Don't Say a Word: A Daughter's Two Cents

In their 80s, Edna and Leo, a tyrannical couple, abandon prudence and embrace adventure in Mexico, resulting in a chaotic house. After their mother's death, Elizabeth's father tries to fill her shoes with loopy housekeepers, causing disasters. Elizabeth cannot confront her parents, but the surprising way they come undone reveals their hidden secrets, setting her free.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n \n Publication date: 11 May 2021
\n Publisher: She Writes Press
\n

Edna and Leo, a perpetually warring, tyrannical pair in their 80s, embark on a wintering adventure in Mexico, abandoning their usual prudence to embrace adventure and a bevy of sketchy new friends. Edna, driven by her desire for excitement, adopts a pair of shyster builders whom she trusts more than her architect-daughter, Elizabeth. The result is a farcical house that blithely ignores the calamities that ensue. Despite their indifference, the pair refuse all help from their overly compliant only child.

After her mother's sudden death, Elizabeth's wise, principled father attempts to fill his late wife's shoes with a string of loopy, live-in housekeepers, hoping to provide the same level of care and support. However, the Mexican escapade brings down a series of disasters commonly found in pulp fiction. Elizabeth, unable to confront her parents any more than she ever could, watches helplessly as they careen precariously toward the end of life.

Despite its unique loony details, "Don't Say a Word!" will resonate with beleaguered adult-children everywhere who will recognize the special misery of watching, helpless, as stubborn, diminished parents careen precariously toward the end of life. The film explores the complex dynamics between parents and children, particularly when the parents are no longer in control. It sheds light on the sacrifices children make to care for their parents and the toll it takes on their own lives.

In the end, the surprising way in which Edna and Leo come undone reveals just what they spent their lives trying to hide, setting Elizabeth free. The film offers a poignant reflection on the nature of family relationships and the importance of letting go and finding peace in the face of adversity.

\n Weight: 436g\n
Dimension: 140 x 215 x 26 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781647420529\n \n