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The book gives voice to those who disappeared into Stalin's gulags. There are not many young adult books about gulags. Actually, I cannot think of any off hand. This certainly makes the trials accessible to a wider audience than Applebaum's comprehensive tome, Gulag. The story itself follows a family through their relocation, twice. The plot, while describing horrible events, leaves the reader somewhat detached. I felt myself shaking my head and thinking, "Wow, that is awful" as characters were struggling to survive. There WAS line where a man's teeth are ripped out, I physically winced at that part. More because I have always been sensitive of anything to do with the teeth after American History X than in response to the book itself. Surprisingly, I felt myself connecting with the world through Lina's art. It took me the first third of the book to adjust to Sepetys' frequent chapter use. I would read two pages and lo- discover I had already finished another chapter! Many of them felt they could be combined. Unless she was trying to constantly interrupt the reader, which, given the story, is a distinct possibility. The ending you ask. What ending? You mean the part where a doctor runs in and supposedly saves everyone at the end? A little too Lord of the Flies for me. It felt the story sputtered out and the author reached to wrap things up with a two page epilogue. The note afterwards was very interesting. I had no idea about deportees being treated as criminals upon return. History class somehow skipped over that part. I will be researching this more. I wonder why it is not more frequently taught, 20 million dead, and barely a footnote. Sepetys' book will hopefully open up the field for more exploration about the Batlic states repression under Stalin.

2022-10-21 05:49