Between Shades of Gray: One of My Favourite Books

Everyone has their favourite books. There are books that are full of suspense and are cliffhangers, and others that make you want to cosy up with a cup of hot cocoa under a warm snuggly blanket. Today, I’m going to share with you one of my favourite books of all time and really dig deep into it. 

The book is called Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys. I first got to know about the book when Ruta Sepetys came to my school as a visiting guest, and it was a really cool experience. She talked a lot, about her career in the past as well as about her books. One thing that really surprised me about her was that she wasn’t always an author. She worked in Hollywood, producing and working behind the scenes before becoming an author. It pleasantly surprised me how someone could have completely different interests and pursue a very different career before they moved onto another path in life. 

The book Between Shades of Gray is a historical fiction novel based in World War II. The main character in the book is a teenage girl by the name of Lina. She, her mother and her little brother are deported out of their homeland Lithuania, and are taken to a labour camp, where they are forced to work to provide for the industrialization of the Soviet Union. After years of being in the labour camp, Lina and her family once again move to a different camp. However, this one is in the Arctic Circle. 

With the nearly freezing temperatures, lack of food and an unprotected shelter, it is a recipe for devastation. Will Lina and her family survive through these hard times and make it back to their homeland, Lithuania? Or not? You should read more to find out. I would suggest this book to people who enjoy historical fiction, world history and touching books. This book has a melancholy feel to it, and while it does end on a good note, there definitely are really sad parts to it. 

I think there are two things that stood out to me when I read the book and made it one of my favourites. Firstly, the way it’s written. For me, something that really matters is how the story is written. Regardless of how good the plot is, it makes a huge difference if the book is written well. How descriptive language is used, the perfect balance between dialogue and other elements, and how the story presents itself at the end are all very important.. By perfecting all these details, Ruta has really made this story one of the best. 

The second thing that I really loved was how she tried to make this book as authentic and real as possible. While listening to her lecture at the school, I learned how she interviewed dozens of Lithuanian survivors in order to provide a first-hand perspective of the war. By doing so, she was able to create a more accurate and descriptive example in the book. I think interviewing the survivors was truly amazing. That way, she had a firsthand view and that really enhanced the level of writing. Knowing that the book was filled with not just characters, but also deep layers of thought and authenticity made me enjoy it more. 

There is a quote that says, “Books and doors are the same thing. You open them, and you go through into another world.” Ruta Sepetys is an amazing and gifted author, and that’s reflected in Between Shades of Gray. She has put in so much effort, love and passion into this book, and that’s displayed throughout, on every single page. Between Shades of Gray is one of my favourite books of all time, it transported me to a different world and I highly suggest you read it soon.