(4.5 / 5)
I loved this! Despite having really enjoyed Ruta Sepetys last YA novel, I didn’t feel I needed to read this one. I generally have an unspoken rule that I follow which is: don’t read more than one or two books by the same author (unless it’s a series, then I read at an alarming and possibly unhealthy rate). I do this because I am on a quest to read only the cream of the crop, I want the best each author has to offer. If I read only the best, then I have more time to read more authors. I have almost zero “auto-buy” authors (perhaps I’ll do another blog post on this someday) even though I enjoy many. Obviously this system is flawed and I’m trying to not take it too seriously, but old habits die hard. Anyway, my self-imposed rule steered me away from Salt to the Sea. I can’t say what exactly led me back to this book except I’d heard nothing but good things and I have been known to make impulsive decisions while the rest of the house sleeps. The following evening, I settled in to continue what I’d started the night before and before I even reached page 30 I turned to my husband and said, “I already know this is going to be an excellent book”. I don’t think I can successfully convey to you how rare it is that I know within the first 50 pages (let alone 30!) when a book will be good. Add to that, usually books that start out strong from the gate can’t keep pace and more often than not I am disappointed. Most books I love build slowly, methodically, and deliver a big finish. This book didn’t get ahead of itself and didn’t let me down. If you’re looking for something:
Informative
Beautiful
Quick
Compelling
Sympathetic Characters
Look no further! The 400 pages race by as the chapters alternate narrators and are only on average 2-3 pages long each. This is not just another WWII novel. You haven’t heard this story before. After reading this, I may have to re-visit my one-book-per-author rule. I think I liked it even better than “Between Shades of Gray” (No relation to Fifty Shades of Gray).
Violence: Medium Language:Medium Adult Content:Medium