For Hillsdale alumna Ruta Sepetys ’90, writing about tragic periods of history sometimes stings — but as the title of her new book puts it, these stories are as essential as “Salt to the Sea.”
The New York Times bestselling novelist shines light into dark corners of history in her third novel, released Feb. 2, and in a film adaptation of her first novel, “Between Shades of Gray.”
In “Salt to the Sea,” Sepetys tells the little-known story of the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff, the greatest maritime tragedy in history. As three teenage refugees and a young Nazi soldier attempt to escape the ruins of the Nazi regime at the end of World War II, they struggle with weighty questions. What remains after the destruction of war? Can the survivors move on and create new lives? How will those who were lost be remembered?
Sepetys’ own haunting questions echo through the novel as she eulogizes the victims of the Nazi and Soviet regimes with her signature blend of powerful storytelling and careful recounting of history.
“Learning about the Wilhelm Gustloff made me wonder, what determines how history is preserved and recalled?” Sepetys said in an email. “Why do some parts of history become part of our collective consciousness while others remain hidden? That question inspired me to investigate and write ‘Salt to the Sea.’”
But Sepetys’ new novel isn’t the only story in the spotlight. As “Salt to the Sea” debuted at No. 2 on the New York Times Bestseller list, Sepetys was planning for a tour of Europe to promote both “Salt to the Sea” and the film adaptation of her first novel, “Between Shades of Gray.” In the film, Sepetys’ fans will return to the story of Lithuanian World War II refugees. It will be filmed in Lithuania under the title “Ashes in the Snow.”
“It’s been indescribably exciting to be part of the process, read the drafts of the scripts, consult with the director and producer on casting, and meet with the actors,” Sepetys said. “The film team is so wonderful and the story is in their hands now.”
Sepetys’ interest in European history and culture is rooted in her family and education. The daughter of a Lithuanian refugee, Sepetys grew up in Detroit and came to Hillsdale College to study French and international finance.
Her junior year of college, she studied abroad in France at the Institute for American Universities in Toulon and at the Institut Commerical de Nancy.
“She was an exceptional student in French,” said Ellen Justice-Templeton, professor emeritus of French at Hillsdale College. “We only send our very, very best, and she had the honor of studying in a French business school, not just an American institution in France.”
Templeton said Sepetys’ Lithuanian heritage inspired her to explore other cultures in college.
“Ruta was an unusual student of culture from the beginning, since she had a Lithuanian father, and a lot of her inspiration came from her family,” Justice-Templeton said. “France allowed her to experience a different culture, something the kind of liberal arts student Hillsdale attracts would love to do. That broader base of liberal arts education along with business skills and literacy in French, was very valuable for an intellectually-curious student like Ruta.”
This curiosity shines through in Sepetys’ novels. She spent three years researching “Salt to the Sea,” traveling through Europe to explore historical sites, collect artifacts, and conduct interviews.
“I traveled to half a dozen countries trying to track down stories,” Sepetys said. “I studied the port in Poland where the Gustloff boarded and departed. Two elderly divers who were among the first to explore the sunken Gustloff helped me with my research. Together we walked the path of the refugees through the region all the way to coast. They introduced me to the landscape, traditions, and history of the area.”
Sepetys’ focus on bringing history to life for young readers has earned her a reputation as both storyteller and historian among critics, including Meghan Cox Gurdon, children’s book reviewer at the Wall Street Journal.
“Who but Ruta Sepetys sets a YA novel in wartime East Prussia?” Gurdon said in an email. “Her work is invaluable for that alone; but of course it is much more than that, because it’s so well-written and compelling and memorable.”
According to Gurdon, Sepetys’ stories resonate with young readers because Sepetys portrays challenging periods of history with honesty and hope.
“Teenagers have a natural instinct for stories of grueling challenge. It’s a time of life when we’re venturing into the world, and it makes us ask: do I have what it takes to survive?” Gurdon said. “Books allow us to live vicariously, to try on personae, to seem to be experiencing these brutal tests without risking our actual lives. So that is one reason. The other is that Ruta was writing about what really happened, and the truth has a magnetic power all of its own.”
Sepetys said she will continue to share stories of strength amid struggle in her work as she begins research for a novel about children in the Franco regime, set in 1950s Madrid.
“Through studying tragic stories of the past, we have an opportunity to learn and create hope for a more just future,” Sepetys said. “Young readers are deep thinkers and deep feelers. They are the future and I am honored to write for them.”
