If you’re looking for a book that depicts the horrors and hopes of World War II through a captivating and shocking perspective, then Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys may be a perfect fit for you. This story tells the struggles of four victims and/or perpetrators from the Second World War that aren’t commonly talked about. A nurse from Lithuania (Joana), a conscientious objector from Prussia (Florian), a young girl from Poland (Emilia), and a Nazi (Alfred) are all riveting and complex characters on their own but nonetheless are united through a military transport ship named the Wilhelm Gustloff. The book is told from the viewpoints of each character, and while it may be confusing at first, it may help you to learn and understand even a small fraction of malice that
victims during the World War II-era experienced. Each perspective gives an insight on the dangerous journey people were willing to embark on to reach assumed safety from the war, and are great examples of historical fiction. The individual stories are intertwined in such a subtle way that you can feel the emotion of each person, and the language devices and descriptions used throughout the book made it easy to sympathize with. I would recommend this book for mature readers as it has graphic violence, but overall it is written in an intriguing style that makes it hard to put down.
Side Note: Ruta Sepetys wrote “Between Shades of Gray” before this book, and it tells the story of Joana’s cousin, Lina; I read Salt to the Sea first, but you can read in whatever order you want as it won’t affect/spoil much of the storyline.