Between Shades of Gray: A Novel by Ruta Sepetys

Image

Figure 1. Between Shades of Gray: A Novel book cover (2019).

Evaluation of Book

Between Shades of Gray: A Novel by Ruta Sepetys details the hardships brought by the Soviet Union deporting Lithuanians, focusing on those that might defy Stalin, like educated people. The central family for this story were among the first taken on June 14, 1941. Lina, age 15-16, tells the story of the journey she took with her brother, Jonas, and mother, Elena, from Lithuania all the way to the North Pole. Throughout it all, she constantly sends her father clues via art so that he can find them, never giving up. And her family and experiences stayed alive until today because of Lina’s drawings and journal entries.

Ruta Sepetys is a master of painting pictures with word. From Lina’s colorful words like, “We were about to become cigarettes” (p. 5) and “I pictured a rug being lifted and a huge Soviet broom sweeping us under it” (p. 23), the reader sees and feels how insignificant the Soviets viewed the Lithuanians along with how perceptive Lina is at age fifteen. Other images of snakes sprouting from heads and mouths shows the hate spewing from people. These pictures along with others that capture the moments of love and pain show how people acted and felt during the journey across Siberia to the North Pole and in the labor camps. (Sepetys, 2011)

Another wonderful aspect of this book is the vivid settings created by Ruta Sepetys. While the countryside and kilometers traveled at the start of the book appear beautiful and serein, the details describing the train cars for transporting the deportees shows the cramped spaces and smells of human body odor, urine, feces, and death. Also, the differences between the NKVD housing verses Lina’s and the other deportees when living in the labor camps demonstrate the squalor of those forced to work and live outside their own family homes they lost. Ruta Sepetys went so far as to describe how the cold seeped through the wooden floorboards and heaps of straw used as a bed while living in Siberia. And then the next level of desperation when forced to build houses made of driftwood, rocks, and other natural resources found around the North Pole. The desolation and desperation of the cold and dark days in Trofimovsk, North Pole were felt because of the way the setting was described.

Unexpected insights also play a huge role in Between Shades of Gray: A Novel. The story starts off with the Soviet Secret Police coming to take Lina’s family away from their home, despite the father not being there. The big question of why they must leave and when will they return pops up throughout the book. And the answer comes from the most unexpected person that traveled with the group in the original train car. Also, the Soviets come off as brutish and cruel for most of the book. And then little moments are shown and shared that give another perspective, much more positive, about many individuals that helped the deportees. These insights help paint a clearer picture of what happened before and during the removal of people by the Soviets.

Response

While reading Between Shades of Gray: A novel by Ruta Sepetys, I found myself relating to the mother, Elena. She believed in staying positive and supporting others that needed a boost for moral. At no point did she attack others or forget to help those in need. This is the way I was raised, to find the positive twist in life and remember those around you. Therefore, the text relates to me personally while also agreeing with my view of the world. However, I have not needed to keep my spirits up during a life and death situation. Through her willingness to give more than expected to those that complained and tried to harm her helped me learn how to go even further in helping others instead of avoiding negative people. My hope is to implement this philosophy for the remainder of my life so that my son will learn to be a good person too.

Conclusion

If you like historical fiction and art painted with words, then you will love this book. For those that have been hurt in life, this book helps individuals gain a new perspective and learn to let the negative moments go. Out of four stars, I give this book all four and a half because it is that good.

Citation

Sepetys, R. (2011). Between shades of gray: a novel. New York, NY: Philomel Books.

Willis, C. (2019). Between shades of gray: a novel book cover (photo). Retrieved April 28, 2019 from

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UNDOTi6jncIlRaWFtJUMNBC4eaGIm3tS/view?usp=sharing