Ruta Sepetys is one of my favorite authors, and this novel did not disappoint. I read this whole novel in a day and a half, and the short chapters are my favorite format. This story is set right in the fall of the communist regime in Romania. It is reminiscent of 1984 (another novel I enjoyed - or at least as much as one can), capturing the paranoia of the intense regime. The main character was so well written as he tries to keep his family safe while joining the resistance force. The last 50 pages completely absorbed me, even though I was reading in the middle of a noisy cabin.
I love Sepetys dedication to the research and narration of typically overlooked peoples and places. Though they are not forgotten, the history of Romania often is blended into the same narrative as other countries ruled in part by Russia during the Cold War. Sepetys' research pays off in creating a full, vivid world. This is one of my favorite novels, one that I will most likely reread.
I love Sepetys dedication to the research and narration of typically overlooked peoples and places. Though they are not forgotten, the history of Romania often is blended into the same narrative as other countries ruled in part by Russia during the Cold War. Sepetys' research pays off in creating a full, vivid world. This is one of my favorite novels, one that I will most likely reread.