#harlowreads

[harlowreads]

Salt to the Sea

By Ruta Sepetys 

WWII

Historical fiction

Multiple perspectives

Romance 

Tear-shedding

Found-family 

Setting: Germany and East Prussia 

One of my All-Time-Favourites 

“How foolish to believe we are more powerful than the sea or the sky.”

Book Description: x

My Review: 

As this is the second of only two posts on this blog, both being historical fiction, it’s probably evident that I like historical fiction. Love, historical fiction. 

I remember when I saw this book. I was at Indigo, and browsing the YA section. What fist caught my eye was the cover. Three different pairs of shoes. A man’s, a woman’s, and a child. I remember thinking “Hm, that looks cool. Huh, those are old shoes. I wonder if it’s a historical fiction novel. Salt to the Sea, that sounds cool.” So I read the back cover. It was WWII historical fiction, but this time a story I hadn’t heard of before. So, once again expressing my lack of self-control, I bought it and went home. I read it in two days, and afterwards I sat and just kind of stared into space. 

Salt to the Sea covers four different perspectives, three travelling together and then a Nazi sailor onboard the Wilhelm Gustloff. My favourite perspectives were Florian and Joana, because I found their stories the most interesting. Emilia’s chapters were nice, I just didn’t find them as interesting--in the beginning. 

Not only did I get to read in their perspectives, through Florian, Joana, and Emilia, I got to learn the stories of the other’s that we travelling with them. This I found a nice touch, since they fleshed out the story so that it wasn’t just ‘we’re evacuating’ in three different perspectives. 

My opinion changes a bit with Alfred. I found his chapters whiny and annoying, as well as him going on and on about how incredible he was and how anyone who didn’t fit Hitl*r’s ideals deserved to be terminated. For the most part, until all four perspectives collided, I skimmed his chapters. However, do not let Alfred frighten you off from this masterpiece of a book. 

Salt to the Sea is a historical fiction work of art, and I encourage you to immediately borrow or purchase a copy. 

Bonus: if you’ve read her earlier work Between Shades of Grey, this is the Joana mentioned by Lina in that novel.  

more reviews: 1 2 3

[amconnstore]

Lane of M11 southbound closed between Bishop's Stortford and...

One lane of the M11 southbound has been closed due to a broken down vehicle. The closure is between junction 8 (Bishop's Stortford) and junction 7 (Harlow) and was reported around 4pm this afternoon (Sunday, March 12). Traffic is flowing at a steady rate along the section despite one of the three lanes being closed. READ MORE: Watch as police bust a cannabis farm in HarlowREAD MORE: A120 and A12 to face disruption next week due to roadworks A Highways England East spokesman said: "The...

from Essex Live News RSS feed http://www.essexlive.news/lane-of-m11-southbound-closed-between-bishop-s-stortford-and-harlow/story-30198025-detail/story.html