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Salt To The Sea by Ruta Sepetys

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Book Cover
BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
Sepetys, R. (2016). Salt to the sea. New York, NY/USA: Philomel Books,
PAGES/AUDIO BOOK TIME
448/9 hours

PURCHASING OPTIONS
Hardcover $10.43 
Paperback $17.09
NOOK $9.99
Audiobook: $31.80

Kindle $9.99
Hardcover $15.19
Paperback $9.75
Audio CD $29.97

ANNOTATION
Joana, Florian,Emilia, and Alfred find themselves in the worst maritime tragedy in history. 

SUMMARY 
The story is told from the perspective of four characters. Joana is a Lithuanian who has escaped to Germany. Florian is a German and a deserter and traitor to the Nazi regime. Emilia is a young Polish girl who is on the run from the Russians and Nazis. Alfred is an indoctrinated Nazi soldier bent on proving himself. These four characters find themselves aboard the Wilhelm Gustloff, a german refugee ship. After several days of waiting the ship finally sets sail from the port at Gotenhafen to Kiel for safety, but is torpedoed by a soviet submarine. 

 Joana and Florian survived the sinking, but Emilia and Alfred do not survive. Before her death, Emilia gives birth to a girl, who is saved by Joana and Florian and raised by them. They make sure that girl is raised knowing about her mother and her bravery. 

MY REVIEW
Joana, Florian, Emilia, and Alfred give us a diverse and deep inside look at how the hardships of the war affected all people throughout Europe. It addressed a tragedy that is talked about very little and known by very few people today. The devastating trauma of the characters, the loss, the sorrow, the stubborn will to stay alive and overcome, are tangible and real. I feel as if I knew these characters personally, and I found myself crying with them, laughing with them, and mourning with them. Once again, Ruta Sepetys has created a masterpiece that will be read and loved for years to come. 

RATING
Quality Rating: Gold
Popularity Rating: Diamond

GENRE & SUB GENRES 
Historical Fiction
Young Adult
Historical
Fiction
World War II

APPEAL FACTORS
Just as her previous novel, Between Shades of Gray, Sepetys as brought to light an obscure even of WW ll. This book is a must read for anyone who has a love for WW ll stories. The writing is superb and the characters well developed. 

BOOKTALKING
The characters in this novel show us that the will to live is stronger than any evil humans can do to us. When people have hope, they can endure the worst atrocities. This novel gives us a new perspective on the trials we may be facing in our lives.

 Joana battles with deep feelings of guilt. While she survives and some of her family does not, she can't help but feel shame for her life. Those who have been in any sort of traumatic experience and made it out alive can understand completely what Joana is battling with. On one hand, she wants to be grateful for being alive but on the other hand she feels bad for those who go through similar experiences but do not survive them.

 The characters in this book have been separated from their families and join together to create their own family unit where they can have a safe place to love and be loved. Those who, for whatever reason, don't have the relationships they wish they could have with family can learn from this novel that family does not have to be blood. When you experience pain and joy together, when you care for one another, you are a family. 

DISCUSSION POINTS
How does the feeling of guilt unite the main characters?

 Why do you think Emilia, Florian, Joana and Ingrid find the need to hide things? Do you think this helps or hurts them?

 How would you describe the poet shoemaker and what role does he play in the story?

 Do the words of Florian's father effect how Florian sees himself? In what ways do you see that they do or do not?

 How were the children in this novel effected by the war? How are children today effected by war?

 In what ways were the civilians in this story more effected by the war than the soldiers?
WHY THIS BOOK?
Once I had read Ruta Sepetys' first novel, Between Shades of Gray, I had to read this book. Just like her first novel, I couldn't put this book down. When I read that it was about the worst tragedy in maritime history I knew this was a book for me. 
THE AUTHOR
REVIEWS


SIMILAR TITLES/AUTHORS
Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse
Black Dove, Raven by Elizabeth E. Wein
Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk

AWARDS
SCBWI Golden Kite Award for Fiction (2016)
Audie Award for Young Adult (2017)
Rhode Island Teen Book Award Nominee for Honorable Mention (2018)
Milwaukee County Teen Book Award Nominee (2017)
California Young Readers Medal for Young Adult (2018)
Lincoln Award Nominee (2018)
Goodreads Choice Award for Young Adult Fiction (2016)
Carnegie Medal (2017)
The Magnolia Award Nominee for 9-12 (2018)

POINTS TO REMEMBER
  • WW ll
  • Worst maritime tragedy in history

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