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beautifulpaxielreads's review against another edition
dark
informative
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Genocide, Gun violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, and War
Minor: Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, and Deportation
oceanwriter's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
tense
fast-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
5.0
I Must Betray You is the second book I've read by Ruta Sepetys and, my goodness, I was not disappointed.
Following seventeen-year-old Cristian, we are brought into the communist regime in Romania during the late 1980s. After being caught accepting a gift of American currency, he's forced to become an informer, mainly focusing on the American family his mother works for. He has to choose between friendship and his life as well as his family's.
The story has a strong focus on friendship and the difficulties of maintaining relationships in a place where nobody can trust anybody, even their own families. Cristian's grandfather speaks more openly about the corruption he's seen, causing extra worry about listening devices and agents breaking into their own. Cristian already suspects someone close to him has been informing on him given how much the agent who recruited him seems to know.
Through his American friends, Cristian is able to get an honest look at life in America rather than the lies the government has been feeding them. He realizes they have fridges full of food, wait in lines voluntarily, and is mystified by the existence Disneyland. What's more, is that he finds a photograph of Nicolae Ceaușescu visiting this place. Meanwhile, Romanians are being forced to suffer and live in isolation and fear. Cristian starts to think that maybe he can start to use his role as an informer to his advantage in an act of resistance.
This is an emotional, twisty, action-filled story about a time so overlooked in history. I thought I was well-versed in the Cold War, but this book has taught me otherwise. I never knew they suffered so much as a nation. The end of the book has a number of photographs and quotes from this time which added a lot of context to the story. And though it was fast-paced, it didn't miss a beat in terms of plot or being able to connect to the characters.
I loved this book as much as I loved The Fountains of Silence if not more. I'm looking forward to reading more from Ruta Sepetys. I'm officially hooked!
Following seventeen-year-old Cristian, we are brought into the communist regime in Romania during the late 1980s. After being caught accepting a gift of American currency, he's forced to become an informer, mainly focusing on the American family his mother works for. He has to choose between friendship and his life as well as his family's.
The story has a strong focus on friendship and the difficulties of maintaining relationships in a place where nobody can trust anybody, even their own families. Cristian's grandfather speaks more openly about the corruption he's seen, causing extra worry about listening devices and agents breaking into their own. Cristian already suspects someone close to him has been informing on him given how much the agent who recruited him seems to know.
Through his American friends, Cristian is able to get an honest look at life in America rather than the lies the government has been feeding them. He realizes they have fridges full of food, wait in lines voluntarily, and is mystified by the existence Disneyland. What's more, is that he finds a photograph of Nicolae Ceaușescu visiting this place. Meanwhile, Romanians are being forced to suffer and live in isolation and fear. Cristian starts to think that maybe he can start to use his role as an informer to his advantage in an act of resistance.
This is an emotional, twisty, action-filled story about a time so overlooked in history. I thought I was well-versed in the Cold War, but this book has taught me otherwise. I never knew they suffered so much as a nation. The end of the book has a number of photographs and quotes from this time which added a lot of context to the story. And though it was fast-paced, it didn't miss a beat in terms of plot or being able to connect to the characters.
I loved this book as much as I loved The Fountains of Silence if not more. I'm looking forward to reading more from Ruta Sepetys. I'm officially hooked!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse, Terminal illness, Grief, and War
breedawnwriter's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I Must Betray You is a very sobering look at an often unrecognized part of history.
It is dark, disturbing, and unsettling, but it is also deeply moving.
This story is fiction, but Romania’s history is not.
I urge you to read this book. It will touch your soul, and remind you never to take anything for granted.
The characters in this story are deeply conflicted, and story builds with a sense that something terrifying is coming.
The middle drags a bit, but when it picks up, you will be unable to look away, but horrified that you want to know what happens next.
Content warnings: Death, mass murder, blood, gun violence, descriptions of injuries that some people may find disturbing, kissing (not graphic).
It is dark, disturbing, and unsettling, but it is also deeply moving.
This story is fiction, but Romania’s history is not.
I urge you to read this book. It will touch your soul, and remind you never to take anything for granted.
The characters in this story are deeply conflicted, and story builds with a sense that something terrifying is coming.
The middle drags a bit, but when it picks up, you will be unable to look away, but horrified that you want to know what happens next.
Content warnings: Death, mass murder, blood, gun violence, descriptions of injuries that some people may find disturbing, kissing (not graphic).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Blood, Excrement, and Grief
jackiesspookyshelf's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Genocide, Torture, Medical content, and Murder
legxleg's review against another edition
informative
tense
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Sexual assault
beccas_bibliophilia's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Torture, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
kbucheit's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Physical abuse, Torture, Police brutality, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
mriou310's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, and War
linnybear's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-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? It's complicated
4.5
4.5
One of the best books I’ve read since a while. I set up my own expectations towards it pretty high based on the reviews and I was certainly not disappointed. Although throughout the entire book we read about sufferings of entire nation the writing and very short chapters make it so much more digestible to get through. Personally, I love almost lyrical style of the author and the way narration just flows naturally. The characters are lovable, each in their own little ways, and especially Cristian as a main character stay very authentic in his thoughts throughout the entire story.
Even though in the end I hoped for more depth of the plot and descriptions of daily lives in the oppressive system I think the way it was described was just enough from the main character’s point of view at 17 years old. The last few chapters gave just the perfect closure to the entire story and made me want to read more books of that specific genre (and definitely more of Ruta Sepetys’ books!).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Stalking, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexism and Murder
jberg216's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
5.0
Wow. This book was heartbreaking and beautiful. I’m ashamed to admit I didn’t know about the horrors in Romania before reading this. I knew they were behind the Iron Curtain but did not know how terrible the regime was. The authors note stated that 1 in 10 Romanians were informers at that time. I can’t imagine the terror of not knowing who to trust, including family members, classmates, or neighbors.
My sister grew up during this time and it’s harrowing to know as she was living a privileged American childhood, these things were happening not so far away in Europe.
Even though the book is fiction it’s amazing to see how the young people kept the spirit of hope and revolution to change their country. It sounds like it was a long road but things are better today.
I thank the author for telling this story. I look forward to reading more of her work and learning more about this time in (fairly recent) Romanian history.
TW- murder, genocide, dictatorship, torture
My sister grew up during this time and it’s harrowing to know as she was living a privileged American childhood, these things were happening not so far away in Europe.
Even though the book is fiction it’s amazing to see how the young people kept the spirit of hope and revolution to change their country. It sounds like it was a long road but things are better today.
I thank the author for telling this story. I look forward to reading more of her work and learning more about this time in (fairly recent) Romanian history.
TW- murder, genocide, dictatorship, torture
Content Warnings
Moderate: Genocide, Torture, Murder, and War