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A review by discolorised
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
5.0
It couldn't end like this. It couldn't. What was life asking of me? How could I respond when I didn't know the question?
Lina was barely 16 when the Josef Stalin's decided to ruin her life. But she was not alone. There were thousands of unfortunate Lithuanians who got hauled from their houses to a labour camp in Siberia. They were all hungry and tired as hell but they were forced to do hard labours by the Soviet dogs.
This book is full of agony and sadness. It would ache your heart to the point you just want to stop reading to detach all the emotions. It is just too much to handle at times. Ruta knows how to make it so damn miserable to imagine. All the WWII events make me wanna cry but at the same time I'm so grateful I wasn't born on that time and at that place.
If you guys crave to read something about family and sacrifices, you gotta read this one. It is sad but it is so good too.
Things I really love about this book (might contain spoilers):
⚫Lina's deep passion in arts and how she used it to send messages to her father (although it ain't successful) and to the world how bad Soviet treated them all.
⚫Her relationship with Andrius. Ruta didn't over-describe it so it seemed so natural and lovely at the same time.
⚫Jonas. He was just an 11 y/o boy but he seemed so mature and responsible. It was funny tho when he smoked a Dickens book with Andrius. Also, I think his relationship with Lina was so strong and that's amazing (since I really fond of good siblings relationships vibes)
⚫When Elena died, Lina could barely pull herself but she was so hella strong since she could take care of Jonas and herself really well.
⚫Kretzsky cried in front of Lina because of Elena's death. And he said sorry to her. Also, when Lina showed her empathy despite the horrible treatments he gave to them all in the work camp.
⚫The bald man who was the most annoying man amongst the defeated, turned out to be the one who gave out Lina's family names to the Soviet. But at the end, he showed some rare kindness which was lovely.
It is my greatest hope that the pages in this jar stir your deepest well of human compassion. I hope they prompt you to do something, to tell someone. Only then can we ensure that this kind of evil is never allowed to repeat itself.
Lina was barely 16 when the Josef Stalin's decided to ruin her life. But she was not alone. There were thousands of unfortunate Lithuanians who got hauled from their houses to a labour camp in Siberia. They were all hungry and tired as hell but they were forced to do hard labours by the Soviet dogs.
This book is full of agony and sadness. It would ache your heart to the point you just want to stop reading to detach all the emotions. It is just too much to handle at times. Ruta knows how to make it so damn miserable to imagine. All the WWII events make me wanna cry but at the same time I'm so grateful I wasn't born on that time and at that place.
If you guys crave to read something about family and sacrifices, you gotta read this one. It is sad but it is so good too.
Evil will rule until good men or women choose to act.
Things I really love about this book (might contain spoilers):
⚫Lina's deep passion in arts and how she used it to send messages to her father (although it ain't successful) and to the world how bad Soviet treated them all.
⚫Her relationship with Andrius. Ruta didn't over-describe it so it seemed so natural and lovely at the same time.
⚫Jonas. He was just an 11 y/o boy but he seemed so mature and responsible. It was funny tho when he smoked a Dickens book with Andrius. Also, I think his relationship with Lina was so strong and that's amazing (since I really fond of good siblings relationships vibes)
⚫When Elena died, Lina could barely pull herself but she was so hella strong since she could take care of Jonas and herself really well.
⚫Kretzsky cried in front of Lina because of Elena's death. And he said sorry to her. Also, when Lina showed her empathy despite the horrible treatments he gave to them all in the work camp.
⚫The bald man who was the most annoying man amongst the defeated, turned out to be the one who gave out Lina's family names to the Soviet. But at the end, he showed some rare kindness which was lovely.
It is my greatest hope that the pages in this jar stir your deepest well of human compassion. I hope they prompt you to do something, to tell someone. Only then can we ensure that this kind of evil is never allowed to repeat itself.