Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

41 reviews

kat_rowlen's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

Haunting and heartbreaking 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and War

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Rape, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, and Deportation

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

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

Moderate: Rape, Blood, and Death of parent

Minor: Animal cruelty and Vomit

deenabella's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful 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

It has bittersweet ending with bitter aftertaste 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Grief, War, and Injury/Injury detail

rosieeg's review

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

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

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

Minor: Rape

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

Moderate: Vomit and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Rape

mformato's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

Definitely one of the better YA books I've read in a while, which gives me hope that I haven't been completely turned off from the medium. Though it still had parts I wasn't a huge fan of.

I enjoyed that each character had their own distinct voice but I hated that they all withheld information from the reader. I understand that building up to a big reveal helps create tension but it felt unnecessary for all of them except Emilia. She was definitely the one with the most intriguing arc and I wish we had more depth with her.

I found myself skipping over most of Alfred's imaginary letters cause I just couldn't stand him and it really added nothing to the story. Even his big secret was muddied by his disillusion and not that monumental.

I adored the relationship between Klaus and the Shoe Poet; such a wholesome and tragic bond of two people in a time of war and I almost wish there was a novella from the Shoe Poet's perspective starting from right before he joined the group to how events played out in the novel.

Joana and Florian felt like generic YA characters to me. Not the worst, not the best. Just okay.

Overall I would recommend this book to others who enjoy YA and/or historical fiction. I am impressed with the amount of research Septeys does for her books; she truly cares about creating a historically accurate story with her own voice and I am definitely interested in more of her work.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Racism, Sexual assault, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, and War

izwit's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, and War

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, and Blood