Salt to the Sea

3.5, I think. Reading WWII-related historical fiction always leaves me at a loss for words. Just thinking about it evokes so many feels, y'know? There are a couple of things that set this book apart: it's about a little-known tragedy and it comprises exceptionally short chapters, switching among the viewpoints of four characters. I'm grateful for the former, to have learned something new; but the latter, I'm not sure.

As a rule, I don't love short stories. I feel like by the time I'm really getting into it, the story's over. While not a collection of short stories, the format of this book made me feel kind of the same way. On one hand, the short chapters made the reading fly; on the other, I felt a kind of unexpected emotional detachment from the characters.

Still a really good story, well worth a read.

Solid 4.5 and perhaps edging ahead of Out of the Easy as my favorite Septys. The variable narrators in the audio did a lovely job conveying the characters, and i was genuinely moved by the stories. I was inspired to do much more research into the sinking, which I barely knew anything about. I'd love to find a great nonfiction pair for this book.

nagyon szeretem ruta sepetysben, hogy sosem a nyilvánvaló eseményekhez nyúl, hanem kevésbé ismert világháborús történetekről ír, viszont megint olyan nyúlfarknyiak a fejezetek, hogy az elején követhetetlen a sztori, aztán meg érzelmileg nem annyira magával ragadó. de azért az utolsó fejezeten megszakadt a szívem. rettenetes, hogy gyerekeknek miket kellett átélniük.

I am actually a little breathless having finished this book, it's taken my breath away and I'm feeling that awful grief you get when you have finished a book that is really special and you know your time with the characters has come to an end. I had heard wonderful things about Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys but I really had not expected to fall in love with this book quite as hard as I did.

The first thing that struck me about this book is that it is based on fact and actual events that occurred at the end of the second world war. Being naturally inquisitive I went and found out more about the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff, a German transport ship that was transporting German military and refugees in the Baltic Sea when it was struck by torpedoes from a Russian submarine causing the loss of around 9,400 lives. This makes it the biggest maritime disaster of all time and yet I know that so few people have heard of this and now having read this story I find it even more heartbreaking.

The story is told in really short chapters. Each is only a page or two long so the story drives forward really quickly and in bursts that whilst initially giving us only snippets about our characters does help to add to the mystery about their backgrounds. We have four main characters who narrate the book, each of them has a different secret they are hiding and they are all seeking the same thing, escape from their past and a new future with the promise of reuniting with loved ones they have lost or a fresh start. As their stories intertwine we learn more about the tragedies each have faced, the difficult choices war has forced upon them and the horrors they have seen along the way.

Of our narrators 3 of the 4 are wonderful characters, the fourth is a complex and difficult one to like but his voice is equally important as he brings us the voice of the German Nazi machine as it begins to fall apart and the unhinged beliefs of the Fuhrer and how they have infiltrated the German people. We may not like him but his voice provides the context that brings the books dark undertones even more to the fore.

The stories in this book are gritty and heartbreaking. Of the Young Adult novels I've read about World War II this alongside The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas are probably two of the most emotional and touching. Not to say that others are not but the subject matter is difficult to read, it includes some very adult themes and doesn't hold back during the storytelling about the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff.

I read this book in a day, I could not put it down. Once I had understood each of the characters back stories I was rooting for them, I fell in love with the surrounding characters and the character of the Shoe Poet will remain with me for a long time to come. The quote he makes on deck of the ship just before it is hit is beautiful as he tells Florian “Just when you think this was has taken everything you loved, you meet someone and realise that somehow you still have more to give” This was so poignant from an elderly man talking about the loss of his wife and how a young orphan boy gave him the strength to go on. It was such a beautiful moment in a book filled with much darkness.

It is a book I didn't have to think about what rating it deserved, from the moment I picked it up till I finished it I was drawn in, it engaged me fully and it made me fall in love with it. Absolutely inspiring writing and I cannot wait to try more books from Ruta Sepetys.

Review is spoiler free!
I was so hesitant to start this book, because it has been so hyped up, but I really enjoyed it. This book follows 4 different characters, Florian, Emilia, Joana and Alfred. Each one of them coming from a different country and having their own hardships and secrets.

