Book Review: Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Title: Between Shades of Gray Written by: Ruta Sepetys Published: March 22, 2011 by Philomel Books (Penguin Groups) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.  Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously--and at great risk--documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives. Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart.

I have been working my way through Ruta Sepetys catalog in reverse which means that it is time for me to read her debut. I know a lot of people really love this book and I am really glad I took the time to read it because it's a great piece of historical fiction.

One of the things that I love most about this book is the historical aspect. I love when historical fiction novels explore a period of time or an event without a lot of attention. Sepetys is a master of that and this book is the perfect example. Most books that take place during World War II are focused on the western front and about the Holocaust. This book focused on the east and was about what the Soviet Union did to the people of the Baltic States and some of their own people. Sepetys obviously did her research and really delved deep into the experience for the people who were forced to bear it. It was a brutal and terrible thing that happened to the people and this book doesn't sugar coat it. Even though it broke my heart I am really glad that I learned about it.

One of the other thing that made this book so heartbreaking is the characters. That is something that Sepetys does so well. She really knows how to make characters that are likable and sympathetic. Lina was no exception. She is the kind of character that is easy to root for for multiple reason. Firstly, because of the circumstances. But secondly, because she is a kind and loving person who puts others before herself. She's the perfect heroine for this kind of book. And then there are the secondary characters. There are so many characters that are just as likable and interesting. I was definitely a fan of Lina's family. They care so much about one another and the real heart of this book is in the story of family.

And once again Ruta is an amazing author who writing truly gorgeous prose. How she can make something so brutal and terrible so hopeful and beautiful I will never know but that is exactly what she did. Her writing makes it all come alive in a way that you can perfectly visualize. I know that this is being made into a movie and I feel like I can already see it based on the writing in this book. It's beautiful in it's brutality just like the Siberian landscape that the book is set.

The only thing that I didn't like about this book was the ending. It's not that the endings was bad, it just didn't build to the strong close I was hoping for. It had an ending but it kind of fizzled out for me. I kind of missed the falling action. After being so connected to the characters and the hardship they were going through I think it does the reader a disservice to not see how or why it all ends. I wanted that and this book did not provide it for me.

But all in all this was a really good read. It was my favorite kind of historical fiction with a unique setting, likable characters, and beautiful writing. I enjoyed it just as much as all Sepetys' other books.

I give Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. All of Sepetys' books are amazing and this one is fantastic. If you are a fan of historical fiction, or sad and serious books, definitely read this one and the rest of her catalog.

Have you read Between Shades of Gray? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks. for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Review: Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys

Title: Out of the Easy Written by: Ruta Sepetys Published: February 23, 2013 by Philomel (Penguin Group) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: It’s 1950, and as the French Quarter of New Orleans simmers with secrets, seventeen-year-old Josie Moraine is silently stirring a pot of her own. Known among locals as the daughter of a brothel prostitute, Josie wants more out of life than the Big Easy has to offer. She devises a plan get out, but a mysterious death in the Quarter leaves Josie tangled in an investigation that will challenge her allegiance to her mother, her conscience, and Willie Woodley, the brusque madam on Conti Street.  Josie is caught between the dream of an elite college and a clandestine underworld. New Orleans lures her in her quest for truth, dangling temptation at every turn, and escalating to the ultimate test.  With characters as captivating as those in her internationally bestselling novel Between Shades of Gray, Ruta Sepetys skillfully creates a rich story of secrets, lies, and the haunting reminder that decisions can shape our destiny.

I'm apparently reading Ruta's books backwards. I read Salt to the the Sea a few years ago when it came out and I loved it so much that I wanted to read her other books. But even though I've had copies for awhile now, I only just got around to reading this one. But either way, I really liked this one. It's a great piece of historical fiction wit fantastic characters.

