Synopsis: Winter 1945. WWII. Four refugees. Four stories.
Each one born of a different homeland; each one hunted, and haunted, by tragedy, lies, war. As thousands desperately flock to the coast in the midst of a Soviet advance, four paths converge, vying for passage aboard the Wilhelm Gustloff, a ship that promises safety and freedom. But not all promises can be kept…
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.
My Review: Wow, just wow. I’m struggling to put into words how incredible this book is.
When I decide what star rating to give a book I enjoyed, I think whether there were any faults or not. As a general whole there is something that brings the book to 4 stars instead of 5. But, with Salt to the Sea I can not find a single fault.
This is definitely one of the most haunting and beautifully heartbreaking books I’ve read. Ruta Sepetys depicted perfectly how unfair and tragic war is on all sides and in all places. At no point did she shy away from the horrors in war.
Each of the characters were so unique and perfectly written. I had particularly liked Joanna (I’m hoping that’s the right spelling as I listened to the audio book instead of reading it) and Florian’s parts. Character wise, the Shoe Poet might be my favourite character. I loved his character and when it turned out he had the same name as my grandfather I nearly started crying as he was exactly how I imagined he would have been. Although he was my favourite I loved them all (expect for Alfred who I felt like murdering every 5 seconds).
To say I wasn’t fighting back tears at the end would be a lie. I don’t think I’ve had a book hit me this deeply in a while.
I really can’t Even if historical fiction isn’t normally your cup of tea, please still give this one a go.
5/5 Stars
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