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Salt to the Sea

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Book Synopsis

It’s early 1945 and a group of people trek across Germany, bound together by their desperation to reach the ship that can take them away from the war-ravaged land. Four young people, each haunted by their own dark secret, narrate their unforgettable stories. Fans of The Book Thief or Helen Dunmore’s The Siege will be totally absorbed.

This inspirational novel is based on a true story from the Second World War. When the German ship the Wilhelm Gustloff was sunk in port in early 1945 it had over 9000 civilian refugees, including children, on board. Nearly all were drowned. Ruta Sepetys, acclaimed author of Between Shades of Grey, brilliantly imagines their story.

Our Review Panel says...

A compelling historical novel set in 1945.

Salt to the Sea follows a small group of refugees who are desperately fleeing the Russian army. As they make a dangerous journey across the country, their destination is a German evacuation ship, the Wilhelm Gustloff. Each chapter is told from a different character’s perspective as the group strives to flee to safety.

Based on meticulous research into the real-life maritime disaster, Ruta Sepetys weaves a masterfully crafted narrative that is both beautiful and sad. Told as a multiple perspective narrative, this story explores topics of survival and unity during the final months of the Second World War, as well as wider themes of refugee experiences, learning to trust others and the power of finding hope and human connection in difficult times.