BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY by Ruta Sepetys

Bibliography

Sepetys, Ruta. 2011. Between Shades of Gray. New York: Penguin Group. ISBN 014242059X

Summary

Lina, an average Lithuanian teenager and gifted artist, has her life completely turned upside down in a matter of minutes when Soviet police come in and force them out of their homes. They are given moments to gather what they can and are then forced onto a train headed for Siberia, where they will unknowingly spend the next decade of their lives. Lina, brave and determined, finds comfort in her art as she documents the experiences of her and her mother and brother, separated from her father, doing everything they can to survive.

Critical Analysis

This haunting tale of a young girl truly captures what it would have been like to suffer through the harsh Siberian work camps that many were forced into during WWII and Stalin’s cleansing of the Baltic region. Books set in this time period typically are written about Hitler’s regime and the concentration camps spread throughout much of Western Europe, which makes this such an important piece of literature. Sepetys extensively researched this tragic story and has captured many authentic experiences of survivors through Lina and her family. While desperation, fear and sadness are dominant themes that drive the characters and set the tone of the book, love and the bond of family make this a story that readers can relate to. 

Review Excerpts

2011 ALA Notable Books for Children award winner

2011 School Library Journal Best Books of the Year award winner

Publishers Weekly – A Harrowing page-turner, made all the more so for its basis in historical fact, the novel illuminates the persecution suffered by Stalin's victims (20 million were killed), while presenting memorable characters who retain their will to survive even after more than a decade in exile.

School Library Journal - Moving, edifying, and quietly beautiful, Sepetys's well-researched novel is an exquisite look at a devastating atrocity. 

Connections

This is a great book to include in any study of WWII.

This book uses a variety of literary features such as foreshadowing and flashbacks that would be great to study.

This would make a great book to include when studying about Stalin and his regime.