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Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Young Adult Fiction (2022)Седемнайсетгодишният Кристиан Флореску намира начини да избяга от ограниченията зад Желязната завеса – със своя дядо слушат тайно забранени радиостанции като „Свободна Европа“ и „Гласът на Америка“, разказват си опасни политически вицове, а самият той мечтае да стане писател и да учи философия в университета.
Но момчето, като повечето румънци, не може свободно да следва мечтите си. Хванато е заедно с милиони свои сънародници в капана на бруталната диктатура на всемогъщия комунистически вожд Николае Чаушеску, чиято власт изглежда непоклатима.
Кристиан попада на мушката на зловещите тайни служби Секуритате и е изнудван да пише доноси за своите приятели, близки и съседи. Изправен е на най-страшния кръстопът – да предаде всички, които обича, или да се присъедини към назрязващата революция срещу един от най-страховитите диктатори в следвоенна Европа.
Но свободата винаги има цена – и тя често се заплаща с кръв.
Но момчето, като повечето румънци, не може свободно да следва мечтите си. Хванато е заедно с милиони свои сънародници в капана на бруталната диктатура на всемогъщия комунистически вожд Николае Чаушеску, чиято власт изглежда непоклатима.
Кристиан попада на мушката на зловещите тайни служби Секуритате и е изнудван да пише доноси за своите приятели, близки и съседи. Изправен е на най-страшния кръстопът – да предаде всички, които обича, или да се присъедини към назрязващата революция срещу един от най-страховитите диктатори в следвоенна Европа.
Но свободата винаги има цена – и тя често се заплаща с кръв.
352 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2022
About the author
Ruta Sepetys
11 books22k followers#1 New York Times Bestselling Author and Winner of the Carnegie Medal.
Ruta Sepetys was born and raised in Michigan in a family of artists, readers, and music lovers. The daughter of a refugee, Ruta is drawn to underrepresented stories of strength through struggle and hopes to give voice to those who weren't able to tell their story. Her award-winning historical novels are published in over sixty countries and have received over forty literary prizes.
For more information:
https://www.rutasepetys.com
https://www.facebook.com/rutasepetys
https://www.instagram.com/rutasepetys...
https://www.twitter.com/rutasepetys
Ruta Sepetys was born and raised in Michigan in a family of artists, readers, and music lovers. The daughter of a refugee, Ruta is drawn to underrepresented stories of strength through struggle and hopes to give voice to those who weren't able to tell their story. Her award-winning historical novels are published in over sixty countries and have received over forty literary prizes.
For more information:
https://www.rutasepetys.com
https://www.facebook.com/rutasepetys
https://www.instagram.com/rutasepetys...
https://www.twitter.com/rutasepetys
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 10,826 reviews
February 23, 2022
‘when justice cannot shape memory, remembering the past can be a form of justice.’
powerful and haunting. a story to give proper justice to an often forgotten memory.
thank goodness for books like this - books that teach us and help us remember.
↠ 5 stars
powerful and haunting. a story to give proper justice to an often forgotten memory.
thank goodness for books like this - books that teach us and help us remember.
↠ 5 stars
February 7, 2022
Could not put it down.
Grabbed me after a few chapters and kept me absorbed and on the edge until the very end.
Communist dictator, Nicolae Ceaușescu has been ruling Romania for 24 years. The Communist Party spied on everyone and had a right to see and hear everything at all times. Romanians lived in constant fear, stood in line all day for just a can of dented beans, had their tiny apartments bugged, weren't allowed to interact with "foreigners", everyone had to report anything they saw.
Told from Christians POV, he is a high schooler who is tricked by the secret police to become an informer, a "rat". He believes he can outwit them...
Short pacy chapters, breath holding/head spinning moments, my nerves were on edge. I'd call this one a historical thriller!
I learned so much about the history and culture of Romania, though this was a work of historical fiction, the dictatorship and suffering was real and heavily researched.
Purchased my copy/ Feb 2022
Grabbed me after a few chapters and kept me absorbed and on the edge until the very end.
Communist dictator, Nicolae Ceaușescu has been ruling Romania for 24 years. The Communist Party spied on everyone and had a right to see and hear everything at all times. Romanians lived in constant fear, stood in line all day for just a can of dented beans, had their tiny apartments bugged, weren't allowed to interact with "foreigners", everyone had to report anything they saw.
Told from Christians POV, he is a high schooler who is tricked by the secret police to become an informer, a "rat". He believes he can outwit them...
