My husband found this book and I just needed to read it. It doesn't come out until March of this year (2011). The cover is beautiful as well as the story. The video on her website is a great piece of the story and is amazing of how Ruta incorporated real stories into her own. I knew a lot of Stalin's rule and I too believed he was just as bad as the rest of them, if not worse. Didn't he shoot his own wife?


Anyway, the story is heartbreaking from beginning to end. I loved the epilogue and I just wish I could have read it in itself. Maybe there will be another book? Who knows? But this story was so sad and also courageous. It is a bout a young Lithuanian girl (about 15) and how her, her mother and brother were taken from their homes and cent away during WWII. They were not Jewish but were considered Fascists and criminals because of their rankings in society. The people who were taken away were librarians, teachers, doctors, lawyers and the like. They were sent away to farms and camps to build for the Soviets. It is a very good story and beware because it is very emotional.


I am thinking I need to read something a little more upbeat! All these sad books are killing me!!!!