Usually, I'm not a fan of multiple point of views because often times it's not done correctly. I always end up having a difficult time differentiating between the voices. However, I felt the multiple POV's really added such a great element to the story. All four characters were so different from one another, and had their own personal story, and the multiple POV allowed me to experience this tragic event from different sides.

There were so many twists and turns through out this book. When I thought I had the characters all figured out, Ruta Sepetys proved me wrong. Even now that I am finished with this book, I feel that there were so much still left unspoken by the characters. The side characters also had so much personality that I found it hard not to care for them too. The shoe poet, Klaus and Ingrid were possibly my favorite side characters, I just wanted to hug them and tell them everything was going to be okay.

I learned a lot about WWII in school, however a lot of the time I just learned the American side of things (apart from the Holocaust). I knew this war affected all of Europe, but I never really knew how much loss and suffering all those poor people had to endure. And, I never knew about the ships and the refugees. When I read a book I put myself into the characters shoes, and I feel as if I'm the one taking the journey. So that being said, I couldn't help but cry, especially towards the end of this book. I knew the ending couldn't be all sunshine and rainbows, because the reality of this situation wasn't for so many, but I'm still so devastated. The ending was definitely bittersweet.

I loved this book, the writing, the characters and how they all became connected, the fast paced plot. Just everything was so well done and I highly recommend this book to everyone. If you often cry in books then I don't recommend reading this book in public and have lots of tissues near you, you will need them.

“Nature. That was somathing the war couldn't take from me either. The Nazis couldn't stop the wind and the snow. The Russians couldn't take the sun or the stars.”

Such an important story to be told and such a beautiful way to tell it. I am really glad I picked this one up at the moment I did, it helped me get through some things.

The story was beautifully haunting and also so touching and sad and the characters and their stories felt so real.

I am really grateful that Ruta Sepetys shone a light on this segment of history that were only thought to me in a classroom. Before picking up this book, I always felt like watching a movie or reading a book set in the WWII time period in Europe would be too painful to experience.

I was right but also wrong. Some of the things the characters lived through were very hard to read about but the resilence, strengh, solidarity and humanity that shone through were beautiful. And this is the soul of this book, of these stories.

I would absolutely recommend this book.

4.5 ⭐

NGL the first part of the book all I could think about was how much of a sociopath Alfred was, but everything seemed to kind of come together with him. Honestly I could have done without his perspective and been happy.

I really didn't enjoy the love interest between Joana and Florian. Seeing how everything ended up I can see why it was necessary. They seemed to have more of a mother/child relationship until they got on the boat where things just went from 0-100 quickly. I do think them all ending up together in the end was a nice touch though and I can't think of a better alternative.

Emilia.... Oh my Emilia. Broke my little heart to read the letter. I wish I knew more about that. I feel like things ended abruptly and I had a hard time digesting that she was gone especially after her chapter.

Ruta Sepetys has done it again with Salt to the Sea which exemplifies the best in historical fiction writing: captivating characters, bittersweet events, meticulous research, and the ability to tie these all together in a narrative prose that keeps the reader engaged at all stages of the story! This little known WWII tragedy is retold with compassion and clarity. One is reminded of the many victims of war, especially children, when reading Salt to the Sea. Thank you Ruta, for giving voice to the voiceless victims of war.

Four teens are headed to the coast with thousands of other refugees, fleeing the Soviets during the winter of 1945, hoping to get passage on the Wilhelm Gustloff and get to safety. All four travel with secrets that could destroy them all.

I've never heard the story of the Wilhelm Gustloff. This account, with stories of savagery of the Soviets, saving treasures from the Nazis, frightened children, a brave nurse, a kind shoemaker, a blind girl, and many others, will stick with you long after you have finished the book.

How did I not know this happened? I wonder how many people thought that and immediately Googled it to find out more. It's shocking that this disaster is not well known, especially given the amount of lives lost. It's so tragic. Ruta Sepetys has a way of telling a good story but in such a stark and brutal way, it's not done to have shock value but to simply show that it was that horrific and it did happen. Well worth a read but be prepared to read some pretty awful things.

