Because of the level of detail and nuance Sepetys employs in her writing, I always get a clear picture of the setting from her. I’ve read plenty of historical fiction, but sometimes it’s hard for me to evoke an image of a place I know nothing about. Each book is meticulously researched, and Sepetys takes her time speaking to people who lived during the times she wants to write about. At the outset of the novel, the narrator was living in a one bedroom. Ruta Sepetys’s first person narrative, I Must Betray You, follows the life of Cristian Florescu as he comes of age in communist controlled Romania. If you enjoy reading historical fiction and learning about countries and people who rarely enter popular discussion, then I strongly recommend reading one of Sepetys’s books. The following version of this book was used to create the guide: Sepetys, Ruta. In fact, Lithuania as a country was only included on maps after the fall of the Soviet Union. During the discussion, I learned that Sepetys, as a Lithuania American, was driven to write about forgotten moments in time because she never heard the country of ancestors and its struggles spoken about in public discourse. I’ve been reading her books for years, and back in 2019, was able to see her live when she was promoting The Fountains of Silence. Whether it is life in a Soviet work camp or under a brutal dictator, Sepetys brings these moments to life with characters who seem like people we know. Known as the “Seeker of Lost Stories,” each of her books focuses on a moment in time that has been left off the pages of history books. Although her books are technically categorized as young adult (YA) historical fiction, anyone can read her stories. One author I recommend time and time again is Ruta Sepetys.

Book i must betray you