Search This Blog

2024 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (Hosted by Yours Truly)

My Progress:


30 / 30 books. 100% done!

2024 Literary Escapes Challenge

- Alabama (1)
- Alaska (1)
- Arizona (1)
- Arkansas (1)
- California (11)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut (2)
- Delaware (1)
- Florida (3)
- Georgia (4)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho (2)
- Illinois (4)
- Indiana (4)
- Iowa (1)
- Kansas (1)
- Kentucky (2)
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (1)
- Maryland (1)
- Massachusetts (4)
- Michigan (1)
- Minnesota (2)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri (1)
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska (1)
- Nevada (2)
- New Hampshire (1)
- New Jersey (1)
- New Mexico (1)
- New York (10)
- North Carolina (4)
- North Dakota (1)
- Ohio (3)
- Oklahoma (2)
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania (2)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina (1)
- South Dakota (1)
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (4)
- Utah (4)
- Vermont (2)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (3)
- West Virginia (1)
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming (2)
- Washington, D.C.* (2)

International:
- Argentina (1)
- Australia (6)
- Austria (1)
- Bolivia (1)
- Canada (3)
- China (2)
- England (26)
- France (2)
- Ghana (1)
- India (1)
- Indonesia (1)
- Ireland (4)
- Italy (1)
- Poland (2)
- Russia (2)
- Scotland (3)
- The Netherlands (1)

My Progress:


51 / 51 states. 100% done!

2024 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

My Progress:


52 / 50 books. 104% done!

2024 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge


36 / 50 books. 72% done!

Booklist Queen's 2024 Reading Challenge

My Progress:


52 / 52 books. 100% done!

2024 52 Club Reading Challenge

My Progress:


51 / 52 books. 98% done!

2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge

My Progress:


37 / 40 books. 93% done!

2024 Pioneer Book Reading Challenge


18 / 40 books. 45% done!

2024 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge

My Progress:


25 / 25 cozies. 100% done!

2024 Medical Examiner's Mystery Reading Challenge

2024 Mystery Marathon Reading Challenge

My Progress


5 / 26.2 miles (4th lap). 19% done!

Mount TBR Reading Challenge

My Progress


51 / 100 books. 51% done!

2024 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge

My Progress:


98 / 109 books. 90% done!

Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge

My Progress


52 / 52 books. 100% done!

Disney Animated Movies Reading Challenge

My Progress


139 / 165 books. 84% done!

The 100 Most Common Last Names in the U.S. Reading Challenge

My Progress:


88 / 100 names. 88% done!

The Life Skills Reading Challenge

My Progress:


38 / 80 skills. 48% done!
Monday, February 08, 2016

Vivid Historical Novel About Little Known Maritime Disaster A Harrowing, Haunting Read

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

January 1945—World War II is ending in East Prussia, with the merciless Russian Army pushing the bloodthirsty Germans back toward Berlin.  Desperate to evacuate, thousands of refugees flee toward the Polish coast, frantic to board ships that will whisk them away to safety.  Enduring brutal winter weather conditions, the frayed tempers of war-weary soldiers from two different armies, and the deadly effects of disease and starvation, the refugees are in dire straits.  Salvation waits in the form of a re-purposed German pleasure cruiser called the M.S. Wilhelm Gustloff.  But fate will not be kind to the ship, nor to her passengers ...

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys tells the largely unknown story of the unlucky refugees who strove so hard to leave East Prussia only to become victims of one of the greatest maritime disasters in history.  The tale unfolds through the voices of four distinct narrators, all from different backgrounds, all with something to hide.  There's Joana (a cousin to Lina from Between Shades of Gray), a 21-year-old Lithuanian nurse who's evacuating without official orders; Florian Beck, a Prussian on the run with a treasure stolen from the Führer; Emilia Stozek, a pregnant Polish girl with no papers; and Alfred Frick, a German sailor who dreams of proving his greatness.  As the lives of the first three intersect, they'll learn astonishing truths about each other—about who they've become and what they've done in the name of survival.  Although wary of trusting anyone at all, the three will come to need each other more than they could have ever imagined.  Alfred, who is so eager to prove himself, will get the chance.  But will he succeed or fail? 

When the fates of all four narrators intersect aboard the Wilhelm Gustloff, the quartet must once again battle for their own survival.  Some will prove themselves heroes, others cowards.  At the end of the day, will any of them be among the meager survivors?  Or will their efforts to reach Gotenhafen be in vain, their bodies committed forever to a watery grave?

If you've read Between Shades of Gray, Sepetys' first novel, you already know the author is a master at creating vivid, affecting prose.  That gift is never more evident than in Salt to the Sea, her third novel (which is a companion to her first).  Not only does she create a cold, terrifying setting that feels like a nightmare come to life, but she also forms intriguing, complex characters that help us see the horrors of war from four different points of view.  Both are extremely effective devices which combine to make Salt to the Sea a rich, deeply moving tale.  So much of the story is brutal and bleak, but it's also surprisingly buoyant and bolstering.  It's been a couple months since I read this book, but I'm still haunted by it.  One of my favorite reads of 2015, Salt to the Sea is a rich, moving novel that simply cannot be missed.  

Note:  Considering the fact that 9,000+ people (more than three times the number who perished on the Titanic and Lusitania combined) died in the Wilhelm Gustloff disaster, it's amazing that I'd never heard of the boat until reading Salt to the Sea.  The story is a fascinating one, tragic and true.  If you'd like to read more about it, try www.wilhelmgustloff.com and wilhelmgustloffmuseum.com.

(Readalikes:  Reminded me of Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys)

Grade:


If this were a movie, it would be rated:


for brief, mild language (no F-bombs), violence, blood/gore

To the FTC, with love:  I received an e-galley of Salt to the Sea from the generous folks at Penguin via those at NetGalley.  Thank you!

7 comments:

  1. This is one I have had my eye on and really excited to read. I also need to go back and read Between Shades of Gray. Great review!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I haven't heard of this disaster either so I'm curious to find out more about it. Sepety is an author I've really been wanting to try so I'll definitely be adding this to my TBR.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm #1 on the list at the library for this as soon as it arrives!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I've been waiting to read this for ages now - almost on my hold-shelf at the library. Getting closer . . . ! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm going to have to read this one. I love how Septys writes these books about things that are sadly unknown.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I have to get this book. I enjoyed her first book and her storytelling style. Thanks for the review.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm picking this one up from the library with my other holds today!

    ReplyDelete

Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.

P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!

Blog Widget by LinkWithin


Reading

<i>Reading</i>
Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie

Listening

<i>Listening</i>
The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth



Followin' with Bloglovin'

Follow

Followin' with Feedly

follow us in feedly



Grab my Button!


Blog Design by:


Blog Archive