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A review by lyzz
I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This is my second Ruta Sepetys' book after reading Salt to the Sea several years ago. I loved this one just as much as Salt to the Sea.
This book is set on the cusp of the Romanian Revolution in 1989. Starting this book, I knew next to nothing about Romania aside from them having great gymnasts. The book focuses on a teenager named Cristian who is recruited to be part of the spy network run by the Romanian government.
This is a fantastic book. It was informative, fast-paced and thoughtful. I learned so much about the country of Romania in this book. It makes me want to learn more about their history and their culture. This was a different type of historical fiction for me - historical thriller. I *loved* the pacing of this book. There are short chapters and the book clips along. Sometimes books that focus on pacing are short on character development - but I thought the author did a thoughtful amount of development of the main character and his family members.
Overall, I would highly recommend this book. This would be a perfect book for someone trying out historical fiction or a seasoned reader.
This book is set on the cusp of the Romanian Revolution in 1989. Starting this book, I knew next to nothing about Romania aside from them having great gymnasts. The book focuses on a teenager named Cristian who is recruited to be part of the spy network run by the Romanian government.
This is a fantastic book. It was informative, fast-paced and thoughtful. I learned so much about the country of Romania in this book. It makes me want to learn more about their history and their culture. This was a different type of historical fiction for me - historical thriller. I *loved* the pacing of this book. There are short chapters and the book clips along. Sometimes books that focus on pacing are short on character development - but I thought the author did a thoughtful amount of development of the main character and his family members.
Overall, I would highly recommend this book. This would be a perfect book for someone trying out historical fiction or a seasoned reader.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, and War
Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual violence