Wilhem Gustloff in Salt to The Sea by Ruta Sepetys
I used to read romantic novels by Nicholas Sparks or other light books that didn’t force me to think hard (lol). Recently, I finished historical novel by Ruta Sepetys called Salt to the Sea. This book was published in 2016, and I just finished it this year during the out break of C-19. The reason why I chose this book was because I wanted to read something new, other than Sparks. Besides, I do not too up-to-date with some new books out there, and I found this book on my timeline.
Reading is a discount ticket to everywhere. — Mary Schmich.
I always believe that book will take me anywhere. Book takes me to the place I have never been in, to the time I have never come, and to the feeling that I have never felt before. Book is a window to the new world, new feeling, and new experience through words. I feel satisfied and full only by reading a new story from the past or present.
SALT TO THE SEA talked about 4 major characters named Joana, a nurse from Lithuania. Florian, a restoration artist from East Prussia. Emilia, a little girl from Poland, and Alfred, a Nazi. Using WW II as the background of the story, this book successfully made me feel sad and upset at the same time. Whenever I read this book, I thought about the past, the misery history; I felt the situation. Imagined myself at that point. Confuse, afraid, and depressed.
It is like I wander to something but the path is grey, cold and unclear. I cannot even predict myself would still alive or nah 😔.
Those 4 characters tried hard to survive. They kept walking, wandering with a heavy chest; with a guilt, shame, and fear inside their pocket. This book is so powerful, how the author pictured every characters’ story vividly, so I, as the reader could feel connected to them. I feel their sadness, I feel their sorry, and I sense the dread. All I think is how can someone be so cruel to others. . . Don’t they feel their pain?
Not only that, this book revealed a history, a story that I have never known before. Wilhelm Gustloff is one of the major events in this book. A huge ship belonging to Germany which took more than 10 thousands people. 10 thousands people with hope and big expectation. 10 thousands innocent souls who wished to be saved, to be free from fear and from an unwanted war. 10 thousands ordinary people who had desire to get a peaceful life, to be able to do ordinary daily life. Sadly, most of them were forced to meet their death.
Wilhelm Gustloff was forced to sink into the cold cold Baltic Sea at 30 January 1945. It attacked by 3 torpedoes belonging to Soviet submarine. No one expected that sudden attack (based on this book). Even without the torpedo attack, that ship was doubtful for it was overloaded. Can you imagine, the ship was supposed to accommodate only one thousand people, but in fact, it took 10 thousands human with their belonging!
Wilhelm Gustloff was expected to be their good destiny. A graceful hope, and their one and only way to escape from hell. Old people, children, victims of war, and powerless people. . .
Above all, the thing that made the author sad is many people do not know about this tragedy. It seems like this tragedy is forgotten. In fact, the sinking Wilhelm Gustloff is the greatest maritime disaster in history. (Just like me and even my peers. I would never known this history if I do not find this novel). Thus, the fact makes me sad as well. History should not be forgotten. That is how we, the survivor try to respect them, heroes.
From this book, Sepetys urged the reader to not stop reading. Especially history to respect them, heroes; to remind us how our heroes sacrificed their life to give us a freedom.
This book is good for you who want to dive right in the victim of war situation. You can feel the fear, sorrow and confusion, and after that, sympathy will grow inside you.
