Things We Couldn’t Say by Jay Coles is a moving YA contemporary novel following Gio Zander, a high schooler who was abandoned by his mother when he was nine. Not only is he dealing with lingering abandonment issues, Gio is also coming to terms with his bisexuality and what it means for his future relationships. Gio’s not going it alone, however. He has his best friends, Olly and Ayesha, at his side, as well as his step-mom Karina and his little brother Theo. And then there’s David, the new kid in town Gio might be developing feelings for.
Things We Couldn’t Say is not a complex novel in terms of plot, but in terms of emotional complexity? It’s got a lot of layers. Gio is Black as well as bisexual. His mother abandoned him when he was little. He’s playing basketball but he’s scared of the team finding out his sexual orientation. He loves making playlists and hanging out with Theo. In short, Gio has a lot going on and Coles handles this emotional complexity well.
If I had a gripe about this novel it would be that Gio’s mother coming back is not exactly the plot point Coles wants it to be. Her arrival back in Gio’s life wasn’t used as much as I hope it would be. I thought it would be the major plot point in the book but really it’s more of a vehicle for Gio’s growth as a character. This is a fine choice, of course, and my disappointment stems from personal taste more than anything else. I also wasn’t a huge fan of David, the love interest. He was…fine, I guess, but he irritated me more than anything. #GioDeservesBetter.
Aside from these issues, Things We Couldn’t Say is a lovely novel about embracing your identity, your emotions, and your community. I loved reading about a queer Black boy and we certainly need more characters like Gio in YA fiction.
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