Short pacy chapters, breath holding/head spinning moments, my nerves were on edge. I'd call this one a historical thriller!
I learned so much about the history and culture of Romania, though this was a work of historical fiction, the dictatorship and suffering was real and heavily researched.
Purchased my copy/ Feb 2022
May 20, 2023
I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys,
Edoardo Ballerini (Narrator)
While I knew some of what went on in Romania during the tyrannical twenty four year rule of Nicolae Ceaușescu, I wasn't aware of the details that we get from this story. In 1989, seventeen year old Cristian Florescu has never known anything else but the spirit and life crushing existence under this regime but from his grandfather he knows that things used to be so much better. Now Cristian knows that this is all there is, nothing to look forward to, nothing will change unless it gets worse although there is not much worse than what they are living. He and his family of five live in a tiny one bedroom apartment, Cristine sleeps in a closet, there is never enough food and they must stand in line for hours to get the tiniest bits of it. Cristian's parents work six days a week, twelve hours a day, while Cristian goes to school until 7pm six days a week. He must to do "mandatory volunteerism" on his days off and when he finishes school he will be assigned a menial job for the rest of his life.
But there is more, there are spies and bugs everywhere, even the family's apartment, even the bathroom is not safe. The family must whisper in their apartment, they must hide all their true thoughts and feelings or risk imprisonment or death. They wear their coats all the time because of lack of heat in their apartment and they lose their electricity regularly, even hospitals aren't immune from this and premature babies can die when their incubators have no electricity. Woman are hounded to have ten children although those children may be taken away immediately.
Anyone can be a spy for the secret police because of blackmail. Now Cristian is being made to spy and the reward is medicine for his very sick grandfather. To say no will mean punishment for Cristian's entire family so Cristian must do it. In fact, there must be another spy in his family of five because the secret police know everything about Cristian, even things he has never said out loud. This is Cristian's life and it's not going to get better. He loves to write but writing and thinking for oneself is a death sentence and ones family will suffer, too. There is no freedom and although the physical hardships are bad, the mental and psychological hardships are even worse.
Sepetys shows us all of this and more through the eyes of Cristian. There is no where to go from here but to join the revolution because there is no future or freedom with this life. Once Cristian gets glimpses of what the free world is like he knows the lies his people have been told and he knows that lies the world has been told. He wants to get the word out to the world about what his leader has done to his nation. Cristian's story is intense, beautiful, tragic, and heartbreaking and Sepetys brings his life and fight and those of the masses during this time in Romania, out in the open.
Edoardo Ballerini does an excellent job narrating the story. At the end is an enlightening afterword from the author. I always appreciate getting more information about the writing of a story that deals with history.
Pub Feb 1, 2022 by Listening Library
Edoardo Ballerini (Narrator)
While I knew some of what went on in Romania during the tyrannical twenty four year rule of Nicolae Ceaușescu, I wasn't aware of the details that we get from this story. In 1989, seventeen year old Cristian Florescu has never known anything else but the spirit and life crushing existence under this regime but from his grandfather he knows that things used to be so much better. Now Cristian knows that this is all there is, nothing to look forward to, nothing will change unless it gets worse although there is not much worse than what they are living. He and his family of five live in a tiny one bedroom apartment, Cristine sleeps in a closet, there is never enough food and they must stand in line for hours to get the tiniest bits of it. Cristian's parents work six days a week, twelve hours a day, while Cristian goes to school until 7pm six days a week. He must to do "mandatory volunteerism" on his days off and when he finishes school he will be assigned a menial job for the rest of his life.
But there is more, there are spies and bugs everywhere, even the family's apartment, even the bathroom is not safe. The family must whisper in their apartment, they must hide all their true thoughts and feelings or risk imprisonment or death. They wear their coats all the time because of lack of heat in their apartment and they lose their electricity regularly, even hospitals aren't immune from this and premature babies can die when their incubators have no electricity. Woman are hounded to have ten children although those children may be taken away immediately.
Anyone can be a spy for the secret police because of blackmail. Now Cristian is being made to spy and the reward is medicine for his very sick grandfather. To say no will mean punishment for Cristian's entire family so Cristian must do it. In fact, there must be another spy in his family of five because the secret police know everything about Cristian, even things he has never said out loud. This is Cristian's life and it's not going to get better. He loves to write but writing and thinking for oneself is a death sentence and ones family will suffer, too. There is no freedom and although the physical hardships are bad, the mental and psychological hardships are even worse.
