Salt to the Sea

New York Times

Bestseller and winner of the Carnegie Medal! 

"Masterfully crafted"

—

The Wall Street Journal

For readers of 

Between Shades of Gray

 and

All the Light We Cannot See

, Ruta Sepetys 

returns to WWII

in this epic novel that 

shines a light on one of the war's most devastating—yet unknown—tragedies.

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—adults and children alike—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 and love can prevail, even in the darkest of hours.

Praise for 

Salt to the Sea

:

Featured on NPR's Morning Edition  ?  "Superlative...masterfully crafted...[a] powerful work of historical fiction."—

The Wall Street Journal  ?  

"[Sepetys is] a master of YA fiction…she once again anchors a panoramic view of epic tragedy in perspectives that feel deeply textured and immediate."—

Entertainment Weekly  ?  

"Riveting...powerful...haunting."—

The Washington Post  ? 

"Compelling for both adult and teenage readers."—

New York Times Book Review  ? 

"Intimate, extraordinary, artfully crafted...brilliant."—

Shelf Awareness

  ?  "Historical fiction at its very, very best."—

The Globe and Mail

? 

"[H]aunting, heartbreaking, hopeful and altogether gorgeous...one of the best young-adult novels to appear in a very long time."—

Salt Lake Tribune  

?  *

"This haunting gem of a novel begs to be remembered."—

Booklist

  ?

 *

"Artfully told and sensitively crafted...will leave readers weeping."—

School Library Journal

 ?  A

PW

and

SLJ

2016 Book of the Year

Praise for

Between Shades of Gray

:

A

New York Times

 Notable Book  ?  A 

Wall Street Journal

 Best Children’s Book  ?  A 

PW

, 

SLJ

,

Booklist

, and

Kirkus

 Best Book  ?  iTunes 2011 Rewind Best Teen Novel  ?  A Carnegie Medal and William C. Morris Finalist  ?  A 

New York Times

 and International Bestseller  ?  "Few books are beautifully written, fewer still are important; this novel is both."—

The Washington Post  ?

*

"[A]n important book that deserves the widest possible readership."—

Booklist