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A review by _askthebookbug
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
5.0
Actual Rating - 4.5/5.
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| Book Review | Between Shades Of Gray.
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"He threw his burning cigarette onto our clean living room floor and ground it into the wood with his boot.
We were about to become cigarettes." - Ruta Sepetys.
~
Set in the 1940s, Between Shades Of Gray is a stunning novel about real incidences that evolved during the annexation of Baltic republics by the USSR. Though the characters are fictional, the stories are nevertheless true. The author met few of the surviving families to write down their stories before and after the annexation. Before I read this novel, I wasn't even aware of this annexation event. I knew about Stalin, of course but my knowledge was limited to just a few pages about his life. What I read in this book shook me and to know that many of us aren't aware of it is truly a sad thing to acknowledge.
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Lina and her family are captured on a day that seemed like any other in Lithuania. The NKVD troops were rounding up all the people of Baltic States and imprison them for years to come. People of all occupations were snatched away from their homes for the Russian officers to take their places. Lina's father hadn't returned from the University he taught at but they couldn't wait for him for they were forcefully taken by the soldiers. With their entire lives packed into a single suitcase each, Lina with her brother Jonas and mother Elena are shoved into train boxes with thousands of others. They were made to travel this way for over six weeks with no place to relieve themselves, no proper food and no contact with others. After what seemed like eternity, they finally reach their temporary destination.
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People of all ages were forced to work for the Russians under brutal conditions. Though this book is fictional, the fact that millions of people actually went through this horrible act is shocking. Lina's journey gives us a glimpse of how people dropped dead due to sickness and without any treatment. The courage of these people to survive against all odds is truly magnificent. This book is not only about Lina but is also about the people she met during her journey.
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I especially enjoyed little snippets of conversations that Lina recalled from her previous life while she was working to death in the camp set up by Russians. It's written using simple vocabulary which makes it truly very easy for readers to finish it in a single sitting. It is informative but also very clear in painting a vivid picture. What happened in those camps was certainly very horrifying and many survivors were forced to keep it hidden from others. This may not be as brutal as the Nazi concentration camps but it was not easy either. I am glad that these countries gained independence years later and it said that they gained it with dignity. If you like reading books about history or anything that falls under similar context as the holocaust, then do read this.
~
| Book Review | Between Shades Of Gray.
~
"He threw his burning cigarette onto our clean living room floor and ground it into the wood with his boot.
We were about to become cigarettes." - Ruta Sepetys.
~
Set in the 1940s, Between Shades Of Gray is a stunning novel about real incidences that evolved during the annexation of Baltic republics by the USSR. Though the characters are fictional, the stories are nevertheless true. The author met few of the surviving families to write down their stories before and after the annexation. Before I read this novel, I wasn't even aware of this annexation event. I knew about Stalin, of course but my knowledge was limited to just a few pages about his life. What I read in this book shook me and to know that many of us aren't aware of it is truly a sad thing to acknowledge.
~
Lina and her family are captured on a day that seemed like any other in Lithuania. The NKVD troops were rounding up all the people of Baltic States and imprison them for years to come. People of all occupations were snatched away from their homes for the Russian officers to take their places. Lina's father hadn't returned from the University he taught at but they couldn't wait for him for they were forcefully taken by the soldiers. With their entire lives packed into a single suitcase each, Lina with her brother Jonas and mother Elena are shoved into train boxes with thousands of others. They were made to travel this way for over six weeks with no place to relieve themselves, no proper food and no contact with others. After what seemed like eternity, they finally reach their temporary destination.
~
People of all ages were forced to work for the Russians under brutal conditions. Though this book is fictional, the fact that millions of people actually went through this horrible act is shocking. Lina's journey gives us a glimpse of how people dropped dead due to sickness and without any treatment. The courage of these people to survive against all odds is truly magnificent. This book is not only about Lina but is also about the people she met during her journey.
~
I especially enjoyed little snippets of conversations that Lina recalled from her previous life while she was working to death in the camp set up by Russians. It's written using simple vocabulary which makes it truly very easy for readers to finish it in a single sitting. It is informative but also very clear in painting a vivid picture. What happened in those camps was certainly very horrifying and many survivors were forced to keep it hidden from others. This may not be as brutal as the Nazi concentration camps but it was not easy either. I am glad that these countries gained independence years later and it said that they gained it with dignity. If you like reading books about history or anything that falls under similar context as the holocaust, then do read this.