Salt to the Sea

By: Ruta Sepetys

Narrated by: Jorjeana Marie, Will Damron, Cassandra Morris, Michael Crouch

New York Times Bestseller! "Masterly crafted"—The Wall Street Journal

For readers of Between Shades of Gray and All the Light We Cannot See, bestselling author 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 theWilhelm 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:
“Jorjeana Marie, Will Damron, Cassandra Morris, and Michael Crouch perform mesmerizing narration worthy of Sepetys’s spectacular novel. VERDICT Libraries with even the most limited audio budgets will want to invest.” –School Library Journal, starred review

“The talented narrators excel in capturing the tone of their characters…. [They] work together to create a vivid and well-rounded reading experience, [and] bring forth the truth of the wartime experience.” –Booklist, starred review

“The four narrators (Jorjeana Marie, Will Damron, Cassandra Morris and Michael Crouch) are superbly cast...The story’s plot and pacing translate beautifully to the audio medium.” – Publishers Weekly, starred review

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

Well done historic fiction.

I was immersed in the voices of the characters! Strange circumstances can make a family of very disparate people. This was definitely not a part of the war I had ever heard before.

Except for one stuffed up narrator, great

This is a fantastic story and Ruta Sepetys is a fantastic storyteller.

The narration was for the most part good, but the narrator who plays Joanna must have had a cold or something--she sounds slightly congested for almost the entire book, and for that reason her chapters were a bit grating. But the other three were great.

Interesting plot and structure

Narration: clear...just a bit affected at times.

Story: interesting plot allows disparate characters to find voice. Mostly believable intertwined lives. The older woman was truly uncharitable and believable, shoemaker endearing, the young woman tragic and brave, the nurse unbelievably generous and loving, the young Nazi insufferably officious and self-righteous—as as depicted in stereotypes, the boy’s character not fully developed and responses to Nazi guard not believable.

Overall a good listen and accurately documents the horrid sinking of the wilhelm gotsloff.

Interesting that full story of sinking came to light nearly 50 years after tragedy.

Author to be credited for not describing sinking as war crime as it is commonly understood. The wilhelm was armed, not painted in humanitarian colors, transporting soldiers, so was legitimate target. As is so commonly erroneously depicted, the Russians dd not commit a war crime in torpedoing the wilhelm.

Moreover, the captain, though a druncard and flawed, was nonetheless was thoroughly competent when at sea. Thus, his character did not explain his ordering the sinking of the whilhelm. Eventually, he was exonerated.

This story will make for a heck of good movie rivaling the sinking of the titanic.

Salt to sea

A gripping historical novel with wonderful, talented narrators. One of the best books I’ve listened to, every time I had to put it down I couldn’t wait to pick it up again.

Excellent read.

Beautiful story and an excellent picture of last days of East Prussia., history of Poland, Lithuania and World War 2.. Highly recommended.