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  • Between Shades of Gray

  • By: Ruta Sepetys
  • Narrated by: Emily Klein
  • Length: 7 hrs and 47 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (45 ratings)

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Between Shades of Gray

By: Ruta Sepetys
Narrated by: Emily Klein
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Summary

An international best seller, a number-one New York Times best seller, and now a major motion picture!

Ruta Sepetys's Between Shades of Gray is now the film 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 best seller 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 book

An international best seller

A Carnegie Medal nominee

A William C. Morris Award finalist

A 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 fans 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 Times)

"At 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)

©2011 Ruta Sepetys (P)2011 Penguin Audio
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Critic reviews

Winner, Indies Choice Book Award

“Few books are beautifully written, fewer still are important; this novel is both.” (The Washington Post)

"Beautiful...a superb though grueling novel.” (The Wall Street Journal)

What listeners say about Between Shades of Gray

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Interesting Story Well Performed

An interesting story of a little known aspect of history, that I find fascinating. It is well performed and an excellent story overall. I would have liked a little more comprehensive ending but I still greatly enjoyed it.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Between Shades Of Grey

Loved it all! Really great read. Historical fiction, love story and moving replay of Starlin and camps.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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Brilliant

Soviet atrocities during WWII tend to get forgotten, this book sheds light on the inhumane treatment and genocide of the innocent people Stalin deemed unworthy of his perfect country. Heartbreaking, not giving you space to breathe but nevertheless unputdownable.
An interview with the author at the end was a great addition to the production.
The narrator is a letdown.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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The vivid images

I accepted listening to the truth about my own country and homeland. I avoided it for a long time even when family members have been personally affected such atrocities.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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must read/listen

It's an important historically accurate story about Soviet Union atrocities during WWII. Well written, not the best performance though.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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A part of history, our history

Well..I would love to say I enjoyed the book but recording was bad, very bad. No pause where was necessary, cheerful voice tone where is sad and etc. It took the beauty of the story, my story as well as I am Lithuanian.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Narrator ruined story

The narrators voice was far too chirpy for the sadness of the story. This really hindered the story for me. Could have been so much better

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