Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

29 reviews

julesmq's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.5

A horrifying story but fast-paced and compelling. This is yet another period of history that needs to become well-known, if only to prevent repeating. Ruta Sepetys always tells these stories well. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, and War

misterbugman's review

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

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?

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

scholastic_squid's review

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

lizziaha's review against another edition

3.0

I found it hard to connect with the characters, and the end felt unsatisfying. I almost wish that we had seen at least a little of the twelve years after the end of the book. And while this book is definitely not about romance, since romance was part of the epilogue, I wish we’d seen a little more of it throughout the book. I think that Sepetys always includes characters that don’t exist within comfortable lines of morality, but in this book it felt rushed and not fleshed out enough. I do kind of want to reread Joana’s story in the other book though. I didn’t remember enough from my read several years ago. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, War, and Deportation

Moderate: Antisemitism and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal death

chelle22's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation

katrinaburch's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

What a book... I was a little worried because, while well written, I wasn't a huge fan of Between the Salt and the Sea. This book is much better and excellent. While not quite my favorite (That would be The Fountains of Silence), this was so good. My only issue is that

I wish we could have known if Lena's father survived. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Torture, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Bullying, Confinement, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Deportation

danileah07's review

dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Torture, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death, Sexual assault, Suicide, Antisemitism, and Deportation

Minor: Excrement and Vomit

princessdana36's review

adventurous dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I don’t know if I was in the right headspace for this book. It was so well written and meaningful to the author. It was dark and dismal and I don’t know if there was a payoff in the end, but I think that if you need a break from Holocaust lit this is a good substitute. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Genocide, Torture, Antisemitism, and War