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nicola__04's review against another edition
4.0
books that bring attention to often overlooked historical events are so important to me
christinahj's review against another edition
4.0
Beautiful and tragic. I love the use of fast-paced, short chapters, the slow reveal of secrets, and multiple POVs. And I appreciate the respect shown to those who suffered in this book (basically everyone). I really enjoy Ruta Sepetys's writing style and look forward to reading her other works.
yeummy's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
pippa_w's review against another edition
4.0
3.75/5
Guilt is a hunter.
Fate is a hunter.
Shame is a hunter.
Fear is a hunter.
Oof. It took a while, but this story hit me like a ton of bricks. I don't know how Ruta Sepetys does it - she pulls all the emotional strings without cheapening anything. However she does it, it's incredibly powerful.
It's helpful that Sepetys is a highly-skilled character and scene builder. In an incredibly high stakes story about refugees trying to escape Soviet forces in Prussia, this is huge. You care deeply about characters (Klaus and his opi, Heinz the shoemaker - my heart), and quickly so. When they're believably put at risk in scenes painted so vividly that they play like films in your head, the impact is intense. It's heartbreaking. These consistent strengths carry the story more than anything else.
War had bled color from everything, leaving nothing but a storm of gray.
The book is not without its flaws. There is a pretty serious pacing issue where major plot points are pretty rushed, and then we spend pages upon pages on less significant events, where little to nothing is done in terms of plot, character, or relationship development. Layered, backtracking perspectives also occasionally cause scenes to drag.
On top of that, Sepetys definitely knows how to create morally grey characters better than this. We've seen her do it. We've seen her literally write a book based around it with a main character who is referenced in this book. So it's a bit disappointing to see her go to the easy route in this book. Nazis and Soviets are generally bad, and pretty devastatingly so. All other characters are generally sympathetic, with "dark secrets" that are only dark and secret because of external factors coupled with their personal feelings of guilt and shame. It doesn't really challenge the reader (nor is it helped by the fact that you can generally see their secrets from a mile away).
‘Life’s not fair. You’re lucky.’
I didn’t feel lucky. I felt guilty.
That said, was this book extremely effective? Yes. Did I learn a lot? Yes. I am grateful to now know about the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff, and that someone with as much skill as Sepetys was able to shine a light on it. Are the characters well-developed and the story well-told? Yes. Worth a read. (But [b:Between Shades of Gray|7824322|Between Shades of Gray|Ruta Sepetys|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327873479l/7824322._SX50_.jpg|10870318] is far and away a better book.)
My wreath suddenly bounced, catching on something beneath the surface. It stopped in the center of the river. One of the candles tipped onto the flowers. The herbs caught on fire.
I sat in the grass and watched my wreath burn and sink, quietly sealing my fate.
Guilt is a hunter.
Fate is a hunter.
Shame is a hunter.
Fear is a hunter.
Oof. It took a while, but this story hit me like a ton of bricks. I don't know how Ruta Sepetys does it - she pulls all the emotional strings without cheapening anything. However she does it, it's incredibly powerful.
It's helpful that Sepetys is a highly-skilled character and scene builder. In an incredibly high stakes story about refugees trying to escape Soviet forces in Prussia, this is huge. You care deeply about characters (Klaus and his opi, Heinz the shoemaker - my heart), and quickly so. When they're believably put at risk in scenes painted so vividly that they play like films in your head, the impact is intense. It's heartbreaking. These consistent strengths carry the story more than anything else.
War had bled color from everything, leaving nothing but a storm of gray.
The book is not without its flaws. There is a pretty serious pacing issue where major plot points are pretty rushed, and then we spend pages upon pages on less significant events, where little to nothing is done in terms of plot, character, or relationship development. Layered, backtracking perspectives also occasionally cause scenes to drag.
On top of that, Sepetys definitely knows how to create morally grey characters better than this. We've seen her do it. We've seen her literally write a book based around it with a main character who is referenced in this book. So it's a bit disappointing to see her go to the easy route in this book. Nazis and Soviets are generally bad, and pretty devastatingly so. All other characters are generally sympathetic, with "dark secrets" that are only dark and secret because of external factors coupled with their personal feelings of guilt and shame. It doesn't really challenge the reader (nor is it helped by the fact that you can generally see their secrets from a mile away).
‘Life’s not fair. You’re lucky.’
I didn’t feel lucky. I felt guilty.
That said, was this book extremely effective? Yes. Did I learn a lot? Yes. I am grateful to now know about the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff, and that someone with as much skill as Sepetys was able to shine a light on it. Are the characters well-developed and the story well-told? Yes. Worth a read. (But [b:Between Shades of Gray|7824322|Between Shades of Gray|Ruta Sepetys|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327873479l/7824322._SX50_.jpg|10870318] is far and away a better book.)
My wreath suddenly bounced, catching on something beneath the surface. It stopped in the center of the river. One of the candles tipped onto the flowers. The herbs caught on fire.
I sat in the grass and watched my wreath burn and sink, quietly sealing my fate.
joykirr's review against another edition
5.0
How did I not know from the cover where this book would end? I devoured this one with its lovely short chapters of alternating narrators. Florian, the Prussian who was hiding a precious object, Joana, the medic who tried to take care of every survivor she met on the journey, 15-year-old Emilia, who didn't speak the language and was just trying to bring another into this world, and even delusional Alfred, the unlikely helper. These characters (along with the shoe poet and the boy wanderer!) were woven so well together to help me learn more about the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff, where it's estimated that 9,000 refugees perished.
jploetz99's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
turdnerd's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
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? It's complicated
5.0
bookie_writer's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
texerinsydney's review against another edition
5.0
The story is told from four different characters' perspectives, young voices from different nations that are all directly impacted by WWII, culminating with one particular tragedy. My heart swells with emotion and my eyes swell with tears thinking about the atrocities of war and the innocent casualties. I recommend to historical fiction readers.