Between Shades of Gray

Ruta Sepetys

Mar 2011 · Sold by Penguin

About this eBook

The inspiration for the major motion picture Ashes in the Snow!

"Few books are beautifully written, fewer still are important; this novel is both." --The Washington Post

From New York Times and international bestseller and Carnegie Medal winner Ruta Sepetys, author of Salt to the Sea, comes a story of loss and of fear -- and ultimately, of survival.

A New York Times notable book
An international bestseller
A Carnegie Medal nominee
A William C. Morris Award finalist
A Golden Kite Award winner

Fifteen-year-old Lina is a Lithuanian girl living an ordinary life -- until Soviet officers invade her home and tear her family apart. Separated from her father and forced onto a crowded train, Lina, her mother, and her young brother make their way to a Siberian work camp, where they are forced to fight for their lives. Lina finds solace in her art, documenting these events by drawing. Risking everything, she imbeds clues in her drawings of their location and secretly passes them along, hoping her drawings will make their way to her father's prison camp. But will strength, love, and hope be enough for Lina and her family to survive?

A moving and haunting novel perfect for readers of The Book Thief.

Praise for Between Shades of Gray:

"Superlative. A hefty emotional punch." --The New York Times Book Review

"Heart-wrenching . . . an eye-opening reimagination of a very real tragedy written with grace and heart." --The Los Angeles Times

"At once a suspenseful, drama-packed survival story, a romance, and an intricately researched work of historial fiction." --The Wall Street Journal

* "Beautifully written and deeply felt . . . An important book that deserves the widest possible readership." --Booklist, starred review

“A superlative first novel. A hefty emotional punch.”--The New York Times Book Review

“A brilliant story of love and survival.”--Laurie Halse Anderson, bestselling author of Speak and Wintergirls 

* “Beautifully written and deeply felt…an important book that deserves the widest possible readership.”--Booklist, Starred Review

Ratings and reviews

This book gets a little, shal I say, different? Normally I tend to stay away from holocaust like books but this is from the side of a girl from Lithuania. I didn't really know what happened to Lithuanian people, so I had no idea what was going on. Otherwise it was a great book!

Heavy subject matter, but a story we should all know. The writing is fair, the story line is a little too simplistic for the overall subject matter, but I am glad I read it. Good read.

I honestly loved this book. I'm a 12 year old 7th grader who loves reading and I really enjoyed this book. With the busy schedule I have as a middle scholar, I don't usually read books. But this time, I was able to pick up this book, read, and not put it down. In my opinion, it's one of the best books that was ever written. I recommended it to my friend and she too had the same thoughts. Lina, the protagonist, shows great bravery when needed, great affection with Andrius, and great love for her mother and 10-year-old brother Jonas. No matter how tough things get, Lina is the one who will stand strong.

About the author

Ruta Sepetys (www.rutasepetys.com) is an internationally acclaimed, #1 New York Times bestselling author of historical fiction published in over sixty countries and forty languages. Sepetys is considered a "crossover" novelist, as her books are read by both teens and adults worldwide. Her novels Between Shades of Gray, Out of the Easy, and Salt to the Sea have won or been shortlisted for more than forty book prizes, and are included on more than sixty state award lists. Between Shades of Gray was adapted into the film Ashes in the Snow, and her other novels are currently in development for TV and film. Winner of the Carnegie Medal, Ruta is passionate about the power of history and literature to foster global awareness and connectivity. She has presented to NATO, to the European Parliament, in the United States Capitol, and at embassies worldwide. Ruta was born and raised in Michigan and now lives with her family in Nashville, Tennessee. Follow her on Twitter @RutaSepetys and Instagram @RutaSepetysAuthor.