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Title

Between Shades of Gray

Ruta Sepetys

Review

I have read many books regarding the Nazi Holocaust, as I am sure many others have, but this novel is my first encounter with the history of Lithuanian refugees. In 1939, Russia invaded the countries of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.  This resulted in these countries disappearing from the world maps in 1941 and not reappearing until 1991 when their freedom and independence was restored 52 years later! During their occupation, the Soviets made lists of ‘anti-Soviet’ Baltic citizens who would then be murdered, sent to prison, or deported into slavery in Siberia.  The deportations began in 1941 and, despite the end of the war in 1945, many thousands of surviving refugees were kept in Siberia for the next 10 to 15 years.  When they were released, they returned to Soviet occupation of their homeland and were treated as criminals.  The Soviets lived in their homes, ran their businesses and if they tried to tell of the horrors they had suffered, they would be deported to Siberia again.

Between Shades of Gray is the debut novel from Ruta Sepetys that takes place during this horrific time in history. The author’s father was a Lithuania refugee and even though this is a work of fiction, the story is based on fact.  The author made two research trips to Lithuania and lists 5 books she used for research. The book follows 15-year-old Lina, her younger brother, and her mother as they are taken from their home in Lithuania to the shores of the Baltic Sea in Trofimovsk, North Pole.  The protagonist, Lina, is a typical teenager – quick to anger about the injustices they must suffer.  Her mother knows this will only bring more hardships and tries to teach Lina to suffer in quiet and find the things for which they can be grateful.  Each small bread ration, water provided in buckets that they must lap like dogs, the one picture of their father that they escaped with that Lina is able to keep hidden from the Soviets.  So very difficult to be grateful when there is so much wrong, especially for a teenager.

This book is on both the 2014 Intermediate and High School Sequoyah Masterlist’s and is rated for 8th grade and up.  The subject matter is very difficult to read about but also compels one to finish the book. One cannot help but wonder why the book was decided to be marketed as Juvenile Fiction as opposed to Adult Fiction.  This reviewer would be hard pressed to recommend this book for the age group it is intended even though it is very well researched and well written.

Sepetys also has a new novel out in February, 2013 Out of the Easy which is also cataloged as Juvenile Fiction even though it too contains difficult material.  Here is a summary of Out of the Easy: "Daughter of a brothel prostitute; wants more out of her life than her town can offer; caught between dreams of an elite college and the underworld of New Orleans." ~ Anita Hill

Review Date

Reviewed April 2013