Salt To The Sea

Salt To The Sea by Ruta Sepetys, 391 pages

“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. Among them are Joana, Emilia, and Florian, whose paths converge en route to the ship that promises salvation, the Wilhelm Gustloff. Forced by circumstance to unite, the three find their strength, courage, and trust in each other tested with each step closer to safety. Just when it seems freedom is within their grasp, tragedy strikes. Not country, nor culture, nor status matter as all ten thousand people aboard must fight for the same thing: survival. Told in alternating points of view and perfect for fans of Anthony Doerr's Pulitzer Prize-winning  All the Light We Cannot See , Erik Larson's  Dead Wake , and Elizabeth Wein's Printz Honor Book  Code Name Verity , this masterful work of historical fiction is inspired by the real-life tragedy that was the sinking of the   Wilhelm Gustloff -- the greatest maritime disaster in history. As she did in  Between Shades of Gray , Ruta Sepetys unearths a shockingly little-known casualty of a gruesome war, and proves that humanity can prevail, even in the darkest of hours.” Sepetys is an excellent writer.  I had a hard time putting this book down.  I would highly recommend it to teens who like historical fiction.