Things Unsaid: A Novel

Things Unsaid is a book that explores a dysfunctional relationship between aging parents and their three adult children who are responsible for their care. The burden of this responsibility highlights the strong personalities involved and the nature of the family's dysfunction. Diana Paul aptly titled the book because the relationships are characterized by a lack of respectful, honest, two-way communication and an absence of effective problem-solving. The family’s narcissistic matriarch, who is a diva and a fashionista, dominates all relationships within the family. Each family member defines their sense of independence and responsibility based on her needs and her often harsh judgments. Jules Foster, the eldest daughter, plays a primary role in caring for their parents, offering both financial and emotional support. Her two other siblings develop emotional difficulties in adulthood. Jules strongly believes in Buddhist traditions, primarily in the obligation to care for their parents. When Jules begins to feel the Buddhist tenets of suffering and compassion within her own family, we begin to see their independence in thinking. Additionally, we see the beginnings of a sense of true emotional expression in the characters. Highly recommend this .