SALT TO THE SEA
AUTHOR:
Ruta Sepetys
GENRE:
Historical Fiction
AGE:
14+
RATING:
5/5 Stars
REVIEW:
Salt to the Sea is a historical fiction taking place during WWII, about four characters with vastly different backgrounds. It covers a tragic, yet not very well-known incident that caused catastrophic death: the sinking of the German vessel the Wilhelm Gustloff. Following Joanna, a Lithuanian nurse with a dark past, Florian, a Prussian on the run, Emilia, a young Polish girl in a shocking situation, and Alfred, a cocky German soldier, the story connects each perspective perfectly and deeply attaches you to the characters. As the high stakes rise higher as the characters are trying to flee to safety, you become totally invested in the time period and the world and the people. I was weeping, swooning, and biting my nails off during the most bingeable, powerful historical fiction I have ever read.
WARNINGS:
War // Vivid death // Mild romance // Language // Substance use // Mentions of sexual abuse
TAKEAWAYS:
I learned so much from this book about history and what war was truly like. It was absolutely devastating and captivating all at once, and I don’t think it could have been done any better. However, it shelters you from a few of the horrors of war, so it’s definitely a slightly mature book. But honestly, it’s worth every second.
Reviewed by: Kendra Nicole
The Blurb
While the Titanic and Lusitania are both well-documented disasters, the single greatest tragedy in maritime history is the little-known January 30, 1945 sinking in the Baltic Sea by a Soviet submarine of the Wilhelm Gustloff, a German cruise liner that was supposed to ferry wartime personnel and refugees to safety from the advancing Red Army. The ship was overcrowded with more than 10,500 passengers — the intended capacity was approximately 1,800 — and more than 9,000 people, including 5,000 children, lost their lives.
Sepetys (writer of 'Between Shades of Gray') crafts four fictionalized but historically accurate voices to convey the real-life tragedy. Joana, a Lithuanian with nursing experience; Florian, a Prussian soldier fleeing the Nazis with stolen treasure; and Emilia, a Polish girl close to the end of her pregnancy, converge on their escape journeys as Russian troops advance; each will eventually meet Albert, a Nazi peon with delusions of grandeur, assigned to the Gustloff decks.
About the Author
#1 New York Times Bestselling Author and Winner of the Carnegie Medal.
Ruta Sepetys was born and raised in Michigan in a family of artists, readers, and music lovers. The daughter of a refugee, Ruta is drawn to underrepresented stories of strength through struggle and hopes to give voice to those who weren't able to tell their story. Her award-winning historical novels are published in over sixty countries and have received over forty literary prizes.
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