Between Shades of Gray: Part 2 - Map & Snakes (Contains Spoilers)

[Mahsa]

Until now,I'm such a huge fan!I haven't been able to enjoy a novel this much,for a long time!This chapter finishes with the main character being transferred to an unknown place(maybe America).I hope a better life is ahead them,and I'm sad that she had to leave Andrius!

[Londa]

This part of the book was very powerful. I felt that one of the strongest themes was strength of a mother's love. Both Andrius and Lina's mother did whatever it took to keep their children alive. Even when the others shunned her, Andrius mother helped them as much as she could. Out of all the prisoners, I felt most sorry for her even though she had the most privileges.

The bald man really got under my skin. Everyone reacts to hardship in different ways and his reaction was very realistic but sometimes I wanted him to just 'shut up'!

[Cristal]

Yes, I found the bald man particularly annoying, I was waiting for one of the others to do something to him.

[Londa]

How did you all feel about the risks Lina took?

She took a risk in creating art of their lives in the camp.

She also took a HUGE risk by stealing her father's file.


Were these risks necessary?

[Meg]

In some ways I liked the bald man. It is a bit unrealistic really that everyone in a terrible situation like this would be unselfish and heroic. Not all people are like that, in fact, I imagine that probably in real life, the majority of people wouldn't handle such trying situations with perfect grace and courage.
Actually, I really liked how she kept calling him 'the bald man' and there was 'the man who wound his watch' even after she learned their names. It was cute.

[Londa]

Meg, I agree that 'The bald man' was very well written. So realistic that he got on my 'real' nerves. LOL

I was curious as to why she referred to people by the characteristics... 'the Grouchy Woman' 'The bald man' 'the man that wound his watch' and 'the repeater'

I think it was to emphasize how strangers were all thrown in together. When I don't really know someone I tend to refer to them by what 'sets them apart' from everyone else.

[Jenn]

I somewhat like the bald man too. I don't know where they're headed, but I'm pretty sure it's not America. I expect their problems to get worse before they get better.

One of the most powerful points of this section, to me, was the human need to understand their situation. That's why Lina took the risk in stealing her father's file and that's why everyone freaked out when they heard some of them might be moving. The lack of information about one's own situation is a kind of torture to humans.

[Tytti]

To America? No. Besides, the Soviet Union was allied with Germany at the time.

But I would have a hard time believing that none of them would have known/guessed where they were headed, at least if any of them knew anything about their own history. And it's not like the Purges had been a secret, either. (And some people had already been deported a year earlier.)