“Salt to the Sea” by Ruta Sepetys

This gripping historical fiction tale is written from four different character’s POV set in Germany during World War II. Joana, Florian and Emilia are attempting to evacuate Germany ahead of the Red Army’s invasion while Alfred is a loyal member of Hilter’s Kriegsmarine. Joana, a young Lithuanian woman with some medical training is able to acquire papers due to being half German. The group she is traveling with have placed her in a leadership role, a burden she takes great pride in. Florian, a Prussian, comes upon a Polish refugee named Emilia in the woods fighting off a Russian soldier. Learning she is unable to speak German, Florian begrudgingly takes Emilia with him. The two meet up with Joana’s group and continue their journey towards the coast in hopes of escaping to safety. The four characters lives intersect when they come upon their ultimate destination, the ship Wilhelm Gustloff. Ruta Sepetys doesn’t hold back in this beautiful and at times quiet painful book. The character’s bravery and desire to survive keeps you hoping that they are among the lucky survivors. Although this story is fiction you find it easy to imagine that this could be a story built on someone’s truth from that time. I highly recommend “Salt to the Sea” to any historical fiction lover.

Pick up a copy of “Salt to the Sea” here.