Shandi Sturgill

The story is told from four perspectives. The first character we meet is Joana, a young woman aspiring to a career in medicine. Joana’s compassion, intelligence, and strength makes her the unofficial leader of a group of refuges. The second character we get to know is Florian, a young Prussian man. He is a talented artist who uses his connections and knowledge to exact revenge on Hitler. Next we become acquainted with Emilia. She is a young girl from Poland who possesses a sweet heart and terrible secret. Lastly we are introduced to Alfred a member of the Hitler youth. Alfred can only be described as narcissistic, delusional, and sociopathic.

Perhaps it’s because I read Alan Wolf’s The Watch That Ends the Night before this, but I was expecting the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff to dominate the plot. I was pleasantly surprised to spend a majority of time with the characters before the tragedy occurred. Sepetys knows how to endear characters to her readers. I enjoyed seeing the connections form between the narrators and minor characters.

 Sepetys never shies away from showing the horrors of war, and what people went through in order to survive. She builds the world so well that you can feel the danger coming at these individuals, whether it be from enemy forces or the elements.

If you enjoy historical fiction I cannot recommend Ruta Sepetys’s books enough. She beautifully writes about moments in history that are rarely, if ever, discussed. The characters and tragedies in Salt to the Sea will tug at your heartstrings and will remind you of the duality in human nature and the fragility of life.