Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Philomel Books (2011), Edition: 1, 352 pages
Pages
344
Description
In 1941, fifteen-year-old Lina, her mother, and brother are pulled from their Lithuanian home by Soviet guards and sent to Siberia, where her father is sentenced to death in a prison camp while she fights for her life, vowing to honor her family and the thousands like hers by burying her story in a jar on Lithuanian soil. Based on the author's family, includes a historical note.
Collection
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2011-03
Physical description
344 p.; 8.5 inches
ISBN
9780399254123
UPC
048228017998
Similar in this library
Media reviews
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books,
Hope Morrison (The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, May 2011 (Vol. 64, No. 9))
This harrowing novel recalls the systematic deportation of thousands of Lithuanians following the Soviet invasion of their country in 1939. Fifteen-year-old Lina, along with her mother and younger brother,
Show More
is taken during the night and shipped off on a freight car for a six-week journey to a labor camp in Siberia. After spending nearly a year there, her family is again deported, this time to a frigid outpost in the northernmost region of Siberia, where survival seems unlikely. Conditions in the camps are horrendous, with inmates forced to perform hard labor in exchange for bread rations and denied the basic necessities of warmth, shelter, and sanitation. Abuse at the hands of the NKVD (Soviet police) is abundant, and horrific acts of violence punctuate the narrative. A talented artist, Lina draws for an outlet—; more importantly, she creates pictures full of coded information that she hopes will somehow get to her father, who is suspected to be in a Soviet prison. Lina’s voice offers a careful balance of emotional engagement and factual summary, providing a compelling account of this seldom-told chapter of history. The novel provides a testament to the power of community, as the deportees keep one another strong through the most traumatic events and hold on to their will to survive in the direst of survival situations. Readers will want to know more at the end, since an epilogue suggests that Lina survived and returned to Lithuania but leaves many questions unanswered; ultimately, however, this is a powerful story that deserves extensive reading and discussion. An author’s note, encouraging readers to learn more about the events in the book, is included. Review Code: R -- Recommended. (c) Copyright 2006, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2011, Philomel, 344p., $17.99. Grades 8-12.
Show Less
VOYA
Judy Brink-Drescher (VOYA, April 2011 (Vol. 34, No. 1))
Up until the night the Russian military pounded on her door, fifteen-year-old Lina lived a nearly idyllic life. She had recently been accepted to a prestigious art school and was told she had a very promising future. Now, men speaking a
Show More
strange language are telling her mother that the family is being deported from their Lithuanian homeland. Without knowing the precise whereabouts of their father, Lina, her mother, and brother soon find themselves packed into a cattle car with many other frightened countrymen. With the help of sixteen-year-old Andrius, Lina discovers her father is on the same train but bound for a different destination. She decides to document all she can in images so he can find them later. Unbeknownst to anyone, many would not survive this trip, and those that did would end up in Siberian labor camps. It was also under these circumstances that Lina and Andrius discover the true meaning of family, love, and loss. In the shadow of the Holocaust, many might be unfamiliar with Stalin’s orchestrated genocide of the Baltic States. The first deportations began in 1941; many were unable to return to their homeland until the mid-1950s. Sepetys’s father and many of her relatives were among those who either managed to escape into refugee camps or were deported or imprisoned. In her debut novel, Sepetys offers both a compelling love story and a well-researched historical chronicle. The themes throughout this novel are mature, and therefore the book is recommended for high school and above. VOYA CODES: 4Q 3P S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Will appeal with pushing; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2011, Philomel, 352p., $17.99. Ages 15 to 18.
Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member LovingLit
The language is simple and in keeping with a YA book, but the story is adult and wrenching not for the faint-hearted. It describes the story of Lina and her mother and young brother who are torn from their home in Lithuania and deported. That is, sent in cattle movers to labour camps. There they
Lina's mother holds the family, and the group, together in that she shows compassion for everyone, even the young guards that mistreat them. She has hope that decency will prevail and that this horror has to end. But as the horrors continue, she continually acts selflessly and with more thought for others than herself. She is a powerful character who seen through the eyes of her daughter, is as a mother just is.
The power of this story is not fully realised as the characters are relatively superficially described. Events are described in a single sentence, and the emotions felt are those of the reader, rather than being so immersed in a character that you feel their feelings. This is perhaps the case in most YA novels, and why they are so easy to read. Also why I always feel I miss out a little.
Show More
are worked to the bone on a meager pittance of food, and mocked and inhumanely treated by the Soviet guards.Lina's mother holds the family, and the group, together in that she shows compassion for everyone, even the young guards that mistreat them. She has hope that decency will prevail and that this horror has to end. But as the horrors continue, she continually acts selflessly and with more thought for others than herself. She is a powerful character who seen through the eyes of her daughter, is as a mother just is.
The power of this story is not fully realised as the characters are relatively superficially described. Events are described in a single sentence, and the emotions felt are those of the reader, rather than being so immersed in a character that you feel their feelings. This is perhaps the case in most YA novels, and why they are so easy to read. Also why I always feel I miss out a little.
Show Less
LibraryThing member fromthecomfychair
I read this book as an Early Reviewer. The story is compelling, and does need to be told. I did not, however, find it to be a page-turner, as other reviewers have said. The brutal facts of the Baltic deportations are there, and certainly the image of refugees attempting to survive in
Show More
cobbled-together hovels at the Arctic Circle while their captors live in comfortable brick buildings will stay with me. Certainly I am stunned to know that innocent people were used for slave labor for more than a decade. But how could they survive? The author doesn't make me feel the biting cold or the pangs of starvation. She recounts the facts faithfully, but as an ELA teacher would say, "show me, don't tell me." While reading this book at home, I have been listening to the Book Thief by Markus Zusak while commuting to work. They are both tales of life during a horrific time, and this book deserves to be read. But one is at least five stars, and the other is three and a half. Show Less
LibraryThing member mrsderaps
I picked this book up in my mailbox early this evening. It's cold here in Western Maine, so I came home and started a fire in our wood stove. Three hours later, with the fire blazing, I emerged from this book. It was an incredible journey.
I've read about Russian Gulags and about political prisoners
This book tells the story of one such Lithuanian family who is deported into Russia, along with thousands of others from their town. Stuffed into cattle cars, deprived of food and water, many died along the way. Their destination--A forced labor camp, where those who hope to survive are forced to sign papers admitting that they are criminals and accepting a 25 year prison sentence.
In the mist of this chaos and suffering are sixteen year-old Lina and what's left of her family. Her father has been separated from his wife and two children, but Lina and her mother and brother have hope that he is still alive. Lina is a talented artist and writer who documents all that she sees in the forced labor camp, including the abuses from the Russian guards and the small joys of life.
Because, amongst all of the heartache and trauma, there are little moments of happiness. Lina meet a handsome young man named Andrius who helps her to secure extra rations for her family. Friendships are formed, holidays and birthdays are celebrated, life is lived. It is so very moving to read this story and find that the will to survive triumphed in enough people so that stories like this one made it back into the world. We all have a lot to learn and admire from people like these.
This piece of historical fiction has my interest piqued. I am going to search out more information on this topic and will hopefully come across more stories like it. This is going to be a great addition to my collection of human rights YA lit and WWII YA lit in my classroom. It's readable and thought-provoking and it sheds light on an area of history that I have not read much about. A must-have for any high school classroom and classroom library.
I've read about Russian Gulags and about political prisoners
Show More
sent to Siberia to suffer, work, and die. I did not know about the Lithuanian teachers, librarians, politicians, doctors, lawyers, and military who were sent with their families thousands and thousands of miles into Russia to die horrific deaths. Even as America was allied with Russia against the Axis powers, Stalin was torturing and killing millions--some estimates say that he killed 20 million people. Insanity.This book tells the story of one such Lithuanian family who is deported into Russia, along with thousands of others from their town. Stuffed into cattle cars, deprived of food and water, many died along the way. Their destination--A forced labor camp, where those who hope to survive are forced to sign papers admitting that they are criminals and accepting a 25 year prison sentence.
In the mist of this chaos and suffering are sixteen year-old Lina and what's left of her family. Her father has been separated from his wife and two children, but Lina and her mother and brother have hope that he is still alive. Lina is a talented artist and writer who documents all that she sees in the forced labor camp, including the abuses from the Russian guards and the small joys of life.
Because, amongst all of the heartache and trauma, there are little moments of happiness. Lina meet a handsome young man named Andrius who helps her to secure extra rations for her family. Friendships are formed, holidays and birthdays are celebrated, life is lived. It is so very moving to read this story and find that the will to survive triumphed in enough people so that stories like this one made it back into the world. We all have a lot to learn and admire from people like these.
This piece of historical fiction has my interest piqued. I am going to search out more information on this topic and will hopefully come across more stories like it. This is going to be a great addition to my collection of human rights YA lit and WWII YA lit in my classroom. It's readable and thought-provoking and it sheds light on an area of history that I have not read much about. A must-have for any high school classroom and classroom library.
Show Less
LibraryThing member msf59
Nazi atrocities have been well-documented, (Mel Gibson may have a quibble or two) but what is less known, is that the Soviets committed as many vile acts, murdering and slaughtering millions.
In this hard-hitting YA tale, Lina, a fifteen year old Lithuanian girl, is rounded up one night, along with
The author sugar-coats nothing here. She paints a bleak, desperate picture of a family scrabbling to survive. It is well-written, nicely paced and completely heart-rending. Highly recommended.
In this hard-hitting YA tale, Lina, a fifteen year old Lithuanian girl, is rounded up one night, along with
Show More
her family. They are not Jewish but her father may have had ties with a “questionable” character, that had been included on one of Stalin’s many “hit lists”. The family is loaded on a train, crammed with other unfortunates and Lina finds herself heading to a labor camp in Siberia.The author sugar-coats nothing here. She paints a bleak, desperate picture of a family scrabbling to survive. It is well-written, nicely paced and completely heart-rending. Highly recommended.
Show Less
LibraryThing member jo-jo
This was a wonderful novel and although it was written for a young adult audience, it can be enjoyed by all ages. This book depicts another crime against humanity from our world history that was unknown to me before reading this book. Young Lina is our narrator that we follow on her treacherous
We see events through Lina's eyes-one moment she is safe at home with her family, and the next she is rounded up with others and sent off on a journey that will change her life forever. Not knowing where they are going, when or if they will ever return, and a suitcase filled with their meager belongings, they unwillingly follow their captors directions. When they are first led to a train station I imagined they were definitely being sent to a concentration camp with death impending soon. This wasn't the case as Stalin planned for the majority of his prisoners to serve work detail under inhumane conditions.
The train journey is only the beginning of their torture as they are given barely any food to eat and conditions are hardly liveable for livestock, let alone people. As more people are crammed into the train cars along the way, they must learn to live together in the closed quarters, allowing them to create friendships and relationships that will help them in the months to come.
The first destination for Lina and her family is a work camp, where slave labor is put into full force. Much of this novel reminds me of the Holocaust, and treatment of the prisoners falls into this category. Everyone is worked until they have no strength left and daily food rations are minimal. Everyone learns to do what they need to do in order to get by, and many use the relationships that were developed on the train to assist them in their daily living.
We learn throughout the novel from Lina's flashbacks that the reason for their imprisonment is political. Anyone who had a different motive or ideal from Stalin was captured and either sent to a prison or a work camp. It was interesting to see this revelation through Lina's young eyes since she did not truly understand the motives.
This was a wonderful story even though it was difficult to read at times. It read very quickly and smoothly for me as it only took me a few days to complete it. With themes of family, love, war, and morals, there is so much more to this story than I described above. I don't hesitate in recommending this novel for either personal leisure or as a book club discussion.
Show More
journey of survival.We see events through Lina's eyes-one moment she is safe at home with her family, and the next she is rounded up with others and sent off on a journey that will change her life forever. Not knowing where they are going, when or if they will ever return, and a suitcase filled with their meager belongings, they unwillingly follow their captors directions. When they are first led to a train station I imagined they were definitely being sent to a concentration camp with death impending soon. This wasn't the case as Stalin planned for the majority of his prisoners to serve work detail under inhumane conditions.
The train journey is only the beginning of their torture as they are given barely any food to eat and conditions are hardly liveable for livestock, let alone people. As more people are crammed into the train cars along the way, they must learn to live together in the closed quarters, allowing them to create friendships and relationships that will help them in the months to come.
The first destination for Lina and her family is a work camp, where slave labor is put into full force. Much of this novel reminds me of the Holocaust, and treatment of the prisoners falls into this category. Everyone is worked until they have no strength left and daily food rations are minimal. Everyone learns to do what they need to do in order to get by, and many use the relationships that were developed on the train to assist them in their daily living.
We learn throughout the novel from Lina's flashbacks that the reason for their imprisonment is political. Anyone who had a different motive or ideal from Stalin was captured and either sent to a prison or a work camp. It was interesting to see this revelation through Lina's young eyes since she did not truly understand the motives.
This was a wonderful story even though it was difficult to read at times. It read very quickly and smoothly for me as it only took me a few days to complete it. With themes of family, love, war, and morals, there is so much more to this story than I described above. I don't hesitate in recommending this novel for either personal leisure or as a book club discussion.
Show Less
LibraryThing member keristars
Between Shades of Gray is about the deportation of people from Balkan countries by the Soviets to Siberia - this specific story takes the characters all the way to the North Pole, with 16-year-old Lina as the point of view character. It is a first-person narrative that primarily follows Lina
The author was inspired to write the story because of her father's family history (his parents were able to escape through Germany, but other relatives weren't so lucky), and a lot of research went into it, it looks like. There's a long list in the back of people and institutions that helped, including a few nonfiction books that I'm probably going to look into to learn more about this bit of history.
It's a very compelling story - once I started reading it, I found myself wanting to get to the end to find out whether or not Lina and her family make it out, but I also was curious about how bad could it get (very, horrifyingly bad), and I wanted to learn more about this thing that I only vaguely knew of, mostly thanks to the children's book The Endless Steppe and also to a friend who lived in the Ukraine during her high school years and from whom I've learned most of what I know about the region.
But it's also a very bleak story, because of the topic. I am very grateful for the epilogue that reassures the reader that the lives of Lina and her loved ones improves somewhat. I won't spoil it, but not everyone manages to live to the end, so having an epilogue with a little bit of "look, these people made it out!" was very relieving.
I think that technically, it's a YA book, but I feel if it's YA because the main character is 16 and because she just barely escapes a more horrifying fate than she receives, then I'm all for it being YA. I was on tenterhooks the entire time, expecting really atrocious things to happen to Lina (because of the setting and what I know of the NKVD), so it was a relief that it never got quite that bad (though what did happen in the book was awful enough, and also probably very true to history).
Show More
beginning with the day that the NKVD summon her family from their house and for about 20 months after that. Many events, often fairly minor things, are followed by a counterpoint in the form of a snippet of memory from before that day in June, 1941, which not only underline the differences in Lina's life before and after, but help fill in bits of history for the reader who isn't familiar with the Soviet occupancy of Lithuania.The author was inspired to write the story because of her father's family history (his parents were able to escape through Germany, but other relatives weren't so lucky), and a lot of research went into it, it looks like. There's a long list in the back of people and institutions that helped, including a few nonfiction books that I'm probably going to look into to learn more about this bit of history.
It's a very compelling story - once I started reading it, I found myself wanting to get to the end to find out whether or not Lina and her family make it out, but I also was curious about how bad could it get (very, horrifyingly bad), and I wanted to learn more about this thing that I only vaguely knew of, mostly thanks to the children's book The Endless Steppe and also to a friend who lived in the Ukraine during her high school years and from whom I've learned most of what I know about the region.
But it's also a very bleak story, because of the topic. I am very grateful for the epilogue that reassures the reader that the lives of Lina and her loved ones improves somewhat. I won't spoil it, but not everyone manages to live to the end, so having an epilogue with a little bit of "look, these people made it out!" was very relieving.
I think that technically, it's a YA book, but I feel if it's YA because the main character is 16 and because she just barely escapes a more horrifying fate than she receives, then I'm all for it being YA. I was on tenterhooks the entire time, expecting really atrocious things to happen to Lina (because of the setting and what I know of the NKVD), so it was a relief that it never got quite that bad (though what did happen in the book was awful enough, and also probably very true to history).
Show Less
LibraryThing member lawral
Clearly, this book is not a pick-me-up, but the spirit of endurance that Lina, her family, and her friends exhibit is inspiring. Between Shades of Gray tracks the slow progress of Lina, her brother Jonas, and their mother Elena from their home in Lithuania to a work camp in Trofimovsk in the Arctic
I could go on and on about how the Vilkas and their group suffer. I could draw many parallels between their experience and those of Holocaust survivors. I could talk about how, at times, the weight of what they go through is crushing, but I don't want to. I want to talk about the points of light in this book that made the rest of it bearable (and when I say bearable, I mean in terms of the subject matter. The whole book is beautifully and compellingly written). Lina's memories of her father and of her cousin Joanna certainly help her through her trials, as does her art which she continues, and uses to her advantage in many ways, throughout the book. A sweet, little romance doesn't hurt either. But what really makes the work camps tolerable is what the deportees do for each other.
Between Shades of Gray is an important book about a not-often-talked about event in history. For this reason, it will appeal to historical fiction lovers, and WWII aficionados. It's also an emotional read, with dashes of suspense and romance mixed into Lina's experience of oppression and, ultimately, loss. I highly recommend this powerful debut and look forward to whatever Sepetys has in store for us next!
Book source: ARC provided by the publisher through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.
Show More
Circle. They suffer many indignities (to put it mildly) at the hands of their Soviet captors (so many and so much that I stopped marking them in my copy). The beginning of the book, especially, is very similar to the beginnings of many other stories about this time in Europe. The lists, the beatings, the cattle cars.I could go on and on about how the Vilkas and their group suffer. I could draw many parallels between their experience and those of Holocaust survivors. I could talk about how, at times, the weight of what they go through is crushing, but I don't want to. I want to talk about the points of light in this book that made the rest of it bearable (and when I say bearable, I mean in terms of the subject matter. The whole book is beautifully and compellingly written). Lina's memories of her father and of her cousin Joanna certainly help her through her trials, as does her art which she continues, and uses to her advantage in many ways, throughout the book. A sweet, little romance doesn't hurt either. But what really makes the work camps tolerable is what the deportees do for each other.
Between Shades of Gray is an important book about a not-often-talked about event in history. For this reason, it will appeal to historical fiction lovers, and WWII aficionados. It's also an emotional read, with dashes of suspense and romance mixed into Lina's experience of oppression and, ultimately, loss. I highly recommend this powerful debut and look forward to whatever Sepetys has in store for us next!
Book source: ARC provided by the publisher through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.
Show Less
LibraryThing member em0451
History has never been my favorite subject, and I am admittedly ignorant on many historical subjects. However, I do enjoy learning about history through fiction. It's amazing how fiction has the power to open my eyes to reality. This book is fiction, but it is based on extensive research and based
After reading this book, I'm a little embarrassed to admit my ignorance on this subject. I'm not sure if it was due to me not paying attention in history class or me never being taught about it. Obviously, I knew about Stalin and knew that bad things happened during his regime. But I knew nothing about people from Lithuania, Finland, Latvia and other places being deported and sent to camps in Siberia on his command. I had no idea that those people were enslaved in labor camps for as long as fifteen years. I had no idea that those countries lost nearly one third of their population during this genocide. I had no idea that Stalin is believed to be responsible for the deaths of more than twenty MILLION people! How can these things be kept secret? How can I be so ignorant?
Between Shades of Gray tells the fictional story of Lina, a fifteen year old Lithuanian girl. One night, the Soviets invade her home and throw her family into a crowded train car. After a long journey, they are forced into slave labor at camps throughout Siberia. For twelve years, Lina remains a slave in the hands of the Soviets, living in miserable, horrific conditions and suffering innumerable hardships. Despite the darkness and death all around her, Lina finds a way to survive through her writings and drawings, which give her hope and a reason to continue living.
One of the big reasons that I enjoyed this novel was the way that it opened my eyes to a part of history that I did not know. It was also well written with characters that I cared about. The writing is not fancy and fairly straightforward, and it seems appropriate for its young adult audience. I really enjoyed getting to know Lina, as well as her mother, brother, friend Andrius and others in her camp. I even came to care for the grumpy bald man who was obnoxiously causing trouble through most of the book.
The ending was abrupt, which frustrated me at first. I wanted to know exactly what happened to everyone, and not all of those details were provided. However, after more thinking, I decided that this is not the type of book where every loose end needs to be tied. I think a fairy tale type ending like that would distract from the point of the book, which is to bring light to a horrible, horrible, horrible genocide that happened to millions of real people. And the truth is that it didn't end well for most of those people.
This book made me feel sad. It made me feel guilty and angry. But it also made me feel hopeful. There is something inspiring about these people who had the will to live and survive even in the worst possible conditions. I'm not sure that I would be able to do the same. I especially admired Lina's mother for her determination to make the best of everything for her children's sake. As a parent, I couldn't help but imagine what I would do in the same circumstances. It was terrifying for me to read this book under that lens!!
To summarize this long review, I would say: Read this book. It's important and worth your time.
Show More
on interviews with survivors. If I could describe Between Shades of Gray in one word, it would be: eye-opening.After reading this book, I'm a little embarrassed to admit my ignorance on this subject. I'm not sure if it was due to me not paying attention in history class or me never being taught about it. Obviously, I knew about Stalin and knew that bad things happened during his regime. But I knew nothing about people from Lithuania, Finland, Latvia and other places being deported and sent to camps in Siberia on his command. I had no idea that those people were enslaved in labor camps for as long as fifteen years. I had no idea that those countries lost nearly one third of their population during this genocide. I had no idea that Stalin is believed to be responsible for the deaths of more than twenty MILLION people! How can these things be kept secret? How can I be so ignorant?
Between Shades of Gray tells the fictional story of Lina, a fifteen year old Lithuanian girl. One night, the Soviets invade her home and throw her family into a crowded train car. After a long journey, they are forced into slave labor at camps throughout Siberia. For twelve years, Lina remains a slave in the hands of the Soviets, living in miserable, horrific conditions and suffering innumerable hardships. Despite the darkness and death all around her, Lina finds a way to survive through her writings and drawings, which give her hope and a reason to continue living.
One of the big reasons that I enjoyed this novel was the way that it opened my eyes to a part of history that I did not know. It was also well written with characters that I cared about. The writing is not fancy and fairly straightforward, and it seems appropriate for its young adult audience. I really enjoyed getting to know Lina, as well as her mother, brother, friend Andrius and others in her camp. I even came to care for the grumpy bald man who was obnoxiously causing trouble through most of the book.
The ending was abrupt, which frustrated me at first. I wanted to know exactly what happened to everyone, and not all of those details were provided. However, after more thinking, I decided that this is not the type of book where every loose end needs to be tied. I think a fairy tale type ending like that would distract from the point of the book, which is to bring light to a horrible, horrible, horrible genocide that happened to millions of real people. And the truth is that it didn't end well for most of those people.
This book made me feel sad. It made me feel guilty and angry. But it also made me feel hopeful. There is something inspiring about these people who had the will to live and survive even in the worst possible conditions. I'm not sure that I would be able to do the same. I especially admired Lina's mother for her determination to make the best of everything for her children's sake. As a parent, I couldn't help but imagine what I would do in the same circumstances. It was terrifying for me to read this book under that lens!!
To summarize this long review, I would say: Read this book. It's important and worth your time.
Show Less
LibraryThing member sensitivemuse
What I liked the most about this book is although it focuses on World War II, it’s from a different perspective than what most readers are used to when reading something from this particular era in history. I think that although learning and reading about the Holocaust is important, let’s not
This book has the most beautiful writing I have ever read so far. It’s beautiful, yet at the same time, it’s sad and the sense of loneliness, isolation, and helplessness is felt all throughout the book. It certainly does feel as if Lina and all the rest of the prisoners have indeed been forgotten by the world - considering they’re placed in a camp in literally what looks to be in the middle of nowhere. What’s ironic is they’re labeled as thieves and prostitutes, and some of the prisoners have actually become that way as a means of survival. Lina and her mother are major beacons of hope throughout the story and it’s through their unbelievable strength that they attempt to survive through this ordeal.
What I also liked about the book is the several flashbacks Lina has, to contrast between how she lived before she gets taken and arrested. They almost seem trivial compared to what she goes through in the camp. When Lina finds love in the camp, it’s what propels her to survive through this moment in her life. I thought Lina’s relationship with Andrius was the main reason why she kept hanging on. Although she had plenty of courage to show, she needed something else to cling on so she won’t lose hope.
It’s a bleak story, and gets worse later as the book progresses. The writing in this novel is excellent and makes the reader feel what Lina feels, the detail in the setting and atmosphere is well done and also adds to the feeling of the book. It’s not until literally, the last few pages of the book where Lina’s outcome is revealed, and leaves the reader with the feeling of hope, however with a melancholy feeling to it as well.
One of the best books I’ve read so far this year, I greatly recommend reading this. The writing is beautiful, and the story although tragic, focuses on Lina’s strength to survive and shows how courageous and hopeful one can be while enduring awful horrible events such as the one Lina went through herself.It’s definitely not a subject for everyone to read, however it’s not one to forget either.
Show More
forget other tragic incidents that also happened during this time frame as those victims should not be forgotten as well. Personally, I have not found many fictional accounts concerning this time frame (and geared towards younger readers) and I am hoping Between Shades of Gray will be the one that will open the doors to a lot of readers on this particular subject. For one thing, it’s good to know and good to let others be aware of this moment in history. Also, it’s good because it sets the stage for other writers to write about this subject. This book has the most beautiful writing I have ever read so far. It’s beautiful, yet at the same time, it’s sad and the sense of loneliness, isolation, and helplessness is felt all throughout the book. It certainly does feel as if Lina and all the rest of the prisoners have indeed been forgotten by the world - considering they’re placed in a camp in literally what looks to be in the middle of nowhere. What’s ironic is they’re labeled as thieves and prostitutes, and some of the prisoners have actually become that way as a means of survival. Lina and her mother are major beacons of hope throughout the story and it’s through their unbelievable strength that they attempt to survive through this ordeal.
What I also liked about the book is the several flashbacks Lina has, to contrast between how she lived before she gets taken and arrested. They almost seem trivial compared to what she goes through in the camp. When Lina finds love in the camp, it’s what propels her to survive through this moment in her life. I thought Lina’s relationship with Andrius was the main reason why she kept hanging on. Although she had plenty of courage to show, she needed something else to cling on so she won’t lose hope.
It’s a bleak story, and gets worse later as the book progresses. The writing in this novel is excellent and makes the reader feel what Lina feels, the detail in the setting and atmosphere is well done and also adds to the feeling of the book. It’s not until literally, the last few pages of the book where Lina’s outcome is revealed, and leaves the reader with the feeling of hope, however with a melancholy feeling to it as well.
One of the best books I’ve read so far this year, I greatly recommend reading this. The writing is beautiful, and the story although tragic, focuses on Lina’s strength to survive and shows how courageous and hopeful one can be while enduring awful horrible events such as the one Lina went through herself.It’s definitely not a subject for everyone to read, however it’s not one to forget either.
Show Less
LibraryThing member arthistorychick
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
Source: Purchase
Rating: 5/5 stars
I am not ashamed to say I often purchase a book based solely on its cover or title and this read was once such purchase. Little did I know that between the pretty covers is a strong, emotional, and compelling story that is a
The night Lina, her mother and younger brother are taken from their home by Russian soldiers - on Stalin’s orders - is a night the young girl will never forget. Sadly, despite how awful this night is, it is the last night for many, many long years that Lina will know a sense of safety and security. Lina and her family are only three of many who are being rounded up and loaded into cattle cars where they are soon to discover they are being deported to Siberia. Their crime is much the same as the Jews, they existed. The initial ride is long and brutal with people being packed into the cattle cars like sardines. Within a few short weeks hunger is rampant, the stench from both human waste and the dead is unbearable, and most among the living are covered head to toe with lice. All the more horrifying is the treatment given to the deportees by the soldiers, men who clearly hate those they do not know and care not for anyone’s comfort but their own. While you would never expect there to be any moments of happiness or kindness during such horrific times, there are in fact a few. Lina’s mother is kind and generous and often encourages both her children and the others gathered with them to act similarly. She encourages all to come together and help one another as best they can. And, she leads by example, sharing the limited food they are given with those who need it most, sharing her warmth (literally and emotionally) with all who will accept it, and often putting herself in harm’s way in order to protect another. While Lina is often frustrated by her mother’s behavior and tells her they must fight back Lina ultimately learns her mother’s kindness and generosity are the means by which she fights back.
No matter the circumstances, their location, or their treatment, Lina never gives up hope that she and her family will survive this horrific ordeal and be reunited with her father. To that extent, anytime they are allowed (read bargain, barter, or bribe) to send a letter, Lina leaves clues as to their whereabouts for her father hidden in her artwork. This is a treacherous and risky course for Lina to take but one she feels is worth the risk. Thankfully Lina is stubborn and single-minded in this pursuit because after a time she and many of the other deportees are once again loaded into cattle cars and then a barge where they are dumped in the middle of Siberia just a few short months before the raging winter arrives.
As if the story, up to this point weren’t bad enough, the time in Siberia is unbelievable. By this time most of the deportees are nothing more than skin and bones, they are malnourished, and most harbor some illness that is just looking for the smallest of opportunities to become worse and claim yet another life. They are weak yet still expected to build large-scale buildings for the soldiers’ comfort and their own shelters with whatever materials they can scavenge and/or steal. Inexplicably, Lina and her group, which still includes her mother and her younger brother, are able to construct a small enclosure that provides only the barest of protection against the harsh Siberian environment. For most, Siberia is the final stop on their life journey.
The Bottom Line: Between Shades of Gray took me completely by surprise with its power and message and though it is a very hard story to read in terms of its subject matter it is also very hard to put down. Without doubt, Between Shades of Gray is driven by its characters and though Lina and her family are fictional characters, they, and all the characters, are based on the accounts of survivors collected by Ruta Sepetys during her research for this novel.
As Sepetys clearly notes the Lithuanians, Estonians, and Latvians were geographically stuck between two enormous evils - Russia and Germany - and both evils wanted them all gone. Like so many others from this tragic period in human history, the names of all those who suffered and died are not known and Sepetys has remained true to this by giving a few of characters descriptions rather than names. The bald man and the man who wound his watch for example; though these characters are not named, they are just as real as Lina and her family.
Then, there are the soldiers, a mindless, faceless group whose deplorable treatment of other human beings brought out a special kind of hatred in me. Whether intentional or not, Sepetys creates characters who are heroic even in their darkest moments as well as characters we can all hope have found their very special place in Hell.
On a more positive note, Sepetys also made sure to include the moments of kindness, love and hope, all of which existed alongside and in spite of the pure evil. Lina finds love that will last her a lifetime, some who never should have survived do because of the care and compassion of others, and those who did not survive met their deaths with honor. It is among these moments that I was reminded of the triumph of the human spirit and the power of the positive to counteract the negative.
Should you choose to pick up Between Shades of Gray, and I highly recommend that you do, I would also suggest reading the author’s note and interview which follow the conclusion of the book. There is a wealth of information to be found there including the primary reason so many of us never knew the story of the Lithuanian, Estonian, and Latvian survivors of WWII.
Source: Purchase
Rating: 5/5 stars
I am not ashamed to say I often purchase a book based solely on its cover or title and this read was once such purchase. Little did I know that between the pretty covers is a strong, emotional, and compelling story that is a
Show More
fictionalized account of historical events and is based on survivor testimony. In Between Shades of Gray, Ruta Sepetys draws the reader into the cold and cruel world of World War II and the Lithuanian (Estonian and Latvian too) deportees whose story is often completely overshadowed by that of the Jews. The night Lina, her mother and younger brother are taken from their home by Russian soldiers - on Stalin’s orders - is a night the young girl will never forget. Sadly, despite how awful this night is, it is the last night for many, many long years that Lina will know a sense of safety and security. Lina and her family are only three of many who are being rounded up and loaded into cattle cars where they are soon to discover they are being deported to Siberia. Their crime is much the same as the Jews, they existed. The initial ride is long and brutal with people being packed into the cattle cars like sardines. Within a few short weeks hunger is rampant, the stench from both human waste and the dead is unbearable, and most among the living are covered head to toe with lice. All the more horrifying is the treatment given to the deportees by the soldiers, men who clearly hate those they do not know and care not for anyone’s comfort but their own. While you would never expect there to be any moments of happiness or kindness during such horrific times, there are in fact a few. Lina’s mother is kind and generous and often encourages both her children and the others gathered with them to act similarly. She encourages all to come together and help one another as best they can. And, she leads by example, sharing the limited food they are given with those who need it most, sharing her warmth (literally and emotionally) with all who will accept it, and often putting herself in harm’s way in order to protect another. While Lina is often frustrated by her mother’s behavior and tells her they must fight back Lina ultimately learns her mother’s kindness and generosity are the means by which she fights back.
No matter the circumstances, their location, or their treatment, Lina never gives up hope that she and her family will survive this horrific ordeal and be reunited with her father. To that extent, anytime they are allowed (read bargain, barter, or bribe) to send a letter, Lina leaves clues as to their whereabouts for her father hidden in her artwork. This is a treacherous and risky course for Lina to take but one she feels is worth the risk. Thankfully Lina is stubborn and single-minded in this pursuit because after a time she and many of the other deportees are once again loaded into cattle cars and then a barge where they are dumped in the middle of Siberia just a few short months before the raging winter arrives.
As if the story, up to this point weren’t bad enough, the time in Siberia is unbelievable. By this time most of the deportees are nothing more than skin and bones, they are malnourished, and most harbor some illness that is just looking for the smallest of opportunities to become worse and claim yet another life. They are weak yet still expected to build large-scale buildings for the soldiers’ comfort and their own shelters with whatever materials they can scavenge and/or steal. Inexplicably, Lina and her group, which still includes her mother and her younger brother, are able to construct a small enclosure that provides only the barest of protection against the harsh Siberian environment. For most, Siberia is the final stop on their life journey.
The Bottom Line: Between Shades of Gray took me completely by surprise with its power and message and though it is a very hard story to read in terms of its subject matter it is also very hard to put down. Without doubt, Between Shades of Gray is driven by its characters and though Lina and her family are fictional characters, they, and all the characters, are based on the accounts of survivors collected by Ruta Sepetys during her research for this novel.
As Sepetys clearly notes the Lithuanians, Estonians, and Latvians were geographically stuck between two enormous evils - Russia and Germany - and both evils wanted them all gone. Like so many others from this tragic period in human history, the names of all those who suffered and died are not known and Sepetys has remained true to this by giving a few of characters descriptions rather than names. The bald man and the man who wound his watch for example; though these characters are not named, they are just as real as Lina and her family.
Then, there are the soldiers, a mindless, faceless group whose deplorable treatment of other human beings brought out a special kind of hatred in me. Whether intentional or not, Sepetys creates characters who are heroic even in their darkest moments as well as characters we can all hope have found their very special place in Hell.
On a more positive note, Sepetys also made sure to include the moments of kindness, love and hope, all of which existed alongside and in spite of the pure evil. Lina finds love that will last her a lifetime, some who never should have survived do because of the care and compassion of others, and those who did not survive met their deaths with honor. It is among these moments that I was reminded of the triumph of the human spirit and the power of the positive to counteract the negative.
Should you choose to pick up Between Shades of Gray, and I highly recommend that you do, I would also suggest reading the author’s note and interview which follow the conclusion of the book. There is a wealth of information to be found there including the primary reason so many of us never knew the story of the Lithuanian, Estonian, and Latvian survivors of WWII.
Show Less
LibraryThing member IceyBooks
When I flipped over the last page of Between Shades of Gray, all I could say was "WOW".
Everything about Ruta Sepetys's YA debut was heartwrenching and, at the same time, beautiful. There were times when I would smile, but tears would threaten to spill at the same moment.
Throughout the story, I
The people from the small countries of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and other countries suffered almost the same way. Sure, they weren't gassed and thrown in concentration camps for the whole world to know. But that's what made it so horrible. The whole world didn't know.
I don't usually re-read books, but so many things happened in Between Shades of Gray that I want to relive to remind myself that the cold winters we face in our warm houses are nothing, compared to what Lina and her people faced. To remind myself that when there isn't enough salt in my lunch, I shouldn't complain.
I recommend Between Shades of Gray to anyone who has read Anne Frank's diary and felt something for her. And if you haven't read her diary, you should still pick this book up.
The efforts Ruta Sepetys put in for researching and compiling such a powerful historical fiction debut have not gone in vain. Pick up a copy of Between Shades of Gray when it debuts in March and relive the events of Stalin's Reign of Terror through a whole new perspective - the eyes of fifteen year old Lina Vilkas.
To me, the cover suggests the heart-wrenching sorrow to follow. It's beautiful, sad, and suggests hope at the same time!
Everything about Ruta Sepetys's YA debut was heartwrenching and, at the same time, beautiful. There were times when I would smile, but tears would threaten to spill at the same moment.
Throughout the story, I
Show More
kept thinking back to Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl. But Between Shades of Gray stands out. The story of Anne Frank and all the hundreds of thousands of Jews prosecuted during the Nazi regime is well-known throughout history. The people from the small countries of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and other countries suffered almost the same way. Sure, they weren't gassed and thrown in concentration camps for the whole world to know. But that's what made it so horrible. The whole world didn't know.
I don't usually re-read books, but so many things happened in Between Shades of Gray that I want to relive to remind myself that the cold winters we face in our warm houses are nothing, compared to what Lina and her people faced. To remind myself that when there isn't enough salt in my lunch, I shouldn't complain.
I recommend Between Shades of Gray to anyone who has read Anne Frank's diary and felt something for her. And if you haven't read her diary, you should still pick this book up.
The efforts Ruta Sepetys put in for researching and compiling such a powerful historical fiction debut have not gone in vain. Pick up a copy of Between Shades of Gray when it debuts in March and relive the events of Stalin's Reign of Terror through a whole new perspective - the eyes of fifteen year old Lina Vilkas.
To me, the cover suggests the heart-wrenching sorrow to follow. It's beautiful, sad, and suggests hope at the same time!
Show Less
LibraryThing member suballa
This is the heart wrenching story of one family’s deportation from Lithuania to Siberia by the Soviet secret police during World War II.
Lina Vilkas is just 15 years old when the secret police burst into her Lithuanian home and take her, her mother, and younger brother Jonas away. Thrust onto a
This is more than a fictionalized account of one family’s suffering at the hands of Josef Stalin. It is a glimpse into the lesser known history of violence and genocide directed at the Lithuanian, Latvian, and Estonian people by the Soviet government during and after World War II. I found this to be a very moving story of family and community, and most of all hope.
Lina Vilkas is just 15 years old when the secret police burst into her Lithuanian home and take her, her mother, and younger brother Jonas away. Thrust onto a
Show More
train meant for carrying livestock, Lina and her family join others from their neighborhood on a harrowing six week long trek to Siberia. Unsure of what has happened to her father but hoping they will be reunited with him soon, Lina and her family concentrate on surviving the horrific conditions they are forced to endure. A gifted artist, Lina uses her drawings to leave clues for her father as to their whereabouts, hoping against hope that he will receive her messages and find his family.This is more than a fictionalized account of one family’s suffering at the hands of Josef Stalin. It is a glimpse into the lesser known history of violence and genocide directed at the Lithuanian, Latvian, and Estonian people by the Soviet government during and after World War II. I found this to be a very moving story of family and community, and most of all hope.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Oryan685
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys delves into a not often written about side of World War II; Stalin's deportation, enslavement, and wholesale genocide of millions of people from the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Sepetys successfully conveys the horror of the times without
As you follow Lina and her family and fellow deportees on their winding journey from prison camp to prison camp spanning an exhausting expanse of the Soviet Union, you grow closer and closer to the main characters, inspired by their hope, love, and rooting for their survival. The language is fluid and lyrical, the characters are well drawn with a very nice usage of flashbacks to sketch out more of their history and lives.
The only thing that keeps this from being a five star book, in my opinion, is a less than satisfying ending. I felt like it was a bit abrupt and left some questions unanswered, but perhaps that is intentional.
Show More
making the narrative too heavy and more importantly conveys the strength and enduring love of those people who suffered the most under Stalin's reign of terror.As you follow Lina and her family and fellow deportees on their winding journey from prison camp to prison camp spanning an exhausting expanse of the Soviet Union, you grow closer and closer to the main characters, inspired by their hope, love, and rooting for their survival. The language is fluid and lyrical, the characters are well drawn with a very nice usage of flashbacks to sketch out more of their history and lives.
The only thing that keeps this from being a five star book, in my opinion, is a less than satisfying ending. I felt like it was a bit abrupt and left some questions unanswered, but perhaps that is intentional.
Show Less
LibraryThing member librarian_k
What a beautiful, haunting, heart-wrenching story. Sepetys delves into the much-overlooked plight of Lithuanians stolen from their homes by Stalin in World War II. Told from the first-person point of view of teenage Lina, we see the enslavement and genocide of an entire people, from a girl who
This is a beautifully told story, and it is very moving. It's written in short bursts, like diary entries, as Lina sits down to write her tale when she gets a moment. In these brief snapshots we see the heart and heartbreak of a girl, and of entire nations.
Highly recommended for all ages.
Show More
somehow still has the flame in her to march on and live. This is a beautifully told story, and it is very moving. It's written in short bursts, like diary entries, as Lina sits down to write her tale when she gets a moment. In these brief snapshots we see the heart and heartbreak of a girl, and of entire nations.
Highly recommended for all ages.
Show Less
LibraryThing member ALoyacano
As a teacher, I am often asked by students about recommendations regarding books to read. The subject that I have found most students are interested in is the Holocaust and WWII. My go to recommendation has been The Book Thief since its publication in 2006. I am ecstatic to have an additional
The perspective is one that students (and most adults) are not familiar with; however, the voice used by the author makes this a story that goes beyond a single time period and into your own heart. It is impossible to not feel for these characters and become invested in their survival.
While the writing is beautiful it is not hard to follow. This book would be a great choice for any student 6-12, but I would not limit it as a young adult novel. I was riveted and am sure that other adults would find it equally worthy of a long weekend spent with a book.
Show More
recommendation with Between Shades of Gray. While it is told from the perspective of a young girl it would also be suitable for young men.The perspective is one that students (and most adults) are not familiar with; however, the voice used by the author makes this a story that goes beyond a single time period and into your own heart. It is impossible to not feel for these characters and become invested in their survival.
While the writing is beautiful it is not hard to follow. This book would be a great choice for any student 6-12, but I would not limit it as a young adult novel. I was riveted and am sure that other adults would find it equally worthy of a long weekend spent with a book.
Show Less
LibraryThing member clivend
In her debut novel, Ruta Sepetys takes us through the horrifying experinces Lithuanians faced during World War II. The beginning of this book immediately caputues your interest from the first page, and continues on a fast pace track throughout. Lina's story of her family's capture and deportation
Show More
from Lithuania during Stalin's reign in the 1940's brings to light the tribulations and horrors they went through while maintaining the will to survive and kindness towards others. This book was beautifully written and I liked the use of flashbacks interspersed through the chapters that Lina recalls from her carefree life before that fateful night in June. It was a hearbreaking read from an often overlooked perspecitive, and I will absolutely recommend this to our teens when it's released. Show Less
LibraryThing member lilibrarian
Based on her family's history and interviews with survivors, Sepetys tells the little-known story of Stalin's forced relocation of people from the Baltic States (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland) to Siberian work camps where they are systematically starved and worked to death. Lina, her
Show More
brother Jonas and their mother are fictional characters, but the setting is real and compelling. Show Less
LibraryThing member lisagibson
Once I started this book, I literally could not put it down. The harrowing story of survival that Lina and her family endure was amazing. My son was taught about Stalin's massacres in school. To be honest, it was so long ago for me, I don't remember whether our history class included that info or
This book was lovely even in the moments it was horrifying. My heart broke for Lina and her family. But even in profound sadness there were small celebrations and hope for the future. This book took me through despair and brought me back out the other side. It ranks up there as one of the better books I've read in 2010. And while it's fiction it's based in facts that everyone should know and never forget. Ms. Sepetys did extensive research and it's obvious. Her book is beautiful and will live inside you long after you've closed it's cover. This one gets five kisses from me!
Show More
not. This book was lovely even in the moments it was horrifying. My heart broke for Lina and her family. But even in profound sadness there were small celebrations and hope for the future. This book took me through despair and brought me back out the other side. It ranks up there as one of the better books I've read in 2010. And while it's fiction it's based in facts that everyone should know and never forget. Ms. Sepetys did extensive research and it's obvious. Her book is beautiful and will live inside you long after you've closed it's cover. This one gets five kisses from me!
Show Less
LibraryThing member LibraryBlondie
I received this book as an ARC via LibraryThing Early Reviewers. It's release date is set for March 22 (2011).
The book is set 1941 (and beyond) and is about a 15-year-old Lithuanian girl who's family is deported by Stalin's regime when the USSR annexes Lithuania. Lina's father is imprisoned (the
This sounds a little like Hitler's Nazi regime and their treatment of European Jews, right? Except wasn't Stalin a U.S. ally during WWII. One of the "Big Three"? Didn't we *fight* this kind of brutality? Apparently not all of it. In the Author's Note at the end of the book we learn that Stalin killed more than 20 million people during his reign, and that those Lithuanians (and Latvians, Estonians and Finns) who survived their deportations spent 10-15 *years* in Siberia. When they eventually returned, they found their homes and even sometimes their identities occupied by Russians. They were treated like criminals, kept under surveillance and threatened with immediate deportation (again) if they spoke of what they had endured.
There are a couple of things about the book that kept it from being five stars for me. One was the flashbacks to Lina's past. I felt that they added a lot to the story, but might have preferred that they were written more as Lina remembering the past rather than actually flashing back to it. I felt that the abrupt switch in time took me out of the story just a bit. The flashbacks were, however, clearly delineated, so others may not find them disruptive. I also found myself wishing that the story had ended less abruptly. Considering the amount of time Lina spends as a deportee (something we know from foreshadowing near the beginning), I understand Sepetys choosing not chronicle the whole experience in the interest of length and focus. Still, I felt that Lina's story ended rather abruptly. Nonetheless, the epilogue wraps things up very well.
Overall, this is a very good book and a story that I, for one, had never heard before. It's well written and should appeal to teens. It even has just a bit of romance that is realistic enough that it adds to the story and does't feel at all artificial or forced. I definitely plan to recommend it to teens in my library and offer my ARC to my teen book group.
The book is set 1941 (and beyond) and is about a 15-year-old Lithuanian girl who's family is deported by Stalin's regime when the USSR annexes Lithuania. Lina's father is imprisoned (the
Show More
family gets snippets of news about him) and Lina, her mother and her younger brother are forced from their home, crammed into a train car with dozens of other prisoners and taken to a "work camp" where they are forced to live in subhuman conditions and do hard labor in beet fields. They are barely given shelter and are forced to live off of 300 grams of bread a day. A piece small enough that Lina says she can nearly close her hand around it. If a prisoner is too sick to work, they get nothing. The family is eventually moved to a "camp" within the Arctic Circle and given even fewer provisions. This sounds a little like Hitler's Nazi regime and their treatment of European Jews, right? Except wasn't Stalin a U.S. ally during WWII. One of the "Big Three"? Didn't we *fight* this kind of brutality? Apparently not all of it. In the Author's Note at the end of the book we learn that Stalin killed more than 20 million people during his reign, and that those Lithuanians (and Latvians, Estonians and Finns) who survived their deportations spent 10-15 *years* in Siberia. When they eventually returned, they found their homes and even sometimes their identities occupied by Russians. They were treated like criminals, kept under surveillance and threatened with immediate deportation (again) if they spoke of what they had endured.
There are a couple of things about the book that kept it from being five stars for me. One was the flashbacks to Lina's past. I felt that they added a lot to the story, but might have preferred that they were written more as Lina remembering the past rather than actually flashing back to it. I felt that the abrupt switch in time took me out of the story just a bit. The flashbacks were, however, clearly delineated, so others may not find them disruptive. I also found myself wishing that the story had ended less abruptly. Considering the amount of time Lina spends as a deportee (something we know from foreshadowing near the beginning), I understand Sepetys choosing not chronicle the whole experience in the interest of length and focus. Still, I felt that Lina's story ended rather abruptly. Nonetheless, the epilogue wraps things up very well.
Overall, this is a very good book and a story that I, for one, had never heard before. It's well written and should appeal to teens. It even has just a bit of romance that is realistic enough that it adds to the story and does't feel at all artificial or forced. I definitely plan to recommend it to teens in my library and offer my ARC to my teen book group.
Show Less
LibraryThing member greenbreak
Based on true events, Between shades of gray is an incredible and intense survival tale covering the turning of circumstances of a Lithuanian family during the early 1940's, as Stalin moved to eradicate a huge number of Lithuanian citizens. Ruta, herself, being the daughter of a Lithuania refugee,
This knowledge makes the reading of this story all the more chilling and utterly compelling.
It is an incredible read as we follow the epic journey of Lina, 16yrs, her younger brother Jonas and their strong and courageous mother, as they are forced to leave a comfortable lifestyle in a warm, up-market apartment in Lithuanian. How can anyone wisely choose the right set of belongings to pack, when in the middle of the night an intimidating group of Stalin thugs gives them only twenty minutes to decide? Such quick and imperative choices have lasting effects on their absolute survival as the family are pushed into a long captivity. An unimaginable imprisonment, dragging them into some of harshest environments in Europe at that time.
It is little wonder that Ruta wishes to finally give so many of these victims a voice, in Lina, and it is incredible that it has taken so long for the world to be presented with such an accessible, readable and straightforward account of what Stalin put the Lithuanians through. It's readability succeeds as Ruta has very successfully combined a simplistic and factual writing style to describe such horrific events.
There are bright spots in this tale woven through Lina's eyes, as her love of drawing and writing provides her with an important creative outlet, which builds a convincing documentation of her tale.
Although ultimately this is not a feel good book, it is a truly riveting read. So much comes into play. How much can a human survive whilst struggling in the freezing Siberian climate and how important is the role of luck, in terms of your health holding up at the right time in the wrong place?
Show More
knew of the horrors inflicted by Stalin at that time but until this book, very little of these events is widely known. This knowledge makes the reading of this story all the more chilling and utterly compelling.
It is an incredible read as we follow the epic journey of Lina, 16yrs, her younger brother Jonas and their strong and courageous mother, as they are forced to leave a comfortable lifestyle in a warm, up-market apartment in Lithuanian. How can anyone wisely choose the right set of belongings to pack, when in the middle of the night an intimidating group of Stalin thugs gives them only twenty minutes to decide? Such quick and imperative choices have lasting effects on their absolute survival as the family are pushed into a long captivity. An unimaginable imprisonment, dragging them into some of harshest environments in Europe at that time.
It is little wonder that Ruta wishes to finally give so many of these victims a voice, in Lina, and it is incredible that it has taken so long for the world to be presented with such an accessible, readable and straightforward account of what Stalin put the Lithuanians through. It's readability succeeds as Ruta has very successfully combined a simplistic and factual writing style to describe such horrific events.
There are bright spots in this tale woven through Lina's eyes, as her love of drawing and writing provides her with an important creative outlet, which builds a convincing documentation of her tale.
Although ultimately this is not a feel good book, it is a truly riveting read. So much comes into play. How much can a human survive whilst struggling in the freezing Siberian climate and how important is the role of luck, in terms of your health holding up at the right time in the wrong place?
Show Less
LibraryThing member dasuzuki
It's been a long time since a book has touched me as much as this one has. I stayed up late to finish it and even though I was so tired I could not fall asleep for awhile because I could not stop thinking about the story. The story was haunting and heartbreaking.
I have read The Diary of Anne Frank
The story is told from the point of view of Lina and the passages alternate between what is happening to her in the present and happier memories from her past. Through her observations we see how different people reacted to their circumstances. Some were defeated and gave up all hope where as others were determined to survive whatever the Soviets did to them. The circumstances brought out such acts of depravity and at the same time unbelievable depths of kindness from unexpected sources that you have to wonder how would you react in their positions.
If you have never read about the re-locations that Stalin ordered of the native people of countries like Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and other countries that the Soviet Union annexed then you have to read this book. The writing was entrancing and will keep you glued to the book until the very end. It's really hard to put into words just how amazing this book is but I highly recommend it to everyone.
I have read The Diary of Anne Frank
Show More
several times and in fact just re-read it this year and I'm sure that is one of the most well known accounts from a victim of the Holocaust and really helped put a face on the victims. I felt like this book did the same for me about the victims of Stalin's deportations. This topic was something that I studied when I took Russian in high school and Russian History in college but I did not truly feel the horrors these people went through during Stalin's reign. It's made all the worse when you read that Sepetys based some of the events in the book from stories that actual survivors recounted to her. The story is told from the point of view of Lina and the passages alternate between what is happening to her in the present and happier memories from her past. Through her observations we see how different people reacted to their circumstances. Some were defeated and gave up all hope where as others were determined to survive whatever the Soviets did to them. The circumstances brought out such acts of depravity and at the same time unbelievable depths of kindness from unexpected sources that you have to wonder how would you react in their positions.
If you have never read about the re-locations that Stalin ordered of the native people of countries like Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and other countries that the Soviet Union annexed then you have to read this book. The writing was entrancing and will keep you glued to the book until the very end. It's really hard to put into words just how amazing this book is but I highly recommend it to everyone.
Show Less
LibraryThing member rkepulis
Based on interviews, etc. with the Baltic States survivors of the invasion by the Soviet Union during WWII, this novel is a harrowing account of their experiences. Although written with Young Readers in mind, this is a must-read for everyone, young and old alike. This seldom told tragedy is brought
Show More
to light in dozens of vivid ways that the reader will never forget. Considering what's going on in the world today, and what has seemingly always been happening, this is a reminder of the evil that every human being is capable of. Show Less
LibraryThing member SPutman
This debut novel gives us a glimpse into a little-known aspect of WWII -- the violent Russian relocation of countless Lithuanians in 1939. The main character, Lina, who is 16, is deported to a forced-labor camp in Siberia. Conditions are horrible, but her one hope is that her father, who was
Show More
arrested by the Soviet secret police, will follow her trail of drawings and rescue her, her mother and her younger brother. Her artwork helps her retain not only her identity but also her dignity and her sense of hope for the future. It is wonderfully written book, and I encourage you to watch the author's video, too. Go to the book's page on Amazon, where you can find a link to the 12-minute documentary about the making of this superb book. Show Less
LibraryThing member bibliophile.brouhaha
Here's the thing. . . even before reading this book, I knew that Stalin was responsible for the murder of some twenty-million people. 20,000,000! How does one even comprehend such a number? I clearly remember thinking in high school, "How? What deaths? Does this have something to do with the
And, of course, there were no stories, no actual, personal memoirs to tell me differently. No versions of Schindler's List or Elie Wiesel's Night existed about the plight of these European nations, ones which we in the United Stated don't know nearly as much about as we do France, Spain, Germany and Italy. Twenty million was just a statistic to me - a wholly regrettable, but forgettable, number, because there was no narrative. Until now.
Between Shades of Gray is beautiful book about human endurance and the will to survive. Lina, her younger brother, Jonas, and her beautiful, courageous, hopeful, and selfless mother, Elena, are one of the most wonderful families that I've read about in so, so long, and it's due to this that they were able to cope as they did. Lina's coming-of-age into young adulthood is wretchedly overshadowed by the need to survive. Her thriving talent becomes her lifeline, her tool that keeps her going because people must know what happened. The descriptions are well-detailed and harrowing. Sepetys' writing is simple and lets the plain, but evil reality of Lina's situation shine through. The documented difference between 'before' and 'after' are particularly well done. It's woven throughout the story, and not only are we sadly treated to glimpses of Lina's life before she was taken, but the political climate is illustrated, as well. The wonderful lyrical quality in the story's tone contrasts with the ugliness that surrounds Lina. There is no need to embellish what happens in this book - the facts stand clear on their own. It's amazing how simple prose can lovingly and horrifically convey both the desperate circumstances Lina faces and the character of the various and varied people in this book.
Between Shades of Gray is a completely appropriate name for this book, as it not only names the color palette Lina has to work with, but also the spectrum of moral choices that everyone has to make in it. It's a very excellent example of how different people will do different things given the same set of circumstances, about how you can't always assume there is a clear-cut 'right' choice. Variables are important and can sway a person one way or another. . . The characters in this book are no exception. However, acts of humanity sometimes do creep up when they are needed most. There is community between these pages, and between the most unlikely of characters.
I have a lot of experience with Holocaust literature, and while Between Shades of Gray isn't a part of that specific group, it is a contemporary of it. Many of the things that happen in this book are similar to things that have happened in pieces of Holocaust literature and will provoke similar reactions from you. What makes this book special is that it is among the first, perhaps the first, to shed light on a very little known chapter in history. You won't regret reading Lina's story, and by doing so, you will help give voice to those formerly silenced. I highly recommend it.
Show More
Holocaust?" Somehow, after the Victorian period and Russian Revolution, but before WWII, the USSR just appeared. It just happened. I can't make sense of how I did this (and I loved history class), but I think I somehow just attributed all those deaths to the Holocaust because they seemed to happen at the same time, but I couldn't figure out exactly where they fit in and why.And, of course, there were no stories, no actual, personal memoirs to tell me differently. No versions of Schindler's List or Elie Wiesel's Night existed about the plight of these European nations, ones which we in the United Stated don't know nearly as much about as we do France, Spain, Germany and Italy. Twenty million was just a statistic to me - a wholly regrettable, but forgettable, number, because there was no narrative. Until now.
Between Shades of Gray is beautiful book about human endurance and the will to survive. Lina, her younger brother, Jonas, and her beautiful, courageous, hopeful, and selfless mother, Elena, are one of the most wonderful families that I've read about in so, so long, and it's due to this that they were able to cope as they did. Lina's coming-of-age into young adulthood is wretchedly overshadowed by the need to survive. Her thriving talent becomes her lifeline, her tool that keeps her going because people must know what happened. The descriptions are well-detailed and harrowing. Sepetys' writing is simple and lets the plain, but evil reality of Lina's situation shine through. The documented difference between 'before' and 'after' are particularly well done. It's woven throughout the story, and not only are we sadly treated to glimpses of Lina's life before she was taken, but the political climate is illustrated, as well. The wonderful lyrical quality in the story's tone contrasts with the ugliness that surrounds Lina. There is no need to embellish what happens in this book - the facts stand clear on their own. It's amazing how simple prose can lovingly and horrifically convey both the desperate circumstances Lina faces and the character of the various and varied people in this book.
Between Shades of Gray is a completely appropriate name for this book, as it not only names the color palette Lina has to work with, but also the spectrum of moral choices that everyone has to make in it. It's a very excellent example of how different people will do different things given the same set of circumstances, about how you can't always assume there is a clear-cut 'right' choice. Variables are important and can sway a person one way or another. . . The characters in this book are no exception. However, acts of humanity sometimes do creep up when they are needed most. There is community between these pages, and between the most unlikely of characters.
I have a lot of experience with Holocaust literature, and while Between Shades of Gray isn't a part of that specific group, it is a contemporary of it. Many of the things that happen in this book are similar to things that have happened in pieces of Holocaust literature and will provoke similar reactions from you. What makes this book special is that it is among the first, perhaps the first, to shed light on a very little known chapter in history. You won't regret reading Lina's story, and by doing so, you will help give voice to those formerly silenced. I highly recommend it.
Show Less
LibraryThing member bookaholicmom
When I started to read the outstanding reviews for this book I knew I had to read it. This was a part of history I had never heard of. Stalin had anyone who he thought was anti-communist deported and hauled off to Siberia where they endured some horrible conditions. Some of those deported were
"Have you ever wondered what a human life is worth? That morning, my brother's was worth a pocket watch." pg.27
When I read that I couldn't stop the tears. To think this went on and the world had no clue it was happening was just shocking to me. Why hadn't I been taught about this in school? I would like to thank Ruta Sepetys for opening our eyes and our hearts to this story. The story is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. If you read only one book this year, let it be this book. It is an emotional but an important read. This is a book that will stick with me forever.
Show More
lawyers, teachers, bankers..just every day people living their lives. The story is told by Lina, a 15 year old Lithuanian girl. The year is 1941 when the NKVD or Secret Police stormed into Lina's childhood home and rounded up Lina Vilkas, her brother Jonas, and her mother Elena. Her father was feared to have been arrested and taken to prison. They were led away in cattle cars and taken to a prison camp. Conditions there were extremely harsh. Eventually they are taken to basically a piece of land north of the Arctic Circle where conditions were unfit for animals let alone humans. The group of captives had to band together and become family to survive. Lina, being an artist kept track of their captivity by drawing pictures. I could feel Lina's hope throughout the story and found myself amazed at her will to survive. I'm not sure I could be as strong or as brave as she. The book is beautifully written. The subject matter can be uncomfortable at times but I think it is an important part of history that must be told. At one point the family is almost separated and Lina's brother is bought back by giving up a family pocket watch."Have you ever wondered what a human life is worth? That morning, my brother's was worth a pocket watch." pg.27
When I read that I couldn't stop the tears. To think this went on and the world had no clue it was happening was just shocking to me. Why hadn't I been taught about this in school? I would like to thank Ruta Sepetys for opening our eyes and our hearts to this story. The story is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. If you read only one book this year, let it be this book. It is an emotional but an important read. This is a book that will stick with me forever.
Show Less
Awards
Nebraska Golden Sower Award (Honor — 2014)
Soaring Eagle Book Award (Nominee — 2015)
Young Hoosier Book Award (Nominee — Middle Grade — 2014)
Sequoyah Book Award (Nominee — High School — 2014)
Utah Beehive Book Award (Nominee — Young Adult — 2013)
Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award (Nominee — 2014)
Kentucky Bluegrass Award (Nominee — Grades 9-12 — 2013)
Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Reader's Choice Award (Nominee — Intermediate — 2014)
Great Lakes Great Books Award (Honor Book — 2013)
Iowa Teen Award (Nominee — 2014)
Golden Kite Award (Winner — Fiction — 2012)
Gateway Readers Award (Nominee — 2014)
Indies Choice Book Award (Winner — Young Adult — 2012)
Oregon Reader's Choice Award (Nominee — 2014)
Lincoln Award: Illinois Teen Readers' Choice Award (Nominee — 2016)
Grand Canyon Reader Award (Nominee — Teen — 2013)
Arkansas Teen Book Award (Honor Book — 2013)
Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing (Nominee — 2012)
Colorado Blue Spruce Award (Nominee — 2015)
SCBWI Crystal Kite Award (2012)
The Flume: NH Teen Reader's Choice Award (Nominee — 2013)
NCSLMA Battle of the Books (Middle School — 2019)
Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award (Finalist — Finalist — 2012)
Virginia Readers' Choice (Nominee — High School — 2014)
Golden Archer Award (Nominee — 2016)
Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (Nominee — High School — 2013)
Milwaukee County Teen Book Award (Nominee — 2012)
William C. Morris YA Debut Award (Finalist — 2012)
Volunteer State Book Award (Nominee — High School — 2014)
The White Ravens (2012)
Evergreen Teen Book Award (Nominee — 2014)
Maud Hart Lovelace Award (2nd Place — 2014)
Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers (Honor Book — 2013)
Rhode Island Teen Book Award (Nominee — 2013)
North Star YA Award (Nominee — 2023)
Prix des libraires du Québec (2012)
Prix des Incorruptibles (Winner — 2014)
Historical Novel Society Editors' Choice (Children/Young Adult)
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Top Ten — 2012)
CCBC Choices (2012)
Notable Children's Book (2012)
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best: Teens (Fiction — 2011)
Texas Lone Star Reading List (2012)
OYAN Book Rave (2012)
Name That Book List (High School — 2023)
Call number
YA A Sep