Title: Salt to the Sea

Author: Ruta Sepetys

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Philomel Books

Format: Hardback   

Pages: 393

Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis (Goodreads):

World War II is drawing to a close in East Prussia and thousands of refugees are on a desperate trek toward freedom, many with something to hide. Among them are Joana, Emilia, and Florian, whose paths converge en route to the ship that promises salvation, the “Wilhelm Gustloff.” Forced by circumstance to unite, the three find their strength, courage, and trust in each other tested with each step closer to safety. Just when it seems freedom is within their grasp, tragedy strikes. Not country, nor culture, nor status matter as all ten thousand people adults and children alike aboard must fight for the same thing: survival.

Review:

I absolutely loved this book! It brought out all the feels.

The book follows 4 people during WW2 and their journey to the boat, the Wilhelm Gustloff. This ship is going to take them to safety…or so they think.

I loved all the characters in this book. They each represented something different, yet important. Many different people were fleeing the advancement of the Russian army and they were torn between two enemies- Stalin and Hitler. Especially for Emilia, who was a polish girl who couldn’t decide which enemy was worse. I think she was my favourite character, although Joana comes in a close second. Emilia is a young girl who had to grow up way too fast because of the war. Joana is a nurse who wants to help people, but she can’t shake off the ghosts of her past. She wants to know if her family is safe in Lithuania, but as she has no way of knowing, she must carry on and continue to use her medical expertise.

The story tells the tale of hard work, heartbreak, and loss. There are so many disastrous tales from the Second World War that it’s hard to keep track of all of them, but this story is important as it connects to so many different people and their experiences of the war. I highly recommend this book for those who love historical fiction, and for those who want to read about people’s experiences during a nasty war.

Happy reading!