This is an incredibly powerful and thoughtful debut novel from the author of Little Fires Everywhere. Set in the 1970s and undoubtedly semi-autobiographical, the novel has huge relevance. As its title suggests, much of the thrust of this work is about the secrets we keep, whether inadvertently or deliberately, and the corrosive impact of such decisions. Add in the dynamic of a mixed-race family in rural Ohio, and one that is wrought apart by the death of a favoured child, and you clearly have the makings of a combustible novel. The opening to Everything I Never Told You shared echoes with Laura Palmer's death in “Twin Peaks”. The reader is engaged from the outset. What unravels is how different are the public and private faces of all the characters. The hopes and expectations of parents for their children need to be offset against free will and instinctive rebellion. Societal expectations add in another layer of complexity. The desire to conform needs to be offset against an instinct for rebellion. Why do we keep secrets, even from those we love most? How well do we ever really know each other? I did not see the ending coming, but like the catharsis, there is a lot here. Readers would benefit from Celeste Ng's afterword and the related notes in this edition. 9.5/10.
By Celeste Ng