Reviews tagging 'Death'

Between Shades of Grey by Ruta Sepetys

101 reviews

misterbugman's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Racism, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Trafficking, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Sexual harassment, War, and Deportation

pastorscratchy1reads's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Blood, Antisemitism, Cultural appropriation, and Alcohol

I just wish the ending was a little more clear. Like did Lina's father actually survive? What happens to Jonas? How does Lina find Andrius again?

mayakay's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I loved this book, I read it in one weekend :)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Slavery, Suicide, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation

Moderate: Gun violence, Hate crime, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Alcoholism, Cursing, Blood, and Pregnancy

Lina's mother did not have to die(!!!!), does she find her father(???), and does Andrius find her??

I need a sequel but this book cannot have a sequel.

puzzling_reader's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Death of parent, Murder, and Deportation

Moderate: Suicide, Violence, and War

sachiara's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

It was really good and so well written but also, absolutely brutal. The unimaginable atrocities these characters experienced were experienced by millions in real life who had their entire lives stolen. It has this really strong connection to art as the main character is an aspiring artist. I find that aspect really beautiful, how she was able to turn her work into hope that someone would find it and help. It is so incredibly heartbreaking, these people were unable to enjoy so many gorgeous parts of life that everyone deserves to enjoy. It definitely made me extremely grateful for everything I have. Would not read if you are going through a tough time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Slavery, Torture, Violence, War, and Deportation

Moderate: Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

w3nda1's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Deportation

kdixon2's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Racism, Death of parent, and Deportation

hello_ned's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

An incredible book telling the real stories of the forgotten suffering endured by the Baltic countries during world war 2. An important peice of history.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Slavery, Murder, and War

t0rixoxo's review

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Wow, I don’t even have words on how amazing this book was. The writing is so beautiful and raw you can feel what Lina feels in a way. I’ve never felt so strongly about a book like this! This is a great book to read to learn about the Soviet Union’s gulags/labor camps and the anguish they put their prisoners through. 
Almost all the characters are very lovable. I think it’s partly because you’re seeing what they have to go through and you feel sad and angry for them. Even the more morally gray characters able to be sympathized with in someway (but not forgiven, looking at you Kretsky 😒.)
Overall, this book is a 5 ⭐️ read. I would heavily recommend to anyone who likes historical fiction. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, and Slavery

Moderate: Mental illness, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Child death, Vomit, and War

scholastic_squid's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

The Soviets are f*cked up. I am glad I bought a historical non-fiction about all this part of history as I will continue my journey of learning about Russian and Ukraine. 
The story told here is fictional however many of the experiences that occurred throughout were from actual events that happened to those imprisoned by Stalin. Lina was deported from Lithuania to Russia up into the Arctic Circle along with her mother and younger brother. Lina turned 16 before heading to the AC, while her brother was still around 12. If the imprisoned didn’t die from malnutrition, they were shot by the NKVD (later known as the KGB). Stalin was arguably worse than Hitler and would have done far more damage if left to his own devices. He killed 20 million ppl around the same time that Hitler killed approximately the same amount. That’s 40 million people gone within an approx 10 year timeframe. That would be the entire state of California….

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Slavery, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation