The Story That Cannot Be Told

Written by J. Kasper Kramer

Narrated by Jesse Vilinsky

A powerful middle grade debut that weaves together folklore and history to tell the story of a girl finding her voice and the strength to use it during the final months of the Communist regime in Romania in 1989.

Ileana has always collected stories. Some are about the past, before the leader of her country tore down her home to make room for his golden palace; back when families had enough food, and the hot water worked on more than just Saturday nights. Others are folktales like the one she was named for, which her father used to tell her at bedtime. But some stories can get you in trouble, like the dangerous one criticizing Romania’s Communist government that Uncle Andrei published—right before he went missing.

Fearing for her safety, Ileana’s parents send her to live with the grandparents she’s never met, far from the prying eyes and ears of the secret police and their spies, who could be any of the neighbors. But danger is never far away. Now, to save her family and the village she’s come to love, Ileana will have to tell the most important story of her life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: Oct 8, 2019
• ISBN: 9781797100203

J. Kasper Kramer

J. Kasper Kramer is the author of the acclaimed novel The Story That Cannot Be Told as well as The List of Unspeakable Fears and Eyes on the Sky. She’s an author and English professor in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She has a master’s degree in creative writing and once upon a time lived in Japan, where she taught at an international school. When she’s not curled up with a book, Kramer loves researching lost fairy tales, playing video games, and fostering kittens. Visit her at JKasperKramer.com.

Reviews for The Story That Cannot Be Told

[Zsuzsa Szőke · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I never want this story to end. I haven't found a story this engaging and wonderful in sooooo long. I love it. Oh ya, and I'm of Hungarian heritage and in Hungary there are similar stories and histories, similar trauma and violence ... So this story really drives home our common humanity with our Romanian neighbor - that essentially we are taught to harbour contempt towards, because of things that happened in the past. The whole adventure is so heart warming and fun and heartbreaking ... and then with the folktales woven into it ... I haven't been able to stop listening. I haven't finished books in year, but this one I did and it warmed my soul ❤️

[Kim Bohac · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I truly enjoyed the storytelling and historical perspective. Ileana was a wonderfully in-depth character. Not many writers these days work so hard to create such characters but I guess readers are always looking for the next graphic novel.

[Becky Baumgartner · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A fascinating look at late 20th century Romanian history through the eyes of a girl who loves stories. The narrator did a splendid job with the voices.