Reviews with content warning for Gun violence - Between Shades of Gray

Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

25 reviews

elisabeth888's review against another edition

dark emotional informative medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

I recently read Ashes in the Snow for the third time as it is one of my favorite historical fiction novels. Ashes in the Snow focuses on the experience of people in the Baltic states, who were torn between Hitler and Stalin's aggression. Because of continued Soviet occupation in the Baltics following WWII, many survivors accounts were silenced.

Ashes in the Snow follows the story of fifteen-year-old Lina who is deported from Lithuania to Siberia, along with her brother Jonas and mother Elena. Despite the suffering, the innocent prisoners attempt to help one another and establish normalcy for the children. Throughout the novel Sepetys demonstrates how the line between good and evil is blurred, especially in the young officer Kretzsky who struggles with the immorality of the orders he is given.

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mayakay's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I loved this book, I read it in one weekend :)

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annabelle_bookie's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Is very sad (about wwii) but is in dept and very vulnerable

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lizziaha's review against another edition

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3.0

I found it hard to connect with the characters, and the end felt unsatisfying. I almost wish that we had seen at least a little of the twelve years after the end of the book. And while this book is definitely not about romance, since romance was part of the epilogue, I wish we’d seen a little more of it throughout the book. I think that Sepetys always includes characters that don’t exist within comfortable lines of morality, but in this book it felt rushed and not fleshed out enough. I do kind of want to reread Joana’s story in the other book though. I didn’t remember enough from my read several years ago.

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oceanwriter's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I don’t think I will ever find a book Ruta Sepetys has written that I don't adore. Her books have set my expectations for all historical fiction astronomically high that I’m at the point where I’m okay if she’s the only historical fiction author I ever read again.

Lina and her family are forcibly removed from their home in Lithuania by the Soviets in the midst of World War II. They are deported to Siberia along with several other families. Lina holds out hope that her father will come to rescue them and even attempts to get coded messages to him. With her drawing talents, she also creates secret documentation of the cruelties she and her fellow deportees are forced to endure.

I think I say this every time I read one of Ruta Sepetys’ books, but I absolutely love that the story follows a part of World War II history that is not as well known as others. I consider myself fairly well-studied in this time period and I knew nothing of the atrocities discussed in the book. On top of that, the characters are so marvelously fleshed out, flaws and strengths and all. They felt as authentic as their situations, which can be difficult to find, especially in this genre.

It’s safe to say I am head over heels in love with these plots and the writing. I’m curious to see the movie (retitled Ashes in the Snow) but I know it will shatter my heart. I can bear a lot more of this kind of content in books than I can on screen. Honestly though, it might be worth it if it remains true to the book.

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