Hello again! I’m back with my recommendations, covering more of my favorites. This time, I’ll be recommending my favorite author: Ruta Sepetys!
Between Shades of Gray: Sepetys presents the harrowing story of Lithuanians being deported from their homes and sent to Siberia during World War 2. Fifteen year old Lina Vilkas and her family were taken by train under nightfall to a labor camp in Siberia for the crime of being Jewish. Documenting her story through art, she survives the cruelties and extreme cold of the NKVD soldiers and Siberia.
- This was incredible, as are all of Sepetys’ books. Vilkas fights for survival with her family, leaving her art as proof of her being alive and meeting an ally named Andrius. Fighting through sickness, injury and endless cruelty, Vilkas – and everyone else – shows incredible tenacity throughout one of the most horrible times in history. (The book was also made into a movie, though I haven’t seen it.)
I Must Betray You: The Lithuanian author sets the historical thriller in Romania, 1989. Seventeen year old Cristian Florescu is blackmailed to be a spy against those he knows by the secret police, while also rebelling against the regime holding his people hostage. Risking everything by joining the rebellion, Florescu survives and lives to see the freedom he fought for – with a price.
- Again, incredible. Sepetys tells the story of the brutal feeling of betrayal – not just from those closest to you, but from everyone all around you. I have no notes. (This is my all-time favorite of all five.)
Out of the Easy: Set in 1950s New Orleans, seventeen year old Josie Moraine strives for independence despite her ties to family and business in The Big Easy. When a murder shakes the town, Moraine is tangled in an investigation that challenges her morals, loyalties, and fears. While looking at an elite college and dodging the elusive underworld kingpins, Moraine decides for herself what she’ll do to gain her independence.
- This is the only one of the five here that isn’t about a history hidden within or after WW2, despite being set five years after the war ended. With a background in the underworld, Moraine has a substantial worry for her future in education, which really had me on the edge of my seat!
Salt to the Sea: The companion book to Between Shades of Gray, this book is also set in the midst of WW2. The book follows four people as they travel to the Wilhelm Gustloff, a ship escaping Europe to get to safety. A heartbreaking tale of survival, how pride can obscure judgement, and how family can be found in the most unexpected places.
- This made me so sad! Don’t get attached to the characters too much because they’ll definitely make you cry. Coming from backgrounds across Europe, they’re all traveling in hopes for survival and escape from both sides of the war. Sepetys crafts such a beautiful story with such young characters, which really hits hard!
The Fountains of Silence: Set in 1950s Spain, following an American tourist named Daniel Matheson, who uncovers the secrets of Spain’s silent dictatorship through the lens of his camera. Through the eyes of numerous characters we see a troubling tale of secrets, fear and the importance of free speech.
- This was such a hard read, especially because Spain’s dictatorship didn’t end all that long ago. The characters, even Matheson, are trapped under the thumb of the regime, always keeping a happy face despite suffering inside. Don’t be intimidated by its size, as Sepetys doesn’t spare a detail within the book — leaving a heartbreaking story once you figure out all the puzzle pieces.
All of these books are the perfect read for those who want to know more about history, but also like a little romance within. Sepetys is a masterful author who doesn’t spare a detail within her books, giving all the gory details to paint a painful picture of suffering and loss. She puts a massive amount of research into what she writes, taking years to craft the harrowing stories within.
As always, thank you for reading this and stay tuned for my next recommendation!