One of the things that first struck me about this book is the characters. Ruta definitely knows how to create characters that are easy to root for. For one thing, they are the kind of people who are strong in the face of adversity. Josie is definitely that kind of person. She has not had an easy life and has had to fight for everything that she has but it has made her strong, resilient, and kind. But I think where this book really shines is with the secondary characters. There are so many fantastic characters from all different walks of life. There are other similar characters to Josie who are kind and supportive friends like Cokie and James. Then there are characters who were more like antagonists like Josie's mother and Mr. Lockwell who were really terrible people who I wanted to get their comeuppance. But that's what made them so interesting. They were the kind of characters you love to hate. There were also characters who walked more of a grey area like Willie. You wouldn't expect a brothel madame to be sympathetic but she was.

One reason that I think the characters were so compelling is that so much of this book was really about found family. It's not an uncommon concept to find in books, the idea that you can find love and support from the people you choose rather than the people who you are thrust in with. This was most obvious with the relationship Josie had with her mother. We joke about absent parents in YA all the time but that was completely true here. Josie's mom was almost never around and when she was, she was ruining her daughter's life. Their interactions were heartbreaking and compelling. In contrast, Willie was much more of a mother figure to Josie. It made for an engaging read and added a lot to the characterizations.

Another thing I really loved about this book was the setting. This book takes you to New Orleans in the 1950's and I ate up every second of it. One thing I really liked about the setting is that it didn't shy away from some of the more tawdry elements of the time. It was a pretty gritty setting to be in a brothel and the book handled that with care and subtly while still addressing it head on. It also dealt with the seedy underworld but in a beautiful city. Having just visited New Orleans I loved being able to read a book that took place there. I could perfectly visualize the French Quarter and it's architecture and the sprawling mansions of the Garden District. The city definitely came alive with her writing and I was glad to revisit a place I loved visiting.

But there was also a lot to love when it came t the historical aspect of this story. What I really enjoyed about this book is that it addressed some popular themes about books set in the 1950's but it did it in a more subtle and obscure way. I was a time of change for a lot of different social groups, especially women and you really see Josie grappling with that as she struggles to get out of New Orleans and attend college. But there was also a lot of old-fashioned ideas that the book dealt with that seem just as topical today when it comes to the treatment of women. It was interesting to read and added a unique layer to the story that I really enjoyed.

My only criticism is with the pacing of the book. There was a lot that happened throughout the book. A lot really terrible things, and things that had me completely on the edge of my seat worried about what was going to happen next. I felt like it was really building to something and then it just kind of fizzled out. Now don't get me wrong, there was a conclusion, it just didn't feel like the appropriately sized conclusion for the rising action. Not to mention there was almost no falling action. Plus there was something that felt like an epilogue just shoved into the last chapter. I felt like there was just something missing at the end. But maybe that's just me.

All in all, Out of the Easy was a great read. A fantastic piece of historical fiction that is solidifying my enjoyment of Ruta Sepetys as a writer. She does what I love about the genre and takes uncommon events in popular time periods and brings them to life with compelling characters. That is exactly what this book did.

I give Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys 9.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. If you are a fan of historical fiction or want to read a book that deals with the changing role for women in the mid-20th century then definitely check this book out. If you are fan of Ruta's work and haven't read this one then change that immediately.

Have you read Out of the Easy? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

Title: Salt to the Sea Written by: Ruta Sepetys Published: February 2, 2016 by Philomel Books (Penguin Group) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Winter, 1945. Four teenagers. Four secrets.  Each one born of a different homeland; each one hunted, and haunted, by tragedy, lies…and war.  As thousands of desperate refugees flock to the coast in the midst of a Soviet advance, four paths converge, vying for passage aboard the Wilhelm Gustloff, a ship that promises safety and freedom.  Yet not all promises can be kept.   Inspired by the single greatest tragedy in maritime history, bestselling and award-winning author Ruta Sepetys (Between Shades of Gray) lifts the veil on a shockingly little-known casualty of World War II. An illuminating and life-affirming tale of heart and hope.

