Another stellar WWII book

Salt to the Sea

By Ruta Sepetys

Age Range: 12 - 17 years

Grade Level: 7 and up

Hardcover: 400 pages

Publisher: Philomel Books (February 2, 2016)

ISBN-10: 0399160302

ISBN-13: 978-0399160301

Approximate Lexile: 650

 

Publisher’s Blurb:

World War II is drawing to a close in East Prussia and thousands of refugees are on a desperate trek toward freedom, many with something to hide. Among them are Joana, Emilia, and Florian, whose paths converge en route to the ship that promises salvation, the Wilhelm Gustloff. Forced by circumstance to unite, the three find their strength, courage, and trust in each other tested with each step closer to safety.

Just when it seems freedom is within their grasp, tragedy strikes. Not country, nor culture, nor status matter as all ten thousand people aboard must fight for the same thing: survival.

Told in alternating points of view and perfect for fans of Anthony Doerr's Pulitzer Prize-winning All the Light We Cannot See, Erik Larson's Dead Wake, and Elizabeth Wein's Printz Honor Book Code Name Verity, this masterful work of historical fiction is inspired by the real-life tragedy that was the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff—the greatest maritime disaster in history. As she did in Between Shades of Gray, Ruta Sepetys unearths a shockingly little-known casualty of a gruesome war, and proves that humanity can prevail, even in the darkest of hours.

 

My Thoughts:

Oh…where to start? First, all the praise for this book is deserved. It should go on your shelf, next to All the Light We Cannot See, The Nightingales, and Those Who Save Us. I have read all three of those in the past year or so and, like them, this book presents human stories of perseverance among some of the very worst things humans can do to one another. None of these is an easy book to read; everyone should read them for a stark reminder of what war does to people and why we should avoid it.

 

Raise your hand if you’ve heard of the Wilhelm Gustloff tragedy.

 

Yeah, neither had I.

 

Sepetys brings her four point-of-view characters together around this incident and uses them to tell of various aspects of the horrors of World War II. For some readers, four POVs might be a bit much, but I appreciated the interweaving of their lives and their narratives. Each is unique, each is special, each adds to the overarching story.

 

Minor players, too, are well-rounded characters—Ingrid, Eva, the Shoe Poet, all contribute to the story.

 

Although one of our POV characters could be an antagonist to the others, I would say that the real antagonist is actually war and its inhuman effects. The negative character is, in his way, no less tragic than the others, perhaps even more so.

 

The writing is beautiful, the story is moving. Stop reading this and go get on the wait list at your library.

 

Possible Objectionable Material:

It’s war, people. There is death and suffering all around. That includes rape, though it is not describe, we know well that it happened. One character is a bit of a voyeur. Injuries are vividly described.

 

Who Might Like This Book:

If you enjoyed any of the above mentioned books, definitely read this one. If you like stories of triumph over suffering, give this a try. I’d say the publisher’s recommended age range is appropriate. The narrative style is very accessible, even for a struggling reader. POV characters are both male and female, and I’d say either gender would enjoy this book.

 

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC.