Salt to the Sea

Heartbreaking, riveting, and deep novel that tells the story of four young adults whose lives are connected amidst WWII and the worst maritime disaster in history. Salt to the Sea chronicles a historical event unknown to most people and is not only a thought-provoking, tear-worthy book, but also a valuable learning experience. Good for older/mature teens.

To look out for:

Islamic values:

Characters make extremely difficult decisions as a result of war, including abandoning friends/family, stealing, and lying. One main character is a cold, fanatical Nazi, whose main purpose is to earn a medal for his work. Another is haunted by her unintentional betrayal of her cousin. However, few of the the morally wrong acts committed by characters are praised, as many are forced to lie/steal/hurt to save their family, etc. One of the main characters was raped during a massacre on her village. This is never directly mentioned, but implied, and her emotional trauma is alluded to throughout the book.

Romance:

Two characters fall in love and eventually kiss, then – SPOILER ALERT – marry years later. A girl gives birth to a child months after a traumatizing encounter with soldiers, where she is assaulted.

Profanity:

Derogatory terms used to describe enemies of Hitler, such as “filthy”, etc.

Violence:

Quite a bit of violence: deaths from drownings, bombings, shootings, and other horrific instances of wartime violence. The main action of the book involves the sinking of the MV Wilhelm Gustloff, where over 9,000 sank and died. Graphic descriptions of drowning, death from hypothermia, children falling, and other ghastly events during the sinking of the ship.