Between Shades of Gray
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the award-winning author of Salt to the Sea comes a “superb” (The Wall Street Journal), “eye-opening” (Los Angeles Times) novel of survival and hope in the darkest of places—the inspiration for the major motion picture Ashes in the Snow
"Few books are beautifully written, fewer still are important; this novel is both." —The Washington Post
WINNER OF THE GOLDEN KITE AWARD • A CARNEGIE MEDAL NOMINEE • A WILLIAM C. MORRIS AWARD FINALIST • A KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOK OF THE CENTURY
A knock comes at the door in the dead of night, and Lina’s life changes in an instant. With her young brother and mother, she is hauled away by the Soviet secret police from her home in Lithuania and thrown into a cattle car en route to Siberia. Separated from her father, Lina secretly passes along clues in the form of drawings, hoping they will reach his prison camp. But will her letters, or her courage, be enough to reunite her family? Will they be enough to keep her alive?
A moving and haunting novel about loss, fear, and ultimately, survival, Between Shades of Gray is a tour de force of historical and emotional storytelling.
"Few books are beautifully written, fewer still are important; this novel is both." —The Washington Post
WINNER OF THE GOLDEN KITE AWARD • A CARNEGIE MEDAL NOMINEE • A WILLIAM C. MORRIS AWARD FINALIST • A KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOK OF THE CENTURY
A knock comes at the door in the dead of night, and Lina’s life changes in an instant. With her young brother and mother, she is hauled away by the Soviet secret police from her home in Lithuania and thrown into a cattle car en route to Siberia. Separated from her father, Lina secretly passes along clues in the form of drawings, hoping they will reach his prison camp. But will her letters, or her courage, be enough to reunite her family? Will they be enough to keep her alive?
A moving and haunting novel about loss, fear, and ultimately, survival, Between Shades of Gray is a tour de force of historical and emotional storytelling.
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Community Reviews
Do not skip over this book simply because it is YA. Sepetys is really a crossover author who appeals to all ages. This is a difficult story to read because it is not a pretty, happy story. It is a well written story about Lithuanians being displaced to Siberian work camps during WWII. This is a side of the war I didn't know anything about. What a remarkable group of people and a testament to the human spirit.
Lina, a teenage girl, and her younger brother and mother are hauled away in the middle of the night and thrown into a cattle car en route to Siberia. Separated from her father, Lina secretly passes along drawings hoping they will reach him. The conditions of their work camp are brutal, but they must work if they want to get their measly food ration. They have to build their own "shelter". Lina's young brother has to grow up much too soon. Lina's mother was probably my favorite because she was so kind and generous, even to the grumpy old man. This book is both heartbreaking and beautiful. It is a must for anyone who wants to learn more about the past. Sepetys does an excellent job researching this time period-be dure to read the author's notes.
Lina, a teenage girl, and her younger brother and mother are hauled away in the middle of the night and thrown into a cattle car en route to Siberia. Separated from her father, Lina secretly passes along drawings hoping they will reach him. The conditions of their work camp are brutal, but they must work if they want to get their measly food ration. They have to build their own "shelter". Lina's young brother has to grow up much too soon. Lina's mother was probably my favorite because she was so kind and generous, even to the grumpy old man. This book is both heartbreaking and beautiful. It is a must for anyone who wants to learn more about the past. Sepetys does an excellent job researching this time period-be dure to read the author's notes.
This is an extraordinarily powerful book. I found myself in tears reading the final few chapters. Between Shades of Gray really is a testament to human suffering and human perseverance. It also goes to show that there are just certain parts of History that don't get the same attention as others. I was unaware of the extent of deportation and inhuman treatment of so many Baltic peoples during Stalin's reign.
A beautifully written piece of history that everyone should read. It's so difficult to understand--first of all how these things even occur, but secondly, how we are not even aware of them. And while this was a very sad story, it was also a tale of hope and perseverance that will not be forgotten.
#popsugarreadingchallenge2019 (prompt #1)
#popsugarreadingchallenge2019 (prompt #1)
Throughout this book I kept hearing my Mother's voice. Thank you for making such a terrible situation come to life with a hopeful tone.
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