Between Shades of Grey

It was difficult to pick up this book. I was in the middle of a great book and I wasn't really sure I wanted to read the Carnegie short-list. However once I had started reading it was even more difficult to put it down.

I was hooked from the start, right from Lina, a 15 year old Lithuanian girl, being cruelly taken by the Soviet Union to be transported in cramped, unhygienic and dark conditions in the first section of the book right until the last few pages in the workhouses in Siberia.

I was also impressed by the writing style because I didn't notice it. At no point in the book could I imagine the author writing the text in front of me. Lina was telling me the story and it was totally believable.

However my favourite aspect of this book was the characters, my favourite being Jonas watching him grow in his character as well as develop maturity and a sense of calm from being someone who was very scared and naive at the beginning of the book. I also loved how Lina took her own view on the characters she crossed paths, for example only referring to one woman as 'the grumpy woman'.
I also loved the character of Lina and Jonas's Mother. She was a very calming influence and not only did Lina and Jonas rely on her to keep the family together and alive, but I relied on her to keep the family together and alive. I had become so attached to the characters that I was genuinely fearful for them.

The plot and description was also faultless. It was described so well that I could picture the settings in my mind and, along with the plot, it kept me captivated and some bits I found genuinely shocking. I had to keep reminding myself that this had once happened and that made it all the more scary.

The only aspect of the book that I didn't like was the ending. Without spoiling it for those who haven't read it, I felt that the ending came very abruptly and that it didn't tie up as many loose ends as I would have liked. I also felt that the characters changed their views too quickly to make it an appropriate ending.

These events were based on real accounts from people who experienced the horrors in this book. It was set whilst World War One was going on so people often forget about what else what was happening in the world. Overall I thought that this book was an eye-opener, something unique and amazingly written. I would not hesitate in recommending it to everyone.

9/10 Review by Nathan Dumpleton

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

Between Shades of Gray

By Ruta Sepetys

Lina lives in Lithuania with her parents and younger brother Jonas. She is just a normal teenager, with normal problems and a normal life. Until, that is, that fateful night in 1941 when her family is arrested by Soviet guards. Through Lina’s eyes we see the terrible journey they faced, slowly trekking north to work camps where they are put under Stalin’s cruel order. Separated from her Father, Lina tries to communicate by recording her pain, joy, and her journey in her artwork which she hopes, one day, will find its way to her father. As Lina and her family fight to survive in the freezing conditions with barely any nourishment, will they ever be reunited again?

I really enjoyed this book as it was very emotional and gripping. The plot itself was distinctive and struck a chord with me. It made me want to read on because you were constantly thinking about what was going to happen to Lina and her family. Sepetys created an enthralling book which is even more interesting once you find out it was based on true stories. The idea of people facing the ordeal Lina does is unbelievable and I admire any person who was brave enough to write about their journey and tell of their life. I read this book from start to finish in one day only, it was amazing, and I couldn’t put it down. The author has chosen a controversial period to write about, when humans were treated like animals just because of their race, origins or religion. The phrase below illustrates just how drastic the line in society was at the time:

“Have you ever wondered what a human life is worth? That morning, my brother’s was worth a pocket watch…”

The characters in the book are realistic and full of life. The situation they are in makes their troubles all the more emotional. I loved the way Lina tells the story, she grows up far too quickly during these years of her life, first looking after herself, and then slowly as time progresses, being forced to look after her mother and brother too. She is an enchanting character with so much depth. The diary style, first person account of the book allows you to see all her thoughts and feelings as well as view the world through her eyes. You can track her emotions as time moves on and she becomes more and more desperate, and the feeling of elation fills you when you read of a happy time she had such as when she sees her father, or when she becomes friends with Andrius. In Lina, Sepetys has created an intelligent teenager well beyond her years, who’s passion for art drives through.

However, my favourite character of the book has to be Jonas. At the start of the novel, he is unaware of what is happening. His naivety and innocence make you love him more but at the same time it is sad that he knows so little. But, as the novel goes on we witness Jonas change from a little boy to a young man. He takes on work and does his best to protect the women in his family whilst also making his own friends too. Jonas has been created by Sepetys as in no way the main character, the focus is mostly on Lina and her mother, but, I think that Jonas’ quiet charm and driving determination to keep going make him just as important.

Furthermore, the description and detail in this book is outstanding. Every page, although told by Lina, is packed with description and emotion. No small detail is missed and no scene skipped. The chapters are all set close together and you never feel as though you have missed anything. The author uses a variety of techniques to write the account of what happened and I think each one is effective. She also includes flashback passages which show Lina’s thoughts. They always relate to the chapters topic and added yet more emotion as Lina gives us an insight into life before the arrest. As this book is about such a sensitive topic it is in places complicated and as I mentioned before, I was shocked at the way the people were treated. It seems unreal and it is hard to believe that these events really happened and that these people really lived and died at these camps. What is even more shocking is that it was all set only 70 years ago!

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book as I thought it gave an accurate insight into the cruelty and hardships of this time. Sepetys has got the mixture of emotion, fact and tension just right and has created a gripping novel which anyone could easily devour! The characters were detailed and obviously planned and created in depth. I particularly liked the way the story was told through Lina’s eyes because you could witness her thoughts and feelings and watch her and Jonas turn from children into adults quicker than expected. To conclude I cannot fault this book or the way it was written and I would recommend it to anyone. Emotional and enthralling, it gripped me from start to finish!

Eleanor, Year 9