Reviews tagging 'War'

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

104 reviews

dorset_daisy's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful sad

On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland from the west.

On September 17, 1939, Russia invaded Poland from the east.

I remembered these dates.

Two warring nations gripped Poland like girls fighting over a doll. One held the leg, the other the arm. They pulled so hard that one day, the head popped off.

The Nazis sent our people to ghettos and concentration camps.

The Soviets sent our people to gulags and Siberia. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War

Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Child death

Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis

pucksandpaperbacks's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Grief, Gore, Blood, Xenophobia, Misogyny, Ableism, War, Death, Death of parent, Violence, Rape, Medical content, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, and Antisemitism

Death during child birth

mz5family's review against another edition

emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

An incredibly sad and haunting story about a little-known but significant historical event! Sepetys did a wonderful job bringing forth the characters’ voices. The book left me wanting more of the story!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War and Death

bobapula's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Genocide, Violence, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Rape

jlfaith21's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book was so beautiful. It made me  sad, mad, happy at times. I’ve also never learned about this side of WWII with with the East Prussians, a people who don’t like the Germans or Russians, and just want to be free and safe. While it is historical fiction, the story itself is based on true events, and I appreciated learning more about it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and War

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

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

jazmelody's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Vomit, Genocide, and Rape

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

rbudd24's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: War, Child death, Blood, Death, Genocide, Pregnancy, and Suicide

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