Between the Shades of Gray

Between the Shades of Gray
Ruth Sepetys

This book is about the story of a Lithuanian girl, Lina, during the second world war. She is deported to Russia with her mother and her brother to work in the labour camps run by Stalin. Clinging to the hope her father is still alive, she creates pictures in the hope that he will see them and know where to find her. Lina undergoes some of the most horrifying conditions that humanity has had to face, but amongst the terror she develops closer bonds with her family and those with the same fate of her, learning to survive on hope and a will to live.

Firstly, I really enjoyed how this book explored a piece of history that has been largely overshadowed by the World War Two and Hitler. I knew absolutely nothing about what the people of the Baltic States had to endure in this period, and this novel is a perfect way of educating young people about the horrifying events that took place. Lina's lack of knowledge about what was happening was a perfect way to draw the reader into the story and to learn about what is happening as she learns, taking them on a journey similar to hers.

The narrative was easy to read and I loved the flashbacks that were scattered throughout the novel and how they eventually fit together to create a powerful ending. Despite the monotony of her life in the work camps, there is always some spark of hope in her voice to encourage the reader forwards, and at other times I was so scared about what would happen that I couldn't put it down.

I particularly liked the character of Andrius as he was so cheeky and so defiantly resisted the rule of the Russians. His relationship with Lina was also very touching and poignant, yet also incredibly challenging due to the immense pressure that both characters were put under.

The writing of this novel was incredibly solid and I found it very easy to connect to Lina as she is presented as such an ordinary person, despite the hardship she is suffering. I felt everything flowed very naturally, even the flashbacks, which can often be very jerky in many stories. I loved how just a few words in the present narrative linked to the flashback that made it sound like an echo of a forgotten life, which was exactly what it was.

Perhaps the most shocking point of this book is not the story itself but the Afterword, in which Sepetys explains how the Lithuanians were unable to speak of their ordeal freely until very recently - which makes it all the more important that this book is read.

Rachel, Yr 12