Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

3 reviews

rebeccaisabelle's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? Yes

3.5

The reading pace was quite fast for this book. I got to learn about periods of history I didn't know before such as

the sinking of the Willem Gustoff. I also loved the relationship between Florian and Joana. However, overall, I found that the book was sad. Characters I didn't expect to pass away, passed away, those such as Ingrid, the shoe poet, Alfred, and Emilia. Emilia's death was the saddest of them all because I really thought she'd make it but I guess that just points to the fact that many people died in that catastrophe. I'm glad that Joana, Florian and Klaus got a happy ending though. I would have liked to hear more about where Eva ended up or if Florian and Joana ever found their respective families.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, War, Violence, Xenophobia, Death, Murder, Antisemitism, Hate crime, Genocide, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Blood, Physical abuse, Grief, Body horror, Racism, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Ableism, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Rape

cammiem8's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

While it took a while to get into and I really dislike multiple POVs, the third act had me on the edge of my seat and before I knew it, I’d read 150 pages and finished it before bed. I respect the author for experimenting with form, but I much prefer the writing style of Between Shades of Gray. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Rape, Religious bigotry, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, Death, Child death, War, Violence, Xenophobia, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Grief, and Antisemitism

Minor: Homophobia, Torture, and Vomit

Depicts WW2 and Nazism realistically, so expect all the violence and bigotry that goes along with that.

A main character reveals that her pregnancy is the result of a rape by Soviet soldiers, a woman she lived with allowed the rape to happen.

julia1579e's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

literally heart wrenching. i cant believe i didn't know about this disaster before i read this book.

alfred was beyond awful and an actual psychopath omg i'm glad he died

 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Child death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, and Grief

Moderate: Torture and Vomit