Between Shades of Gray, written by Ruta Sepetys, is an eye-opening historical fiction novel that follows Lina, a fifteen-year-old girl, and her family when they are forcibly taken from their home during Stalin’s regime. In the process of being hauled away from Lithuania by the Soviet secret police and being sent to a Siberian labor camp, she is separated from her father. This book gifted me another perspective on this very real tragedy, and simultaneously shattered and rebuilt my heart.
Synopsis:
The year is 1941, and Lina is just a young girl who loves art, family, and dreams of going to art school. However, one night as she is writing her cousin a letter, the Soviet secret police burst into her home and forcibly deport her, her mom, and her brother to a Siberian prison camp changing her life forever. Her father, whom she is very close to, is separated from them. However, Lina never loses hope, and she attempts to pass on clues in the form of drawings throughout the novel. The book follows her story of survival under unimaginable conditions and shows the beauty of the relationships and bonds she creates with the people around her. The strength of the human spirit in the face of evil shown by Sepety proves there is hope in even the darkest of places.
Review:
In my experience as a lover of historical fiction, Between Shades of Gray was a comparatively easy-to-follow story, while being incredibly moving. While not everyone immediately connects with this genre, this book is a must-try if you’re looking to get into historical fiction!
Ruta Sepetys writes in a first-person POV, with relatively short but impactful chapters. This made the dialogue and inner monologue easier to digest while reducing the amount of filler chapters. This structure allows you to see through her eyes and take a step into her raw thought process, which makes it easier to relate to as a teenage girl.
Throughout the novel, Lina undergoes a big emotional arc, as the events she endures understandably make her more mature. She holds on to her art, which becomes her identity even as she undergoes exterior changes. The main theme is survival, but also the quiet power of hope.
The writing style is very honest, raw, and visual, which made this book super hard to put down. Getting to see flashbacks to her life before the camps helped give more meaning to the tragedy she was going through and more heaviness to her fight for survival. In addition, I loved the emphasis on the small moments, when a kind word was said, or when food was shared.
As a reader, I dislike being left with uncertainty most of the time, and while I did feel that during the ending of this book, it felt more intentional than other reads. It reflected the real-life uncertainty that these characters dealt with, but it was frustrating not being able to get closure with characters you spent 336 pages becoming attached to.
Overall though, Between Shades of Gray is is probably one of my favorite books to re-read to this day. I would rate it 📚📚📚📚📚 – an important and powerful read! (5/5)
Love, Emma
GFB Ambassador