Reviews tagging 'Genocide'

Ashes in the Snow by Ruta Sepetys

50 reviews

pastorscratchy1reads's review against another edition

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: Sexual harassment, Self harm, Racial slurs, War, Xenophobia, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Genocide, Death of parent, Death, Violence, Deportation, Torture, Physical abuse, Gore, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief

Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Antisemitism, Cursing, Blood, Child abuse, 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?

mayakay's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective 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? No

5.0

I loved this book, I read it in one weekend :)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Grief, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Child death, War, Genocide, Physical abuse, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Death, Slavery, Police brutality, and Deportation

Moderate: Sexual assault, Hate crime, Sexual harassment, and Gun violence

Minor: Blood, Alcoholism, Pregnancy, and Cursing

Lina's mother did not have to die(!!!!), does she find her father(???), and does Andrius find her??

I need a sequel but this book cannot have a sequel.

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: Genocide, Deportation, Death, Torture, Slavery, Violence, and War

Moderate: Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

kdixon2's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Deportation, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Genocide, and Confinement

scholastic_squid's review against another edition

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: Self harm, Religious bigotry, Grief, Terminal illness, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Child death, Violence, Pregnancy, Murder, Gaslighting, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Deportation, Torture, Suicide attempt, Genocide, Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Death, and Chronic illness

lexluth0r's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

 

This harrowing tale tells the story of a Lithuanian family who is deported to Siberia to work in a labor camp. Lina, her little brother Jonas, and their mother Elena are ordered from their home with just a few minutes to pack their belongings. They have no idea what has come of their father, Kostas, and whether or not he is still alive at this point. They are then boarded onto a cattle car with many other Lithuanians, whom we get to know during the journey, and transported to Siberia where they perform forced labor. Their treatment at the hands of the Soviet soldiers was horrifying, and the loss that these characters and the Lithuanian people endured cannot be fully encompassed in words. I could say so much more, but this is a book that I feel needs to be read to fully understand everything that the characters experience and I don't want to give away any spoilers.

This is a book that was powerful, moving, and heartbreaking. After finishing the book, I put it down and I had to process a lot. How could people treat one another this way? How could it happen over and over again throughout history? How did these characters (who represent very real people and very real survivors) endure? This story represents the story of millions of people whose lives were lost or stolen by the Soviets, and too few people know their stories. Too few people know this history. 

This book is one that every living soul needs to read. There are stories and histories that are unknown, voices who have been silenced. And this book helps to give those people and their history a voice. That is one of the things that I love about Ruta Sepetys books; she helps histories be revealed. A beautiful, stunning book that is equally devastating. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Death of parent, Physical abuse, and War

Moderate: Excrement, Slavery, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual assault

heidi_may91's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Genocide, Suicide, and Deportation

annabelle_bookie's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Is very sad (about wwii) but is in dept and very vulnerable 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Antisemitism, Classism, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Blood, Murder, Physical abuse, Deportation, Genocide, Hate crime, and Pedophilia

jaxene's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Fascinating to learn more about WW1 in the Baltic states. It is a topic that I was not at all familiar with before. This book was a quick read. The short chapters kept the pace moving forward. I wish that there has been a little bit more included in the epilogue about how their final story came to be. All around, a well-written story that inspires me to go read more about Stalin's roundup of Lithuanians and other Baltic folk to the Siberian arctic. Also interested in how people survive the polar night, brr 🥶.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: War and Genocide

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide

jennswan's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, Deportation, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Grief, War, Hate crime, Death, and Child death

Moderate: Excrement, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts