New York Times Bestseller!  "Masterly crafted" -- The Wall Street Journal For readers of  Between Shades of Gray  and All the Light We Cannot See , bestselling author Ruta Sepetys  returns to WWII in this epic novel that  shines a light on one of the war's most devastating--yet unknown--tragedies. World War II is drawing to a close in East Prussia and thousands of refugees are on a desperate trek toward freedom, many with something to hide. Among them are Joana, Emilia, and Florian, whose paths converge en route to the ship that promises salvation, the Wilhelm Gustloff. Forced by circumstance to unite, the three find their strength, courage, and trust in each other tested with each step closer to safety. Just when it seems freedom is within their grasp, tragedy strikes. Not country, nor culture, nor status matter as all ten thousand people aboard must fight for the same thing: survival. Told in alternating points of view and perfect for fans of Anthony Doerr's Pulitzer Prize-winning  All the Light We Cannot See , Erik Larson's  Dead Wake , and Elizabeth Wein's Printz Honor Book  Code Name Verity , this masterful work of historical fiction is inspired by the real-life tragedy that was the sinking of the   Wilhelm Gustloff -- the greatest maritime disaster in history. As she did in  Between Shades of Gray , Ruta Sepetys unearths a shockingly little-known casualty of a gruesome war, and proves that humanity can prevail, even in the darkest of hours. Praise for  Salt to the Sea : Featured on NPR's Morning Edition  ♦  "Superlative...masterfully crafted...[a] powerful work of historical fiction."-- The Wall Street Journal  ♦   "[Sepetys is] a master of YA fiction...she once again anchors a panoramic view of epic tragedy in perspectives that feel deeply textured and immediate."-- Entertainment Weekly  ♦   "Compelling for both adult and teenage readers."-- New York Times Book Review  ♦  "Intimate, extraordinary, artfully crafted...brilliant."-- Shelf Awareness   ♦  "[H]aunting, heartbreaking, hopeful and altogether gorgeous...one of the best young-adult novels to appear in a very long time."-- Salt Lake Tribune  ♦   * "This haunting gem of a novel begs to be remembered."-- Booklist,  starred review  ♦  * "Artfully told and sensitively crafted...will leave readers weeping."-- School Library Journal,  starred review Praise for Between Shades of Gray : New York Times  Notable Book, 2011  ♦   Wall Street Journal  Best Children's Book, 2011  ♦  A  Publishers Weekly ,  School Library Journal , Booklist , and Kirkus  Best Book of 2011  ♦  iTunes 2011 Rewind Best Teen Novel  ♦  A Carnegie Medal and William C. Morris Finalist  ♦  A  New York Times  and International Bestseller  ♦  "Few books are beautifully written, fewer still are important; this novel is both."-- The Washington Post  ♦   * "Beautifully written and deeply felt...an important book that deserves the widest possible readership."-- Booklist