Sepetys shows us all of this and more through the eyes of Cristian. There is no where to go from here but to join the revolution because there is no future or freedom with this life. Once Cristian gets glimpses of what the free world is like he knows the lies his people have been told and he knows that lies the world has been told. He wants to get the word out to the world about what his leader has done to his nation. Cristian's story is intense, beautiful, tragic, and heartbreaking and Sepetys brings his life and fight and those of the masses during this time in Romania, out in the open.
Edoardo Ballerini does an excellent job narrating the story. At the end is an enlightening afterword from the author. I always appreciate getting more information about the writing of a story that deals with history.
Pub Feb 1, 2022 by Listening Library
July 26, 2022
“Paradise: If communism is Paradise, why do we need barriers, walls, and laws to keep people from escaping?”
This really wasn't what I expected the book to be. I think I set my expectations so high after hearing it will cover one of the darkest parts of my country's history and that it's written by one of the best historical fiction authors out there. for the record I haven't read any Ruta Sepetys books before this one While there were parts in this book that were great, it lacked in so many other aspects.
1989, Romania. Communist regimes are starting to crumble all across Europe and Cristian Florescu has his own dream. To become a writer, but romanians aren't allowed to dream; they are ruled by tyranny. In a country governed by isolation and fear under the dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu, Cristian is blackmailed to become an informer and he has to choose: to betray everyone he loves or to use it to his advantage but the cost might be far greater than he can afford.
While this book was not as good as I expected it's still a reminder of what had happened in Romania. What the older generations have lived through and the stories left untold.
“Good luck comes at a price. Bad luck is free.”
The book was fairly simplistic. That's the best way I can describe it. It felt like the author put more thought into the research and trying to get every fact right that she didn't get to focus as much on the plot and the characters. Don't get me wrong, I was there for the historical parts and it's clear how much work Ruta Sepetys has put into the book so she can actually bring awareness of the cruelty millions of romanians have endured, but I still need a good plot and well written characters for me to enjoy and be able to fully recommend a book.
I didn't feel anything for the characters. I felt some sympathy for Cristi, Liliana and Luca,the other characters were just there for me, these three are the ones taht just stood up a bit but nothing more. I didn't care about them; anything could have happened and I wouldn't have felt any emotions. They were pretty bland and honestly I wouldn't be able to name any personality trait each of them had.
The plot was very rushed. Not just the ending. Everything felt rushed and I'm not sure much has actually happened. The plot moved on really fast and before you know it you get to the end. The ending was very abrupt too; there was no build up, no tension, no emotions, nothing. It just happened and that was that. The characters had barely any involvement with the events that happened at the end and while I know they are just teenagers and there wasn't much they could do, I still think there could have happened more. It felt more like we were hearing about this event rather than seeing it through the eyes of the protagonist.
“You’re wrong. They steal our power by making us believe we don’t have any. They’re controlling us through our own fear.”
Although I may have not like it as much as I wanted, I still believe I must betray you brings awareness about the communist regime in Romania and the hardships of that period as accurately as a work of fiction can. It's not a book I'd discourage people to read and I do recommend it, but there are still aspects of it that should be kept in mind.
“How could we expect others to feel our pain or hear our cries for help when all we could do was whisper ?”
____________________________________________
I HAVE A COPY I HAVE A COPY I HAVE A COPYYYYY
____________________________________________
A HISTORICAL FICTION BOOK SET DURING THE COMMUNIST ERA IN ROMANIA?!?! I NEED IT!!
seeing that this book is set in my country has made me so happy 😭😭
and the palace of the parliament on the cover with the Romanian flag I'm freaking out. THE COVER IS STUNNING
I've never read a fiction book set during this time period in Romania so I'm so excited for this. please be good. I need it to be good. I think I already have extremely high expectations.
This really wasn't what I expected the book to be. I think I set my expectations so high after hearing it will cover one of the darkest parts of my country's history and that it's written by one of the best historical fiction authors out there.
1989, Romania. Communist regimes are starting to crumble all across Europe and Cristian Florescu has his own dream. To become a writer, but romanians aren't allowed to dream; they are ruled by tyranny. In a country governed by isolation and fear under the dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu, Cristian is blackmailed to become an informer and he has to choose: to betray everyone he loves or to use it to his advantage but the cost might be far greater than he can afford.
While this book was not as good as I expected it's still a reminder of what had happened in Romania. What the older generations have lived through and the stories left untold.
“Good luck comes at a price. Bad luck is free.”
