Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

36 reviews

carissa230's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad medium-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

5.0

Ruta Sepetys books have a way of creating fiction that is both accessible and informative. In this book we hear the story of refugees from different walks of life trying to get to safety in wartorn Prussia. 

Joana is a nurse that just wants to help people and find her family. She takes charge of the group and helps to save the pregnant teen and the others in her group. 

Emilia is a teenager that is pregnant and running. She is also Polish, which is a crime almost as bad as being Jewish in Germany. 

Florian is a thief running to what he hopes is safety with something he hopes to save from everyone. 

The shoe poet and the little boy are people that happened upon the group. The shoe poet tells the story of others through the type of shoes they have, the wear on them, and the way they carry themselves. The little boy is looking for his family. He knows where they're supposed to be, but his grandma didn't wake up one day and now he's got nobody. 

Alfred is a German soldier. He is trying to prove himself, but there is something off about him. He loves Hitler and hates almost everyone else. He's not a smart man, but thinks he is. 

All of these people come together to try and survive. They try to find and create families. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Grief, War, and Genocide

gracielou2000's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Pregnancy, Death of parent, and Violence

Moderate: Ableism, Racism, Racial slurs, and Grief

Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Rape, Homophobia, Death of parent, Medical content, and Murder

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.

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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

madeline_schmidt20's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Rape, Death, Violence, Antisemitism, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Medical trauma, and Grief

Moderate: Child death

kenny_2288's review against another edition

challenging dark 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Violence, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, and War

fluture's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

A heart wrenching book taken from a true tragedy during World War II. I admire how Ruta can depict the situation and horror during the war with her words. Most parts gave me the shivers and goosebumps. It's a really good book to be read for those who like history fiction.

The point of view were taken from four different people with different characteristics yet it wouldn't confuse you to read it. Every chapter flows just like a river and very enjoyable to read. A page-turner book, beautiful yet tragic.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, War, Violence, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Genocide, Hate crime, Infertility, Antisemitism, Child death, Gun violence, and Grief

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Vomit, and Stalking

lexluth0r's review against another edition

emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Yet another masterful work by Ruta Sepetys. I think this one was the hardest one for me to read, solely because of the amount of child death that takes place. It is a powerful book about the largest maritime disaster in history, the attack upon and sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff. This story is told from four points of view; three refugees and one German sailor. The different points of view were very interesting in order to understand the history of the characters, as well as their struggles. I loved this book, and it left me thinking about it for hours after I finished it. 

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Rape, Vomit, Medical content, Sexual assault, and War

izzyhallow's review against another edition

dark informative

3.0

Another distressing read from Sepetys. Meticulously researched. Didn't have quite the same emotional connection for me as Between Shades but still a very engaging listen that had me spiralling on the tube. One of those books you have to make sure you're in the right headspace for as it gets pretty graphic about the horrors of war.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, Antisemitism, Pregnancy, and War

Minor: Child abuse and Rape

taracloudclark's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective 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? Yes

5.0

An excellent story told from four perspectives of one of the most horrific events in history. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Antisemitism, War, Blood, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Grief, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Rape, Child abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Homophobia, Violence, Hate crime, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Murder, Pregnancy, and Racism

Minor: Animal cruelty

grammar_police's review against another edition

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

4.75

Beautifully written, deep, and emotional. A spectacular story about the most devastating shipwreck in history.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, War, Blood, Child death, Gore, Ableism, Death of parent, Death, Genocide, and Rape

Moderate: Pregnancy, Vomit, Murder, Suicide, Grief, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Cursing

Most of your favorite characters will die, and it’s very dramatic and will have you crying…< / spoiler>