Salt to the Sea by Ruta Supetys

Reviewed by Lori
Title: Salt to the Sea

Author:  Ruta Supetys

Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 143529

Description:  In this novel based on real-life events, Prussian World War II refugees find their hopeful exodus turning into a desperate fight for survival when the ship on which they are escaping sinks in the Atlantic.

Rubric Rating:  Level 4 - Love It

Why I Read It:  I have read all of Ruta Sepetys’ other books and knew I wanted to read this one as well.

Notes:  This novel had a bit of a slow start for me but I loved the opening lines of each characters’ chapters – For Joana guilt is a hunter, for Florian, Fate is a hunter, and for Emilia, shame is a hunter, and for Alfred fear is a hunter.  The book alternates perspectives between these four characters and I either loved or hated them all. Joana is a Lithuanian fleeing from the invading Russian forces. She is trained nurse traveling with a group of fellow refugees. Florian is a German citizen who formerly worked as an art restorer until he realizes that priceless art is being stolen by the Nazi party.  He forges his own papers in order to flee with a piece of a lost treasure. Emilia is a Polish girl fleeing her home, pregnant and alone she meets Florian in a Russian forest. Emilia and Floria run into Joana on their respective travels and they become part of the group. Alfred is an insipid German youth who believes the Nazi party line, he is one of those people who thinks he’s so smart but everyone can see right through.  He’s also someone who could be very dangerous. He absolutely rubbed me the wrong way and is probably my top pick for a book character that I would like to sucker punch in the face. All of the characters are written so well you become deeply involved in their story lines and pieces of their stories are revealed a little bit at a time. Eventually they all end up on the ship the Wilhelm Gustloff – the ship involved in the biggest maritime disaster in history – over 9000 people lost their lives when the ship was torpedoed and sunk.   I loved that Joana’s story is connected to Lina’s story from Between Shades of Gray – why for her Guilt is a hunter, why fate is following Florian and shame Emilia. Page 261 brought me to tears. There is just so much heartfelt emotion and fear and overcoming obstacles – even the secondary characters - blind Ingrid, giant Eva, and the wandering boy Klaus round out the character’s stories. One of my favourite characters is Heinz – the “shoe poet” to the fellow refugees, “Opi” to Klaus and “Our one light in the darkness” pg 338, for Joana.  I love how the author gives relevance and status to the arts – drawing, poetry, music, etc. How these things bring light into the darkness. This was a fantastic read and one of those stories that I would read again.

Recommended Readers:  Grade 9 and up.  Historical Fiction and WWII readers should really enjoy this story. 

Themes:  WWII, Historical Fiction, Lithuania, Escape, Fear, Overcoming Obstacles, Refugees


Cross-Genre Links:

History: Wilhelm Gustloff Museum info
Geography: Lithuania in WWII
History: Nazi theft of artwork in WWII

Inquiries and Activities:

  • Fear, Guilt, Shame, and Fate are hunters in this novel – who are they hunting and why? 
  • Which character did you most react with emotionally and what was your reaction?
  • What are the Nazi’s doing with the artwork treasures of Europe? 
  • What was the Amber Room?
  • What prompts Florian to leave his post?
  • Many of the events of this novel are based on historical fact – like the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff – how does incorporating actual events make the story more compelling? 
  • What happened to the Wilhelm Gustloff?
  • Why should we tell the stories of history?

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