Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

97 reviews

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

sukidookie's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad 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

This book was wonderful and heartbreaking. I loved each and every character. I feel like I gained a deeper and more personal understanding of WW2, but through the lens of the younger generation. As I went along, I was constantly reminded of the fact that these characters could have easily been real people. I loved how the romance between Joana and Florence was natural, acted as a beacon of hope, and simultaneously reminded the reader how young and brave these people were. Everything in this book had a thematic purpose. The writing was perfect and it felt like I was there with them. I had no idea this tragedy existed before reading Salt to the Sea, and after reading the acknowledgements and author's note, it made me wonder how many more traumatic war-related incidents were lost to history.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Child death, Death, Death of parent, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Rape

strange's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

Ahhhh there are so many feelings god 

I want Emilia back please and thank you I did not think I would care this much for her character but I Ache

There are some structural issues with the book and some of the tropes are iffy or feel fake but the characters are absolutely wonderful 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, War, Violence, Child death, Death, Grief, and Gore

Moderate: Blood, Death of parent, and Rape

Minor: Animal cruelty and Vomit

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

idiot_witch's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Grief

Moderate: Violence, War, Death, Xenophobia, Death of parent, and Antisemitism

Minor: Rape

books_for_life3000's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Death, and Child death

Moderate: Rape, Pregnancy, and Medical content

dilani's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? Yes

4.0

A very emotional, tough journey as we follow four young refugees trying to escape the chaos and destruction of WWII. I found myself connecting to the characters, especially the shoe poet (a.k.a. Opi), Joana, and Emilia. I was rooting for them the whole way through, except for Alfred. He was sad and pathetic excuse of a man. But besides that, I wanted everyone else to find some peace and solace. 

I appreciate how Ruth Sepetys did some in-depth research into the real tragedies that this book is based upon. The interviews with people involved at that time was a nice touch. Sepetys sheds light to a WWII tragedy most have never heard of. And she does a damn good job of it. 

“When the survivors are gone we must not let the truth disappear with them. Please give them a voice.”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death, Child death, War, Genocide, Death of parent, and Antisemitism

Moderate: Vomit and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Rape

lsmith725's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative 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? Yes

5.0

I highly recommend this book, but read the physical book.  The audiobook just confused me.  The combo of short chapters that switch perspectives and the foreign names/terms just left me lost when listening, but wasn't a problem at all when I was reading the physical book.

I was captivated.  This book is beautiful.  The people in it and the beautiful language are just so well done.  Ruta Sepetys has done her research for sure.  You will cry, smily, and learn a lot with this one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, and War

Moderate: Rape and Blood

Minor: Medical content

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Violence, War, and Xenophobia

Minor: Rape and Sexual violence

mayukiiq's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad fast-paced

5.0

Absolutely gorgeous and absolutely devastating.

* reminiscent of All the Light We Cannot See (Anthony Doerr) in some ways

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, War, and Death

Moderate: Gore, Vomit, and Pregnancy

Minor: Antisemitism and Rape