4.5/5 Stars: ‘Between Shades of Gray’ is a Young Adult, Historical Fiction by Ruta Sepetys; ‘Between Shades of Gray’ illuminates an often-overlooked chapter in History, drawing comparisons to the misery inflicted by the Nazi Regime. This is a moving fictional story of extraordinary loss that nevertheless thrums with hope. ‘Between Shades of Gray’ is based on the stories of survivors Sepetys (Daughter of a Lithuanian Refugee) met whilst researching the deportation of Lithuanians under Stalin. Sepetys uses a light touch when describing the cruelty and violence suffered by our protagonist and her fellow travellers: these passages are brief and to the point, which make them all the more heart-breaking. The horrors described are staggering, but it's an effective and sensitive way to bring history to life. Readers will readily identify with Lina, who is abruptly ripped out of her comfortable life. At the book's end, readers may want to learn more about what happened in the Baltics.