylie Fornasier was one of my most anticipated books for 2016. I adored her previous book Masquerade and when I heard Kylie was writing another book, I knew that I need to read it, and let me tell you It didn’t disappoint.

The Things I Didn’t Say is quite different from her first novel. Firstly it’s not historical fiction and it’s set her in Australia. It’s a contemporary novel that includes a protagonist with Selective Mut This review and more can be seen at Angel Reads
The Things I Didn’t Say by Kylie Fornasier was one of my most anticipated books for 2016. I adored her previous book Masquerade and when I heard Kylie was writing another book, I knew that I need to read it, and let me tell you It didn’t disappoint.

The Things I Didn’t Say is quite different from her first novel. Firstly it’s not historical fiction and it’s set her in Australia. It’s a contemporary novel that includes a protagonist with Selective Mutism.

The Things I Didn’t Say follows protagonist Piper as she starts at a new school after an event that made her lose her best friend. The thing is, Piper has Selective Mutism. Selective Mutism is a condition that causes someone not being able to speak in certain situations or with certain people. For Piper, the only people that she speaks to is her family and people that she is really close to.

I really enjoyed Piper as a protagonist. Her growth throughout the book was really well done and we are able to see that she has changed from the start of the book. I also enjoyed her character arc.

Kylie Fornasier dealt with Selective Mutism exceptionally well. There is quite a lot of YA novels that deal with characters not speaking – but because of something that has happened to them. Selective Mutism doesn’t work like that and we are able to see that in The Things I Didn’t Say.

We also see how other characters deal with this and it’s interesting to see how her family, who have known her, her life think that it’s just a phase that she is going through. But someone who has just found out about the condition is totally accepting.

Nevertheless, we also get to see how people who don’t know Piper’s situation deal with her especially, teachers because of her move to a new school.

There was something very real about The Things I Didn’t Say. The conversations felt real, the events that happened felt real, the way that the characters deal with things, felt real.

The romance in The Thing’s I Didn’t Say was adorable. I enjoyed West both as a character and as a love interest for Piper. It was so cute the way that West dealt with the knowledge when he found out about Selective Mutism. I wanted to squeeze him. I did feel at times that it moved along a little too quickly, it was also slow burning – if that makes any sense at all.

However, I did have a problem with the pacing. The book spans over about a year and I felt that there was no real sense of time and the next thing I knew we were at the end of the school year. This did confuse me and I just wanted to be made aware of the jump lapse.

The Things I Didn’t Say packs a punch, there are things in the novel that will rip your heart apart and all you will want to do is hold Piper. Kylie Fornasier’s writing is beautiful and so easy to delve into and read.

Overall, The Things I Didn’t Say is a gorgeous novel that breaks you down. It pulls at your heart and slowly rips it. With beautiful writing and a slow burning romance that starts off quick, but takes it’s time. ...more

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Mar 29, 2016 Melissa White rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-in-2016

The Things I Didn't Say is a wonderfully written book centring around Piper who has selective mutism.

I loved this story and felt it gave a very accurate portrayal of teenage life and drama. It also hit very close to home as I live not far from where the book is set and I have visited nearly every place mentioned.

The ending though! Ahh, I just needed a few more sentences!

Overall it was a beautiful written Australian YA novel. ...more

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Jun 24, 2016 Felicity Harber rated it it was amazing

Loved this book so much my partner asked what I was reading as it must be good to miss our favourite show and read instead.

I never knew about SM but this book is so beautifully written - I think high schools need to add it to there studies... The way she dealt with rumours and shut down people who questioned her is something all teens should read about.

Would read this book over and over! and I'm so glad West is ok but I wanna know MORE of his and Piper's story ...more

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