Ruta Sepetys has become one of my favorite historical fiction authors. Her books stand out from others in the genre thanks to the lesser-known/talked about events she chooses to build her plots around.    Joana, Florian, and Emelia narrate their journeys learning up to their departure on the fated Wilhelm Gustloff. In contrast to them is Alfred, a Nazi assigned to the ship. While Alfred's section of the book is largely focuses on his career and his ‘promised' future, Joana, Emelia, and Florian's stories focus on their pasts and hopes of escape.    Despite the extremely short chapters, I found the story was slow to build. Toward the last third, it picked up immensely. The sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff is the worst disaster in maritime history with a death toll nearing 10,000. Ruta Sepetys does a wonderful job of capturing the tragedy. Although the book is about fictional characters, the reader still gets a sense of the individuals who suffered through it.    Compared to The Fountains of Silence and I Must Betray You, it took a significantly longer time for me to get wholly into the plot given how quickly the four POVs jumped around. The lead-in and backstories took up most of the pages. The wait was well worth it even though it's a heartbreaking read. 

Brutality of war is always hard to read about, especially when children are involved. Ruta Sepetys writes with such raw emotion that you feel what the characters are going through and what is happening around them. There were plenty of times I had to take a break as tears flowed and my brain needed time to process. I'm still processing...

Joana, a compassionate nurse, is trying to save everyone she sees hurting. Florian, a deserter, art thief and forger, is trying to make amends for past mistakes. Emilia, a sweet girl who has experienced horror and loss, is just trying to heal. Albert, a Nazi soldier, who has delusions far above his actual station, is trying to be a “good Nazi”.

During a journey towards what they hope will bring safety and distance from the war we follow Joana, Emilia and Florian (and the refugees they are traveling with) as they make their way to a town with hopes of boarding on a boat to freedom. Meanwhile Albert, who is at their destination, is readying the ship for departure while living in his own reality.

Even though this was definitely a heart-wrenching journey, the underlying facts are important and ones we should not forget.

Buku ini menceritakan fiksi sejarah pada masa Perang Dunia kedua, menitikberatkan pada pelayaran kapal Wilhelm Gustloff milik Jerman yg tenggelam di laut Baltik setelah ditembak Torpedo oleh kapal selam Uni Soviet. Menurut sejarah PD II secara umum pecah semenjak Jerman menginvasi Polandia dari barat. Bbrp tahun kemudian Uni Soviet pun menginvasi Polandia dari timur. Di mata rakyat Polandia, Hitler & Stalin sama2 buruknya.
Ada 4 sudut pandang dlm buku ini Joanna Vilkas (berkebangsaan Lithuania yg melarikan diri ke Jerman), Florian Beck (berkebangsaan Jerman), Emilia (berkebangsaan Polandia) & Alfred Frick (berkebangsaan Jerman). Joanna pernah magang sebagai tenaga medis sejak melarikan diri dari tanah airnya, Karena ibunya keturunan Jerman dia mendapat suaka dari Jerman ketika Lithuania dicaplok oleh Uni Soviet. Florian seorang ahli restorasi yg melarikan diri dari org yg memperkerjakannya setelah mengetahui atasannya mencuri untuk Hitler. Emilia pelarian dari Polandia, hamil 8 bulan setelah diperkosa oleh tentara2 Uni Soviet. Alfred adlh tantara laut Jerman yg msh baru & kecerdasannya dipertanyakan.
Keempatnya menjadi penumpang kapal Wilhelm Gustloff, Bersama dgn 9000 org yg terdiri dari rakyat sipil, para pejabat beserta personel militer Jerman yg terluka. Kapal tersebut kemudian ditembak 3 torpedo oleh kapal selam Uni Soviet. Penyebabnya tdk dijelaskan di buku namun ak googling sdr.
Seperti Between Shades of Gray, jangan mengharapkan happy ending dari sebuah historical fiction, namun masih lebih baik disbanding kesuraman Between Shades of Gray.