The Fountains of Silence, Ruta Sepetys-Author, Narrator, Maite Jauregui, Richard Ferrone, Neil Hellegers, Joshua Kane, Liza Kaplan, Oliver Wyman, Narrators. In the author’s own words, she believes the future is in the hands of the youth, not the adults. The power to change resides with the young who will face it. This book covers many decades, beginning with the rise of Francisco Franco and continuing through his reign, ending with his death and a short period thereafter in which the country is reformed from a dictatorship into a more democratic regime. Daniel Madison is in Spain with his parents. His father has dealings with the dictator, Franco. His father is involved in the oil industry and the family is quite wealthy. The father is also involved with the government of the United States and is following the accepted practices of foreign policy. They are staying at a hotel in Madrid. When the book opens, Rafael Moreno is at his job working for a butcher. He sells blood to the ladies so they can make their sausage. He and his friend love the bullfights and his friend is training for an amateur exhibition. He is hoping to be recognized so he can be officially trained. In a moment of weakness, Rafa does something that he believes is the cause of his father’s death. His parents were involved in the Spanish Revolution, but not on the side of Franco. As a result, their lives were always in danger, and they were very poor. Rafael is Ana Torres Moreno’s brother. Ana works in a hotel. It is a coveted job because it pays a decent wage and affords opportunity to advance. Ana and her siblings have many secrets. Both of their parents have been murdered and they are trying to survive. Ana’s older sister is in charge of the family’s future. Daniel is staying at the hotel where Ana works. She is assigned to assist his family. Daniel is immediately smitten by her, as she is by him. However, dare she dream of a relationship with a gentleman from such a different world than hers? As their relationship grows, the history of the Revolution, the time of Franco’s rule, the effect on the populace for and against him, the relationship of Spain with the rest of the world, and other historic perspectives are revealed and examined. There is much to enjoy in the book, but I found this particular novel less enjoyable than others by this author. It seemed less of a crossover novel, for which she is known, and more of a Cinderella-like fairytale with history thrown into the mix. While it exposed the corruption and violence of Franco’s regime and the complicity of the United States which enabled his despotic rule, including random murders, the kidnapping of newborns (informing the mother her child died, although it was well), to sell to others deemed more fit to raise a child, the random murders of people considered enemies of the state, the continued punishing and deprivation of the ancestors of the revolutionaries, and while it explained the influence of the Church and the superstitions that informed the masses who were not well educated, it seemed written for a juvenile audience, only. The history and famous names mentioned were interesting and informative, with bits of knowledge imparted that I had not known, but some of it was confused by the reading of the footnotes concerning this information, which was interjected into the narrative in the audio without warning. The author has written other books based on her own history. This one, however, is based on the Spanish Civil War and the period that followed. She researched it well. Her books generally appeal to both young and old, but this one, I think, will appeal more to the young. The narrative will enthrall romantic teens, on the more naïve side. The historic narrative should, however, appeal to both teens and adults. I did not completely enjoy or appreciate the main narrator’s interpretation of some of the characters since she presented an interpretation different than mine, however, overall, the narrators performed well, delineating each character in a unique way and the book is very much worth a read.

It took me less than a day to read this book. It was such a sad and powerful story. 
I'm thankful that Ruta Sepetys has written it because I often have a feeling that people from other countries (in America and Western Europe) know quite well what Hitler did during the WW 2, but know a lot less about what Stalin was up to and how Siberia is full of unmarked graves. Thousands and thousands of people (among them babies, toddlers, teens, and senior citizens) were deported from Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia but also from Poland and Ukraine because they were marked as criminals and enemies of the Soviet Rule. And so few of them returned ...

Audience: Young Adult

Format: Audiobook

Library Copy

Guilt is a hunter.

- First sentence

 

This is more than just a story about the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff, although that is the historical event that inspired it. The book follows the journey of a group of refugees trying to escape war and find freedom. They have a long and arduous journey ahead of them, but if they can make it to the ship (and get aboard), they will have a chance to survive.

We follow the journey from the point of view of four teens: three refugees (each with their own secrets) and a sociopathic soldier with an inflated sense of his own importance. The point of view changes with each section and the effect can be disconcerting. Even though the change of narrator was tough to follow, I did like knowing what the characters were thinking and seeing the different ways they reacted to the same situation. 

I don't read a lot of historical fiction, but when I do, it tends to be from the WWII era. I did enjoy the book and felt it was extremely realistic. Sepetys doesn't shy away from horrific events or from showing the reactions of the characters. By the time the ship started sinking, I was totally rooting for the good characters to live and the bad ones to die, and on the edge of my seat. And of course, the end was heartbreaking even though parts of it were good.

