A review by madsmcw_reads
I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys

challenging dark emotional reflective tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Ruta. Sepetys. This woman is an historical fiction queen. The thing I love about Sepetys is she takes moments in history that don't get a lot of attention and brings them to the forefront. Her books are so throughly researched that I feel she really does justice to the people who lived through these events.

 In "I Must Betray You" she tackles the lead up to the 1989 Romanian revolution told through the eyes of a teenage boy. You can feel the fear and paranoia, confusion at why they had so little when the rest of the world had so much, and the disbelief when you found out your closest friends and family were informing on you. This book is so good but I had to read it in small doses because of how uneasy it made me feel.

While this is technically a young adult book it doesn't read like it's intended for a young audience. If you enjoy historical fiction and like reading about lesser known times in history this is 100% the book for you. I can't wait for Ruta's book and to see what era she tackles next.
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