Salt to the Sea

Salt to the Sea is a 2016 historical fiction young adult novel by Ruta Sepetys. It tells the story of four individuals in World War II who make their way to the ill-fated MV Wilhelm Gustloff. The story also touches on the disappearance of The Amber Room, a work of art stolen by the Nazis that has never been recovered.

Sepetys wanted to write about an element of World War II that had been forgotten. She writes in her Author's Note for the novel that even though the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff is the deadliest maritime disaster in history, "remarkably, most people have never heard of it." She continues writing: "Every nation has hidden history, countless stories preserved only by those who experienced them. Stories of war are often read and discussed worldwide by readers whose nations stood on opposite sides during battle. History divided us, but through reading we can be united in story, study, and remembrance. Books join us together as a global reading community, but more important, a global human community striving to learn from the past."^[1]

Sepetys was given praise for her writing by The New York Times. In reviewing the book, M.T. Anderson wrote, "once again, Ruta Sepetys acts as champion of the interstitial people so often ignored — whole populations lost in the cracks of history."^[2]

Characters

• Joana Vilkas: A young Lithuanian nurse fleeing from East Prussia. She repatriated to Nazi Germany with her family in 1941 to escape capture from the Soviet Russian forces. She develops a romantic relationship with Florian.
• Florian Beck: A young Prussian apprentice carrying a valuable amber swan that he stole from the Amber Room after discovering that he is a puppet of Koch. He develops a romantic relationship with Joana.
• Emilia Stożek: A fifteen year old Polish girl from Lwów who was impregnated after being raped by a Russian soldier. She gives birth to her daughter, Halinka, whom she saves and hands over to Florian during the evacuation before dying and being washed up in Bornholm, Denmark.
• Alfred Frick: An eager sailor who adheres to Hitler's propaganda and thinks highly of himself. He often composes mental letters to Hannelore Jäger, a half-Jewish girl who rejected him. He dies after a struggle with Emilia.

References