.jpg)
by: Ruta Sepetys
Recommended Age: YA (12+ years and above)
Lexile: N/A
Content Warning(s): Abuse, communism, death, (graphic) violence, etc.
"Romania, 1989. Communist regimes are crumbling across Europe. Seventeen-year-old Cristian Florescu dreams of becoming a writer, but Romanians aren’t free to dream; they are bound by rules and force.
Amidst the tyrannical dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu in a country governed by isolation and fear, Cristian is blackmailed by the secret police to become an informer. He’s left with only two choices: betray everyone and everything he loves—or use his position to creatively undermine the most notoriously evil dictator in Eastern Europe.
Cristian risks everything to unmask the truth behind the regime, give voice to fellow Romanians, and expose to the world what is happening in his country. He eagerly joins the revolution to fight for change when the time arrives. But what is the cost of freedom?" (book summary)
My Thoughts:
Personally, I had never heard of the communism that gripped Romania during the latter half of the 20th century. Therefore, 'I Must Betray You' offered a huge insight into the realities people faced for nearly four decades. Romanians lived in constant fear of being overheard, not even feeling free to speak louder than whispers in their own houses. People lived in constant fear of the country's infamous dictator, Nicolae Ceaușescu, who ruled as President for more than 20 years. They were afraid of the consequences if they expressed even the slightest sympathy for the West, particularly the Americans. 'I Must Betray You' was truly eye-opening, and came highly recommended by another Goodreads reviewer, making it a release I've been looking forward to reading it since early May 2022. After reading this book, I found myself in awe of Ms. Sepetys' writing and her ability to convey these fears, such that her other novels dominate my to-be-read list, like another Sepetys novel I recently finished: 'The Fountains of Silence', set in post-war Spain.
Comments