Review:Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

[nina-mouawad]

Fear is a hunter. It encircles us when we are unarmed and least expect it. And then we are forced to make decisions

This was so brilliant, I've been very into historical fiction lately and especially World War II but this book tells a story not a lot of people talk about. Normally in WWII books we get only to sides: the good British side and the bad German side, but history is much more complicated than that and when it comes to good and bad, civilians were just trying to survive. If you read this book, read also the author's note, I think it contributes to the meaning of the book as much as the story itself. There Ruta Sepetys explains why she decided to tell the story and she asked for us not to forget about these people's voice. People from countries that were caught in the middle of brutality and we don't know much about, countries that now don't exist any more or that exist under some other name. Those stories are just as important as the mainstream WWII stories and they must be heard with the same respect. I love that this book dealt with those things, but I also loved the narrative and the POVs, they were so different from each other, each with their own voice, with their own secrets and truths, each with their own values and morals. The writing was fantastic. Highly recommend this one if you're looking for a historical fiction book.

[causas]

I agree completely, I found it a bit difficult to get into the POV style of writing with how frequently the narrator changes, but I am so glad that I stuck with the book. By the end I was completely engrossed in the characters and was very surprised (and saddened) to learn that it was loosely based on a real event.

[RoxieReads]

This book is so beautiful yet so sad, and carries so much meaning. I was not aware that the Wilhelm Gustloff existed before reading this, and I think that many more people should learn about it.

[Kikijanika]

I agree! I loved this book, as I loved Between shades of grey, too. I think it's awesome how Sepetys writes about real historical events in a way that make them interesting for teens. Even if the stories are not strictly based on real events, the message is still there.

[Nisha Ward]

Shades of grey definitely exist in every war and a lot of those countries that got swept up in it didn't have a firm alignment one way or the other. It's good that Sepetys decided to handle this because it needed to be said.

[Barbie_sidhu]

After The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah i have been looking for new WW2 fictions. Definitely going to try it.

[VISHWA129]

This book is so good! I read it for the first time years ago and still to this day I catch myself thinking about it. All of Ruta Sepetys' books are so incredible, and this is one of my favorites. Each character is dynamic and gets a satisfying arc, and all of this happens while Ruta educates us on a chapter in history many of us do not know about. I've reread this novel a couple of times and I might reread it again soon, it's so heartbreakingly beautiful and touching.

[meg23]

I loved this book. It was sad but it also warmed my heart. In this book you get to see the war from different perspective and get to know each character. All the characters were hiding something which you just really want to find out so you have to keep reading. The auther really makes you think and feel, its amazing!

[dianaterrado]

I am hugely regretting not reading this book as soon as I heard about it. Ruta Sepetys is such an amazing storyteller! I need to read more of her works.