Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

Salt to the Sea takes place in the winter of 1945 when the Soviets are advancing on the Germans in East Prussia. Millions of refugees are forced to flee their homeland, leaving everything behind. Ruta Sepetys tells the story of the evacuation through the eyes of four characters—a Lithuanian girl, a Polish girl, an East Prussian boy, and a young Nazi sailor—each burdened by their own painful secrets. Their journey is wrought with challenges as their ragged little group makes its way to the coast, and the ship they believe will bring them to safety. The scenes are vivid and disturbing—and yet Sepetys keeps us from despair through deftly placed acts of humanity that can’t fail to touch the reader.
 Sepetys’ work of historical fiction is inspired by the true story of the Soviet torpedoing and sinking of the German ship, the Wilhelm Gustloff, carrying ten thousand refugees—half of them children. It was the greatest naval disaster in history.
 One of the things I like most about reading is when a writer is good enough to transport you into the soul of another person—when the world around you disappears and you enter a brilliantly crafted landscape, and experience a life you never would otherwise. Today millions of refugees are seeking safety around the globe. Salt to the Sea gave me a glimpse into their anguish, and I hope will make me a more compassionate person because of that privilege.

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