1945. Eine Flüchtlingswelle flieht vor der Roten Armee nach Westen. Deutsche Deserteure, Polen, Litauer, Alte, Kranke, Kinder und Frauen - sie alle wollen noch rechtzeitig den Hafen von Gotenhafen erreichen. Darunter sind auch Florian, Emilia und Joana, die auf ein Schiff in einen sicheren Hafen hoffen. Werden sie sich rechtzeitig auf die Gustloff retten? 

"Salz für die See" ist ein ergreifender Roman, der auf der wahren Katastrophe des Schiffes Wilhelm Gustloff beruht.

Ruta Sepetys erzählt die fiktive Geschichte der Flüchtlinge, der Offiziere und Passagiere, und auch, wie und warum sie auf dem Schiff gelandet sind. Dabei wird der Roman aus den Perspektiven verschiedener Figuren erzählt, wobei Ruta Sepetys auf ein rundes Bild bedacht ist. 

Joana ist eine litauische Krankenschwester und gehört dem Flüchtlingstrek im Mittelpunkt der Erzählung an. Sie hat Schreckliches gesehen und erlebt. Außerdem meint sie, eine Mörderin zu sein. Ihr Ziel ist es, diese Schuld zu vergelten, daher hilft sie, wo sie nur kann.

Emilia ist Polin und vor den Nazis sowie vor der Roten Armee gleichermaßen auf der Flucht. Denn sie wird von keiner Seite als Mädchen, ebenbürtig oder gar als Mensch gesehen. Jedoch hat sie Glück und trifft auf Florian.

Florian bahnt sich einen ganz eigenen Weg. Er ist von höherer Stelle im deutschen Kriegsdienst desertiert, obwohl er mit einem imposanten Projekt beauftragt war. Nach jahrelangem Eifer hat er erkannt, dass er von Führer, Vorgesetzten und Vaterland nur missbraucht wurde, um eine Ideologie zu verherrlichen, die er nicht als richtig ansehen kann.

Alfred tritt seinen Dienst bei der Marine auf der Wilhelm Gustloff an. Stets war er dem Vaterland treu ergeben, so lange es nur nicht zu unangenehm war. Denn statt des tapferen Helden - als den er sich gerne sieht - ist er ein kleiner, mieser Feigling, der sich in der Not auch gern einmal auf's stille Örtchen verzieht.

Als Leser steigt man zuerst in die Flucht vor der Roten Armee ein. Man schließt sich Joanas Flüchtlingstrek an und merkt dabei, wie sich die Menschen trotz der Not gegenseitig helfen. Sie passen aufeinander auf, reichen sich die Hand und versuchen gemeinsam das rettende Schiff zu erreichen. 

Außerdem schildert die Autorin anschaulich die erschreckenden Umstände der Flucht. Die beissende Kälte, die durchgelaufenen Schuhe, die mangelnde Nahrung und ständige Angst zerren an jedem Einzelnen. Zusätzlich drohen weitere Gefahren, seien es nun Soldaten oder der nächtliche Erfrierungstod. 

Anschaulich wird das Grauen in Gotenhafen geschildert. Hier sammeln sich die Menschen, sind verzweifelt und mit ihrem letzten Hab und Gut bepackt. Kranke, Verstümmelte und Alte haben kaum eine Überlebenschance und die Fahrkarten für die letzten Schiffe sind heiß begehrt. 

Zuletzt wird der Untergang der Wilhelm Gustloff geschildert, wogegen der Untergang der Titanic eher ein Zwischenfall war. Die Gustloff hat 10 000 Menschen mit sich in die Tiefe gerissen, worunter großteils Frauen und Kinder waren. 

Meiner Meinung nach ist „Salz für die See“ ein wichtiger Roman, weil der Untergang der Gustloff kaum in den Geschichtsbüchern anzufinden ist. Ruta Sepetys erweist mit diesem Buch den Opfern ihren Respekt und versucht sie durch ihre Erzählung am Leben zu halten. Obwohl sämtliche Figuren erfunden sind, hat die Autorin wahre Ereignisse eingebaut, was ihr exzellent gelungen ist.

Einziger Kritikpunkt meinerseits ist, dass ein Strang ins Leere läuft und hier eine zentrale Frage offen bleibt. Das hat einen unfertigen Eindruck auf mich gemacht und die Autorin hat mich hier ratlos zurückgelassen.

Dennoch denke ich, dass dieses Buch noch viel, viel mehr Leser braucht und kann es an Interessierte nur weiterempfehlen. Ermöglicht den Frauen, Kindern und Alten ein Gedenken, damit sie in der Geschichte nicht untergehen.