Alyssa Daniele asked Ruta Sepetys:

I am a huge fan of Between Shade of Grey, I always suggest them to my friends who have the same love for reading as me. I was wondering why you did the ending the way you did? I felt as though the stories just kind of stopped, I wish I could have seen Lina be released. I did however love the idea of having her leave behind a letter. What inspired you to write such an ending?

Ruta Sepetys Hi Alyssa -

Thanks so much for reading "Between Shades of Gray!'

In terms of the ending, I tried several different endings and wanted an ending that would:
a.) Inspire discussion and thought about the characters, the history, and what could have happened next. I wanted readers to explore on their own.
b.) Leave an open thread in case I want to write a follow up in the future. :)

Like you, many readers tell me that they would like to see what happens to Lina after her release. That means a lot to me. That says you felt invested in her character and fate. I'm so grateful!

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