Between Shades of Grey by Ruta Sepetys

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

During Stalin's cleansing of the Baltic Region, 15-year-old Lina fights for her life and takes comfort in her art. 

This beautifully crafted novel is told from the perspective of a fifteen-year old Lithuanian girl, Lina. During the evening of June 14, 1941, the Soviet Police deports Lina along with her mother and younger brother. They are forced into a dirty train car where the destination remains unknown. It soon becomes clear that they are being sent to a forced-labor camp in Siberia. Meanwhile, her father is being sentenced to death in a prison camp. As Lina fights for her life, she takes comfort in her art, and writes messages that she hopes will make it to her father's prison camp. Through arduous labor, cattle cars, and living in the Arctic Circle, Lina persists through a harrowing journey with great determination and fear. 

This award-winning historical fiction novel is recommended for fans of The Book Thief, Salt to the Sea, and The Nightingale.      

“Few books are beautifully written fewer are still important; this novel is both.” - the Washington Post

Review by Caitlyn, 2024

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