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cherircohen's review
1.0
This book was just terrible - the characters, the story, but most of all, the writing. Just really bad, all around. A talented writer could have (and would have) made this work. But this was just sloppy, very poorly edited (typos!!!) and just sophomoric. She couldn't show you how the characters felt with her words so she told you. Just bad. Especially given that this was about supposedly gifted writers!
buer's review against another edition
4.0
**A publisher sent me an advance copy of this book to review. Just in case that bothers you.
What's Never Said tells the story of a failed relationship (which we know was doomed from the first chapter) between a poetry grad student, Lila Lerner, and her professor, Daniel Wildman. The narrator alternates between Lerner and Wildman every chapter, offering the reader head-shaking insight into both characters' minds and hearts as their relationship crumbles around them.
The story is told out of time, both beginning and ending in the present day. Wildman's poetry has finally found critical acclaim and he hosts a book reading in New York, which Lerner attends. When he does not recognize her, we are sent spiraling down the rabbit hole of their decades old relationship.
Shapiro's writing makes What's Never Said difficult to step away from. I don't read a lot of romantic fiction, and I wouldn't consider it a genre that I enjoy, but I had trouble leaving the story alone. Part of this is because Lerner and Wildman were writing and studying poetry together, so it would come up in their conversations frequently. Not a chapter passed without some bit of poetry being recited from one character to another. The terse, image-laden style of poetry bled into Shapiro's prose as well without ever becoming flowery or tedious. She also captures dialogue perfectly, which is an unfortunately rare ability.
I cannot recommend this book strongly enough. I think the story of bungled love that turns out okay, even if it still stings every once in a while, is one that most people can appreciate. Shapiro does an impressive job of exploring the lies we tell ourselves and others; rhapsodizing the messiness of love, life and friendship; and illuminating both the pains and pleasures of love lost and love retained.
What's Never Said tells the story of a failed relationship (which we know was doomed from the first chapter) between a poetry grad student, Lila Lerner, and her professor, Daniel Wildman. The narrator alternates between Lerner and Wildman every chapter, offering the reader head-shaking insight into both characters' minds and hearts as their relationship crumbles around them.
The story is told out of time, both beginning and ending in the present day. Wildman's poetry has finally found critical acclaim and he hosts a book reading in New York, which Lerner attends. When he does not recognize her, we are sent spiraling down the rabbit hole of their decades old relationship.
Shapiro's writing makes What's Never Said difficult to step away from. I don't read a lot of romantic fiction, and I wouldn't consider it a genre that I enjoy, but I had trouble leaving the story alone. Part of this is because Lerner and Wildman were writing and studying poetry together, so it would come up in their conversations frequently. Not a chapter passed without some bit of poetry being recited from one character to another. The terse, image-laden style of poetry bled into Shapiro's prose as well without ever becoming flowery or tedious. She also captures dialogue perfectly, which is an unfortunately rare ability.
I cannot recommend this book strongly enough. I think the story of bungled love that turns out okay, even if it still stings every once in a while, is one that most people can appreciate. Shapiro does an impressive job of exploring the lies we tell ourselves and others; rhapsodizing the messiness of love, life and friendship; and illuminating both the pains and pleasures of love lost and love retained.
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