A review by mimela78
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

adventurous challenging dark informative sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

WWII historical fiction seems to be everywhere right now. Even if you feel like you read them all you need to read this story. While most focus on Germany or Japan this is a look at the Soviet treatment of the Baltic states during this timeframe. The book opens with Lila, a 15 year old, and her family being arrested by the NKVD, precusor to the KGB, because her father was a professor at the university. As the story progresses we follow Lila, Jonas, her younger brother, and her Mom from their home in Lithuania to exile in Siberia. Along the journey you meet other people from her same village and the community they form to survive the brutality of the climate and the NKVD.
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