Review of The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout

In Strout's newest novel, we meet an irresistible new character in high school history teacher Artie Dam. Only the reader understands Artie's deep loneliness, only we live through his discovery of a shattering secret, and only we witness the life-altering power of his kindness and connections with other characters. This is lovely.

In Elizabeth Strout's newest novel, we meet Artie Dam, high school history teacher, father to a grown son, longtime husband to his wife, and friend to all. The thoughtful, kind former teacher of the year loves sailing, connects with his students, and is a calming force in all of his circles.

Artie is friendly and kind, but private. As readers, we are privy to Artie's closely held ups and downs, his annoyances and triumphs, his secret joys and his devastating disappointments. Only we fully realize that Artie is feeling desperately lonely, disillusioned, and depressed.

His connections with his students are wonderful and, sometimes unbeknownst to him, powerful. Strout inserts omniscient mentions of events and developments that are to come, as well as pivotal moments that altered the students' life trajectories, so that only the reader realizes Artie's immense influence.

When Artie discovers a deep secret about his life, he's unsure how to cope. This enormously impactful unearthing of information profoundly shakes him. But in typical Artie fashion, he doesn't burn everything down as a result; he is circumspect, even when restraint feels impossible, and thus he protects others. In fact, while he has years to confront and address the revelation, he does not, and in keeping his pain and his revised outlook on his life to himself, he creates a later shocking moment for a loved one who realizes after his passing that he has known the truth all along.

Two wives in the story are frustrated with their husbands during their husbands' lives, but treat them like martyrs after their passing; in one case this feels overly generous, and in the other it feels fitting--and tragically late for the appreciation he likely always deserved.

Elizabeth Strout's signature voice comes through--in this case, it actually felt as though multiple characters took on similar speech patterns to each other and to those in other Strout books. This cross-character speech pattern is not something I'd noticed in other Strout novels, and I'd be curious to know if it was present in other works or not.

This is beautiful, poignant, heartbreaking, and heartwarming. I loved reading about Artie's life and being allowed into his inner world.

More by Elizabeth Strout

Elizabeth Strout is also the author of Tell Me Everything, Lucy by the Sea, Anything Is Possible, Olive, Again, My Name Is Lucy Barton, and Oh William! Elizabeth Strout is also the author of Olive Kitteridge.