by Ruta Sepetys
Overall: I knew almost nothing about Romania going into this book, which fortunately is the presumed starting place for the reader. Cristian Florescu, the teenage narrator, is an able guide, showing how a typical teenager (unsure about girls, trying to do well in school, figuring himself out through diary entries) attempted to function in a society corroded by dictatorship, censorship, and constant surveillance. Not only does Cristian fear being spotted by the secret police, but he must also assume that everyone around him is watching and informing on his every movement. A single misstep – like drinking a forbidden Coca-Cola with his crush, Liliana – can have devastating effects on him and his entire family. If you like spy thrillers and/or recent historical fiction, please give this book a look.
Likes: I loved Cristian’s voice, and I thought it perfectly suited to a YA novel about a serious subject. Cristian thinks and cares deeply about his situation, constantly trying to make the best decisions he can, but he’s also appropriately idealistic and impulsive. The book balances on a knife edge as Cristian’s (and the reader’s) suspicions about who’s reporting on his movements – and there are many possibilities – careen wildly, which kept me guessing about the identity of the informer(s) until the very end. The consequences of Romania’s violent revolution are depicted in a way that doesn’t undermine their seriousness while also staying appropriate for the YA genre. And this was the perfect amount of romantic subplot for me – part of the story, but not the sole focus. Sepetys grounded her book in a tremendous amount of research, which I always love. This was the first book of hers I’ve read, but it won’t be the last!
Dislikes: really nothing.
FYI: violence, death of a family member, catastrophic injury, difficult family dynamics.
Liz Helfrich 