Between Shades of Gray

By Ruta Sepetys

A girl uses art to survive a Siberian work camp and reunite her family.

4.4/5 Goodreads · 285,899 ratings

344 pages· 64,129 words· Est. 6 hour read

$18.99Save 5%

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Bookroo's summary

Fifteen-year-old Lina's life shatters when Soviet officers tear her family apart, sending them to a Siberian work camp. Amidst the harsh conditions, Lina clings to her art, embedding secret messages in her drawings, hoping to reach her imprisoned father. As she battles for survival, Lina's courage and creativity become her lifeline. Will her art be enough to reunite her family and keep hope alive? Discover a gripping tale of resilience and the power of love in the face of unimaginable adversity.

From the publisher

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 bookAn international bestsellerA Carnegie Medal nomineeA William C. Morris Award finalistA 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 TimesAt 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