4lberj's review against another edition
4.0
Me ha gustado mucho, aunque la verdad que me esperaba bastante más de él después de todos los comentarios tan positivos que había leído...
El lunes, reseña en https://elcementeriodemissuenos.blogspot.com.es
El lunes, reseña en https://elcementeriodemissuenos.blogspot.com.es
kirak24's review against another edition
5.0
this and salt to the sea i would absolutely recommend to anyone ever. they are beautifully written stories and two of my all time favorite books. sepetys captures emotion so so well, and both books encapsulated hope and perseverance very well, regardless of the clear evil in them.
kassimesserly's review against another edition
4.0
4.5*
Another great historical fiction book. This author does amazing job writing these stories. Salt to the Sea was another amazing novel. She knows what she's doing when she does her research and creates amazing imagery along with a heart felt story.
I fell in love with the main character, Lina. And she completely broke my heart. Her story is so sad and inspirational. The pain, the loss, the torture she endured during such a time in history. Just a captivating story that I absolutely loved and want to reread in the future. I also watched the movie straight after finishing the book and the movie was great also. I recommend this author for anyone wanting a good historical fiction book and this novel is at the top of the list. Loved it!
Another great historical fiction book. This author does amazing job writing these stories. Salt to the Sea was another amazing novel. She knows what she's doing when she does her research and creates amazing imagery along with a heart felt story.
I fell in love with the main character, Lina. And she completely broke my heart. Her story is so sad and inspirational. The pain, the loss, the torture she endured during such a time in history. Just a captivating story that I absolutely loved and want to reread in the future. I also watched the movie straight after finishing the book and the movie was great also. I recommend this author for anyone wanting a good historical fiction book and this novel is at the top of the list. Loved it!
kcoccia's review against another edition
5.0
Heartbreaking and wonderful. I loved everything about this book. sad and beautiful. everyone should read it.
sandralg's review against another edition
5.0
5/5
Este libro merece mucho más que cinco estrellas. Realmente es una historia que emociona y te pone los pelos de punta desde el primer momento hasta el último. Es un libro que te mantiene en un vilo constante y no aburre, ya que quieres saber qué pasará con los personajes y sobre todo quieres saber por lo que tendrán que soportar en toda esa odisea.
También me ha servido para conocer más sobre lo ocurrido por esa zona durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial, ya que lo que más he leído acerca de ello ha sido ha sido la situación judía debido a la Alemania nazi.
Pienso que es una lectura muy recomendable que, más allá de enseñar culturalmente, enseña en profundidad los valores de la humildad y la empatía.
Este libro merece mucho más que cinco estrellas. Realmente es una historia que emociona y te pone los pelos de punta desde el primer momento hasta el último. Es un libro que te mantiene en un vilo constante y no aburre, ya que quieres saber qué pasará con los personajes y sobre todo quieres saber por lo que tendrán que soportar en toda esa odisea.
También me ha servido para conocer más sobre lo ocurrido por esa zona durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial, ya que lo que más he leído acerca de ello ha sido ha sido la situación judía debido a la Alemania nazi.
Pienso que es una lectura muy recomendable que, más allá de enseñar culturalmente, enseña en profundidad los valores de la humildad y la empatía.
ffilippa's review
4.0
All the stars. This is the best historical fiction book I've read. Very touching, unforgettable and so important! Everyone should read it!
abanas's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
13anishedreader's review against another edition
4.0
Heartbreaking, and a testament to human strength. Absolutely beautiful.
This was the first book by Ruta Sepetys that I read, but since then I have read the rest of her work and even possess a signed pre-order copy of one of her novels. This book was wonderful, but has been given 4/5 stars simply because her books have only gotten more and more incredible as I have read on.
My favorite part of this book, aside from the poetically heart-wrenching prose, is the subtle tie-in to my favorite Sepetys novel, 'Salt to the Sea.' The protagonist of 'Between Shades of Gray' references a cousin she has in passing, one who is practicing medicine. Turns out, this cousin is one of the protagonists of 'Salt to the Sea.' I absolutely loved that added fact, and it just created an added layer of depth and heartache to the story.
Incredible. Sepetys is a master.
This was the first book by Ruta Sepetys that I read, but since then I have read the rest of her work and even possess a signed pre-order copy of one of her novels. This book was wonderful, but has been given 4/5 stars simply because her books have only gotten more and more incredible as I have read on.
My favorite part of this book, aside from the poetically heart-wrenching prose, is the subtle tie-in to my favorite Sepetys novel, 'Salt to the Sea.' The protagonist of 'Between Shades of Gray' references a cousin she has in passing, one who is practicing medicine. Turns out, this cousin is one of the protagonists of 'Salt to the Sea.' I absolutely loved that added fact, and it just created an added layer of depth and heartache to the story.
Incredible. Sepetys is a master.
elliemcc11's review against another edition
4.0
This is a 3.5 - 4 star rating for me. I thought the book was well written and using young characters to tell this harrowing tale was an interesting approach.
This was the tale of Lina and her family. They were classed as "criminals" by the Soviets and deported from Lithuania to Siberia in 1941. In fiction and nonfiction we read so much about the holocaust but this is an equally tragic event. These people weren't criminals but individuals and family who were loyal to their own country. They also tended be bourgeois educated people. They were deported to work camps and collective farms and effectively left to work and die. Having visited a remembrance museum in Riga, Latvia the living conditions were nothing new to me but the author depicted well what I saw firsthand.
It's a fast read being a YA book, and being a YA book the true extent of the horror and violence is masked. I think its an important book designed to keep the history alive.
My minor grumbles would be the flashback sections and the ending that was rather abrupt. And the follow on that was a little too predictable and Hollywood like perfect.
This was the tale of Lina and her family. They were classed as "criminals" by the Soviets and deported from Lithuania to Siberia in 1941. In fiction and nonfiction we read so much about the holocaust but this is an equally tragic event. These people weren't criminals but individuals and family who were loyal to their own country. They also tended be bourgeois educated people. They were deported to work camps and collective farms and effectively left to work and die. Having visited a remembrance museum in Riga, Latvia the living conditions were nothing new to me but the author depicted well what I saw firsthand.
It's a fast read being a YA book, and being a YA book the true extent of the horror and violence is masked. I think its an important book designed to keep the history alive.
My minor grumbles would be the flashback sections and the ending that was rather abrupt. And the follow on that was a little too predictable and Hollywood like perfect.
karaklos's review against another edition
4.0
Between Shades of Gray is a WWII historical fiction novel about Lithuanians that were taken from their homes and forced into slave labor in Siberia. I didn’t exactly enjoy this book. It’s a very heavy, sad, depressing story but I’m so glad I read it. I learned about a part of the war that I had never heard of.
Ruta Sepetys painted such a vivid picture of their lives with wonderful character development, organization, and pacing. The main character Lina is a teenager and talented artist. She draws her environment and the people around her. The descriptions of her sketches bring such a richness to the novel. Lina’s mother Elena is a true hero in the story, bringing much light to everyone’s lives, creating hope when there was none.
A very quick, easy read of a difficult topic. I will try another of the author’s books.
Ruta Sepetys painted such a vivid picture of their lives with wonderful character development, organization, and pacing. The main character Lina is a teenager and talented artist. She draws her environment and the people around her. The descriptions of her sketches bring such a richness to the novel. Lina’s mother Elena is a true hero in the story, bringing much light to everyone’s lives, creating hope when there was none.
A very quick, easy read of a difficult topic. I will try another of the author’s books.