Reviews tagging 'Murder'

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

26 reviews

katrinaburch's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense fast-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? Yes

4.5

Wow.... I don't know what to make of this book. The last quarter sped by (that's not to say that the first part of the book was slow, it wasn't, Sepetys is very good at that) but I have to say, I HATED the format. I did finally get used to it but it was really hard keeping track of who's who and what everyone's back story was. And to be honest, I wish Sepetys had fleshed those out more because they were what kept me going, what was everyone running from, I needed more! 

It's sad, I've read a lot and studied a lot of World War 2 history and I've never heard of this disaster! So I'm glad Sepetys used it. 

I'm also glad Alfred died... Holy moly, I've never had someone creep me out in a book so much before. Also, again, I wish that Emilia had survived and lived to help her baby grow up. I know the daughter had a happy ending and I'm happy the little boy survived (though I wish it would have told what happened to his family) but still. She suffered though so much (like so many).

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Genocide, Murder, Rape, Vomit, Hate crime, Pregnancy, War, and Death

Minor: Antisemitism, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Religious bigotry, Gore, Violence, Child death, Blood, and Bullying

aphrochilds's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Blood, Child death, Colonisation, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, Racism, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Violence, and Vomit

gladys_enmarte's review against another edition

informative sad fast-paced

4.0

Al igual que "Tonos de gris", el primer libro de la autora, este también está basado en un hecho real del que poco se habla y ocurrido a fines de la Segunda Guerra Mundial: el hundimiento del gran barco Wilhelm Gustloff que transportaba refugiados y militares alemanes. En alta mar fue emboscado por submarinos rusos, que lanzaron torpedos al estómago del barco, y se hundió con más de 10.000 pasajeros. Solo unos pocos sobrevivieron a las bajas temperaturas e hipotermia y fueron los que ayudaron a la autora a recrear lo sucedido para que lo pudiera plasmar en este libro y no quedara en el olvido. 

La historia se narra en primera persona por los cuatro personajes principales: Joana, enfermera lituana; Florian, soldado prusiano; Emilia, una joven polaca de quince años y Alfred, un marino alemán. El libro comienza con varios de ellos huyendo juntos por el nevado bosque. Tratan de sobrevivir compartiendo la poca comida que tienen. Cada uno tiene sus motivos para huir y embarcarse en el Gustloff. Vamos conociendo sus historias y secretos poco a poco a medida que se van alternando los breves capítulos. Llegado un punto de la historia los caminos de todos estos personajes se cruzan. No logré conectar con todos ellos pero sí con varios, como Joana, Emilia, Florian y Heinz. Tanto los personajes principales como los secundarios están muy bien construidos. 
Me gustó mucho la historia lograda por la autora, el libro está bien escrito, no obstante, sentí el final muy apresurado, en muy pocas páginas se resuelve uno de los misterios que habían quedado inconclusos y te deja además con otros interrogantes. Me gustó también cómo la autora logró intercalar muy bien ficción con hechos verídicos, como la Operación Aníbal y la Cámara de Ámbar, uno de los tesoros perdidos de la SGM y que se vio por última vez en el año 1944. 

Resumiendo, este es un libro ideal para las personas que recién comienzan a leer ficción histórica. Tiene capítulos cortos y hasta incluye al inicio la lista de los cuatro personajes principales y sus características, lo que facilita la lectura. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, and Gun violence

amberinbookland's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Racism, Violence, Grief, Deportation, Death of parent, Death, Ableism, Medical content, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, War, Physical abuse, Child death, Pregnancy, Murder, Child abuse, Body horror, Antisemitism, Animal cruelty, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail

kylajaynebooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, Racism, Death of parent, Hate crime, Genocide, Gore, Body horror, Child death, Grief, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Rape, Sexism, Terminal illness, Vomit, and War

smartens's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny informative fast-paced

• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Racism, Child death, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Homophobia, Murder, Pregnancy, Rape, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Sexual assault, and War

kallio08's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Death, Blood, Genocide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Rape, Violence, War, Gore, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Animal death, and Death of parent

juliamb's review against another edition

emotional informative sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Stalking, Suicide, Violence, Child death, Physical abuse, Rape, Death, Death of parent, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Xenophobia, Gun violence, Murder, Vomit, and War

margaretrose's review against another edition

emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Rape

misssophiawilliams's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Blood, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Murder, Gore, Medical content, Racism, Rape, Violence, Ableism, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Pedophilia, Religious bigotry, and War