I was so thankful to Britt from Please Feed the Bookworm who shared an advance copy of Salt to the Sea with me. We both have been wanting to read some of Ruta Sepetys' books and this one sounded like a good one to start with. I am so glad I read it because I loved it and am definitely planning to read more of her books. It was a fast and engaging historical fiction novel with brave and likable characters who are struggling to survive in a difficult time.

I'm a huge fan of historical fiction but as I mentioned in my discussion post last week, I used to avoid books set during World War II but I have been reading them more lately and really liking them. What I liked about Salt to the Sea was that it is set in 1945 but it is about a little known event of the time. I love learning about events that maybe I don't know a lot about through historical fiction. That's exactly what happened here. It was so interesting learning about Operation Hannibal and the Wilhelm Gustloff. It was horrible, but interesting. I usually find books set during this time to be about the same old thing but this one was creative and different. It had the same kind of tone as those other books though.  It showed the atrocities of war and the effect it has on the people (more of that later). I liked how it showed both sides of the war and how they all did things that were violent and harmful to the citizens on both sides.

That's why I really appreciated that this book had four main characters, that as the synopsis tells you came from four different countries. None of them had it easy and it was really easy to empathize with them and their situations. I think the character I first connected with was Joana. She's a plucky nurse from Lithuana who is able to leave her country because of her skills. She uses her medical experience to help anyone and everyone she meets. She was so kind and spunky. I also really felt for Emilia who is from Poland and has had a really rough time trying to escape from those horrors. My heart definitely went out to her and I really liked that she still had a positive attitude. I also enjoyed Florian who was full of secrets and had a great sense of humor. The only real hold out was Alfred. He's not very sympathetic and while that doesn't normally bother me, in contrast to the other three it made things even more difficult to connect with him.

Sepetys did a great job with developing these characters and slowly unveiling their backstories. Most of the book didn't involve the ship at all. The first 300 pages or so were all about the characters, their pasts, and what they had to go through to get to the Gustloff. And like I said earlier, it really showed the horrors of war. Each character had to endure a lot and it really made for a dramatic book and allowed you to connect with them. So much so that when you reached the climax of the story you were incredibly invested in them and their happiness. It's heartbreaking the way it all unfolds but that's what makes it so brilliant and amazing. I don't usually enjoy books that are sad on purpose but here it worked. You felt the characters pain. You knew it wasn't going to end well and you still were crushed by the twists throughout the book and the final revelations. The ending completely wrecked me but I wasn't mad at it at all.

The only thing about this book that didn't completely work for me was the format. This is a book that has multiple perspectives, four to be exact. Now I'm not usually a fan of changing perspectives. I often prefer to just spend most of the book with one person that I can get to know really well. I did get to know each of these characters really well but from a storytelling perspective it was sometimes confusing and jarring to switch back and forth so often. And it was often. These are really short chapters. Some as short as one page before it switches and I think the longest was only six pages. I think for me, I would have liked it a little bit more if the chapters were a little longer before it switched. But it wasn't bad, it actually kind of worked once I got used to it. It also made it really easy to just devour this book. I read it in a little over a day because not only was I invested but I could easily talk my self into reading the next chapter because it was only a few pages. Before I knew it, I had read 80 pages and forgotten to eat lunch.

On the whole, Salt to the Sea is a beautiful and engrossing book that will break your heart in the best possible way. It teaches you something about the atrocities of war while connecting you deeply with characters who you want to see succeed despite their pasts. It's a great piece of writing that you will undoubtedly fly through reading and remember long after you are done.

I give Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. This is a really wonderful read. I would absolutely recommend this to fans of historical fiction, especially those who enjoy books set during World War II. But even if you don't particularly like the genre I would still recommend this book. You will enjoy the characters and the human struggle in the face of adversity.

Have you read Salt to the Sea? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!