New York Times Bestseller!┬а"Masterly crafted"тАФThe Wall Street Journal
For readers of┬аBetween Shades of Gray┬аand All the Light We Cannot See, bestselling author Ruta Sepetys┬аreturns to WWII in this epic novel that┬аshines a light on one of the war's most devastatingтАФyet unknownтАФtragedies.
World War II is drawing to a close in East Prussia and thousands of refugees are on a desperate trek toward freedom, many with something to hide.┬аAmong them are┬аJoana, Emilia, and Florian, whose paths converge en route to the┬аship that promises salvation, the Wilhelm Gustloff. Forced by circumstance to unite, the three find their strength, courage, and trust in each other tested┬аwith each step closer to safety.
Just when it seems freedom is within their grasp, tragedy strikes. Not┬аcountry, nor culture, nor status matter as all ten thousand peopleтАФadults and children alikeтАФaboard must fight for the same thing: survival.
Told in alternating points of view and perfect for fans of Anthony Doerr's Pulitzer Prize-winning┬аAll the Light We Cannot See, Erik Larson's┬аDead Wake, and Elizabeth Wein's Printz Honor Book┬аCode Name Verity, this masterful work of historical fiction is inspired by the real-life tragedy that was the sinking of the┬аWilhelm GustloffтАФthe greatest maritime disaster in history. As she did in┬аBetween Shades of Gray, Ruta Sepetys unearths a shockingly little-known casualty of a gruesome war, and proves that humanity and love can prevail, even in the darkest of hours.
Praise for┬аSalt to the Sea:
тАЬJorjeana Marie, Will Damron, Cassandra Morris, and Michael Crouch perform mesmerizing narration worthy of SepetysтАЩs spectacular novel. VERDICT Libraries with even the most limited audio budgets will want to invest.тАЭ тАУSchool Library Journal, starred review
тАЬThe talented narrators excel in capturing the tone of their charactersтАж. [They] work together to create a vivid and well-rounded reading experience, [and] bring forth the truth of the wartime experience.тАЭ тАУBooklist, starred review
тАЬThe four narrators (Jorjeana Marie, Will Damron, Cassandra Morris and Michael Crouch) are superbly cast...The storyтАЩs plot and pacing translate beautifully to the audio medium.тАЭ тАУ┬аPublishers Weekly, starred review
Featured on NPR's Morning Edition ┬атЩж ┬атАЬSuperlativeтАжmasterfully craftedтАж[a] powerful work of historical fiction.тАЭтАФThe Wall Street Journal ┬атЩж ┬атАЬ[Sepetys is] a master of YA fictionтАжshe once again anchors a panoramic view of epic tragedy in perspectives that feel deeply textured and immediate.тАЭтАФEntertainment Weekly ┬атЩж ┬а"Riveting...powerful...haunting."тАФThe Washington Post ┬атЩж┬атАЬCompelling for both adult and teenage readers.тАЭтАФNew York Times Book Review ┬атЩж┬а тАЬIntimate, extraordinary, artfully craftedтАжbrilliant.тАЭтАФShelf Awareness┬а тЩж ┬а"Historical fiction at its very, very best."тАФThe Globe and Mail┬а┬атЩж┬а┬атАЬ[H]aunting, heartbreaking, hopeful and altogether gorgeousтАжone of the best young-adult novels to appear in a very long time.тАЭтАФSalt Lake Tribune