A review by jess_another_book_nook
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

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

5.0

I absolutely LOVED this book. I am a big lover of historical fiction, especially when it comes to WW2. This is told from 4 different POVs. Joana, a nurse, Emilia, a pregnant girl, Florian, a soldier, and Albert a Nazi laborer. The writing style and sharing their experiences was beautiful. I also fell in love with the Poet (whose POV is not shared) as I read the book.

I was shocked to find that there was a moment in history similar to the sinking of the Titanic with many lives lost that I knew nothing about, much less had never heard of. There is so much desperation, sadness, unlikely comradery and history beautifully told in this book. Now excuse me while I go and google more about the Gustloff.