Salt to the Sea

"The war would end. We would all go home. 

Wouldn't we?"

That's war. An endless cycle of wait, hope & despair. I feel like no matter how much one reads about war, it's never enough. No amount of writing or reading could ever cover the enormity of the inhumanity, the raw emotions that bled free and the desperate longing for families and love that the victims of the wars felt. On top of this, the futility of it all drives one mad with rage. While the crucial questions about the "value" of a war are still unanswered, imagine the plight of those who end up becoming a pawn in the pitiless game of power politics.

Salt to the Sea raises those questions in the mind of its readers.  There's a quote from the book that stuck with me long after: "What had human beings become? Did war make us evil or did it just activate an evil already lurking within us?" Every word you read in this book would make you question every thread of your being.

It's the story of four young victims of the war - all four of different nationalities - adrift from their respective homeland and displaced from their families, trying to search for some meaning in their suffering. All of them go through the evil atrocities of the war, some find kindness among strangers. They're all tirelessly headed toward the freedom they've been waiting for. An overcrowded ship, Wilhelm Gustloff, holds the promise of ferrying them to safety from the advancing Red Army. Would they be able to make it? I'd leave that on you to find out.

No matter how hard you try putting yourself in the shoes of those who suffered mercilessly, your imagination would always fail you. I was stunned when I realised that the story of the ship, Wilhelm Gustloff, isn't all fiction. While the sinking of Titanic and Lusitania are both well-documented disasters,  the sinking of the German cruiseliner, Wilhelm Gustloff, by a Soviet submarine has remained a mystery unheard of. The author, Ruta Sepetys, gives voice to the victims of this maritime disaster and conveys their fears and hopeless wishes beautifully. 

I'd strongly recommend this to anyone who finds wars & history intriguing. And I'd leave you with one last thought from the author of the book herself that moved me beyond measures - "If historical novels stir your interest, pursue the facts, history, memories, and personal testimonies available. These are the shoulders that historical fiction sits upon. When the survivors are gone we must not let the truth disappear with them. Please, give them a voice."

With that and with a heavy heart, I put this book down and give this 5 glittering stars and a well-deserved place among my favorite reads so far! I'm onto my next read already - "The pillars of the earth" by Ken Follet. I trust Ken Follet's novels more than I trust my own life decisions, so I'm sure the next few days are going to be an intellectual treat for me. 

I'd be back with a review soon. Until then, happy reading! :)

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