I Must Betray You

By: Ruta Sepetys

Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini, Ruta Sepetys

Length: 7 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

#1 New York Times Bestseller and winner of the Carnegie Medal!

A gut-wrenching, startling historical thriller about communist Romania and the citizen spy network that devastated a nation, from the #1 New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of Salt to the Sea and Between Shades of Gray.

Romania, 1989. Communist regimes are crumbling across Europe. Seventeen-year-old Cristian Florescu dreams of becoming a writer, but Romanians aren’t free to dream; they are bound by rules and force.

Amidst the tyrannical dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu in a country governed by isolation and fear, Cristian is blackmailed by the secret police to become an informer. He’s left with only two choices: betray everyone and everything he loves—or use his position to creatively undermine the most notoriously evil dictator in Eastern Europe.

Cristian risks everything to unmask the truth behind the regime, give voice to fellow Romanians, and expose to the world what is happening in his country. He eagerly joins the revolution to fight for change when the time arrives. But what is the cost of freedom?

Master storyteller Ruta Sepetys is back with a historical thriller that examines the little-known history of a nation defined by silence, pain, and the unwavering conviction of the human spirit.

Praise for I Must Betray You:

“As educational as it is thrilling...[T]he power of I Must Betray You [is] it doesn’t just describe the destabilizing effects of being spied on; it will make you experience them too.” –New York Times Book Review

“A historical heart-pounder…Ms. Sepetys, across her body of work, has become a tribune of the unsung historical moment and a humane voice of moral clarity.” –The Wall Street Journal

* "Sepetys brilliantly blends a staggering amount of research with heart, craft, and insight in a way very few writers can. Compulsively readable and brilliant." –Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "Sepetys once again masterfully portrays a dark, forgotten corner of history." –Booklist, starred review

* "Sepetys’s latest book maintains the caliber readers have come to expect from an author whose focus on hidden histories has made her a YA powerhouse of historical ­fiction…Sepetys is a formidable writer, and her stories declare the need to write about global issues of social injustice. For that reason and her attention to detail, this is a must-read." –School Library Journal, starred review

* "Cristian’s tense first-person narrative foregrounds stark historical realities, unflinchingly confronting deprivations and cruelty while balancing them with perseverance and hope as Romania hurtles toward political change." –Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Sepetys keeps readers riveted to this vivid, heartbreaking and compelling novel, locked into every meticulously researched detail. I Must Betray You demands a full investment from its audience--through poetic writing, sympathetic characters, revolutionary plot and pacing, it grips the heart and soul and leaves one breathless.” –Shelf Awareness, starred review

"A master class in pacing and atmosphere." –BookPage

©2022 Ruta Sepetys (P)2022 Listening Library

Mission accomplished Ruta

I love how Ruta brings to life often lesser known history. I now want to explore and research more of Romanian history of this time.

What a wonderful and an exciting history and story

Haven’t spent four years in Romania 2004 2008, this book was especially touching and informative. I think the author for her extensive research and a story so well told. Living among these people you can still feel the oppression they have gone through. The author has its expressed it so very well.

Fantastic Read!

4.5/5: This was a fantastic read! It's set in 1980s in Romania on the cusp of freedom from Communism. It focuses on the Florescu family, particularly 17-year-old Cristian, and their very miserable existence under Communism and the secret police. There is shortages of food and supplies, electricity isn't reliable and there are informers everywhere creating an environment of never knowing who can be trusted and the inability to ever speak the truth or have dreams. Cristian is blackmailed into becoming an informer so he has to choose to betray those he loves or use what he is learning to help the opposing forces bring down the country's dictator. The plot is full of unexpected twists, terror of not knowing who can be trusted, heartbreak of lives oppressed, and the resilient spirit that is always drawn to freedom. I particularly enjoyed this story because I grew up during the Cold War and have lived in an eastern European country where communism was once the ruling force.

Another winner from this author!

This is the third book by this author that I’ve listened to so far, and it is definitely another winner! Her characterization was so good that I literally felt like I was transported back to Romania in 1989 with the main characters! I was 14 in 1989, and I vaguely remember hearing about Coucescu being executed, but I wasn’t aware of just how bad things were in Romania until I listened to this book. I was also extremely inspired by the courage of the main character and his grandfather, A +++

A solid dive into the perspective of being a late teen through the fall of the Romanian Communist Regime

Amazing story laying out a teen’s life falling apart and being revived through the backdrop of the fall of the Romanian Communist Regime. I rarely listen to historical fiction but it put a few aspects of my own life into perspective and as someone not super knowledgeable about the culture of Romania, it was interesting to hear about this slice of life in a culture composed of a blend of the nations east and west of it with some aspects so unique to itself. There were moments where the story was quite predictable, especially throughout the first half, but it is a story for you g adults, and it managed to grab my attention back without lingering on many sections longer than it should’ve.

Historically Accurate & Thrilling

Great work of historical fiction. I am intrigued to know more now about Romania in the 1980s. Narrator was also excellent.

Another Stellar Book!

Ms. Sepetys has done it once again with an amazing heart felt historical novel. In this story, she exposes the tragic Romanian not so long ago history. The audio reading was very well done. Every teen should read this book. I can't wait for Sepetys next novel.

Excellent introduction to history we should know

I really enjoyed this book. It got a little too graphic for me in some parts with descriptions of torture, but I feel it’s important to shed insight on the insane suffering people have been through under communism.

Brilliant!

Such an incredible listen. The story is so well laid out and captivating. It’s heartbreaking but also inspiring. Bravo!

Could not stop listening

I learned a lot and was completely engaged from page 1 until the end .
The ending had a great twist .