The book was fairly simplistic. That's the best way I can describe it. It felt like the author put more thought into the research and trying to get every fact right that she didn't get to focus as much on the plot and the characters. Don't get me wrong, I was there for the historical parts and it's clear how much work Ruta Sepetys has put into the book so she can actually bring awareness of the cruelty millions of romanians have endured, but I still need a good plot and well written characters for me to enjoy and be able to fully recommend a book.
I didn't feel anything for the characters. I felt some sympathy for Cristi, Liliana and Luca,
The plot was very rushed. Not just the ending. Everything felt rushed and I'm not sure much has actually happened. The plot moved on really fast and before you know it you get to the end. The ending was very abrupt too; there was no build up, no tension, no emotions, nothing. It just happened and that was that. The characters had barely any involvement with the events that happened at the end and while I know they are just teenagers and there wasn't much they could do, I still think there could have happened more. It felt more like we were hearing about this event rather than seeing it through the eyes of the protagonist.
“You’re wrong. They steal our power by making us believe we don’t have any. They’re controlling us through our own fear.”
Although I may have not like it as much as I wanted, I still believe I must betray you brings awareness about the communist regime in Romania and the hardships of that period as accurately as a work of fiction can. It's not a book I'd discourage people to read and I do recommend it, but there are still aspects of it that should be kept in mind.
“How could we expect others to feel our pain or hear our cries for help when all we could do was whisper ?”
____________________________________________
I HAVE A COPY I HAVE A COPY I HAVE A COPYYYYY
____________________________________________
A HISTORICAL FICTION BOOK SET DURING THE COMMUNIST ERA IN ROMANIA?!?! I NEED IT!!
seeing that this book is set in my country has made me so happy 😭😭
and the palace of the parliament on the cover with the Romanian flag I'm freaking out. THE COVER IS STUNNING
March 14, 2022
4.5 ⭐
I devour it in two sittings. So goood!
I'm unfamiliar with Romania's history. I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys shines light during the dark period when Romanians live in fear and suspicion under the communist party and dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu (in office 1965-1989).
The story follows Cristian Florescu, a seventeen-year-old high school student who's been tapped by the secret police to become an informant, a tool for intelligence and surveillance. One in every ten Romanians is a "Securitate Informant". Civilians from different backgrounds and ages can be an informant to spy and report on one another even family members. There's fear and suffering throughout such times where basic things are considered illegal. The word "dollar" is illegal to say. Interaction with a foreigner is illegal. An unregistered typewriter is illegal. A crime committed by an individual is extended to an entire family.
Honestly, YA novels aren't my go-to genre, but I can learn so much from Sepetys' historical fiction novels. They are very well written and thoroughly researched. Usually, she focuses on less-known parts of history. 🇷🇴❤️
(Audiobook read by Edoardo Ballerini is marvelous!)
I devour it in two sittings. So goood!
I'm unfamiliar with Romania's history. I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys shines light during the dark period when Romanians live in fear and suspicion under the communist party and dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu (in office 1965-1989).
The story follows Cristian Florescu, a seventeen-year-old high school student who's been tapped by the secret police to become an informant, a tool for intelligence and surveillance. One in every ten Romanians is a "Securitate Informant". Civilians from different backgrounds and ages can be an informant to spy and report on one another even family members. There's fear and suffering throughout such times where basic things are considered illegal. The word "dollar" is illegal to say. Interaction with a foreigner is illegal. An unregistered typewriter is illegal. A crime committed by an individual is extended to an entire family.
Honestly, YA novels aren't my go-to genre, but I can learn so much from Sepetys' historical fiction novels. They are very well written and thoroughly researched. Usually, she focuses on less-known parts of history. 🇷🇴❤️
(Audiobook read by Edoardo Ballerini is marvelous!)
May 10, 2024
‘Dracula is fiction, with no real connection to Romanian history. But there was once a real bloodthirsty monster living in a castle in Romania. He remained in his tower for twenty-four years. While Dracula chose specific victims, this other monster chose to be evil and cruel . . .’
In December 1989, the Christmas Revolution brought about the end of dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu’s rule and 42 years of communism in Romania. Under strict austerity measures that left many impoverished and starving, a lack of free speech with constant terror of informers or the brutal Securitate (secret police), and a cult of personality to the leader that kept much of their suffering unreported outside Romania, the Romanian people came together to fight for freedom as many communist governments in Eastern Europe fell. I Will Betray You by Ruta Sepetys is a fantastic YA historical fiction surrounding the events of Romania being the last country to remove their dictator—and the only to do so violently. It follows Cristian, a teenage boy who’s life is turned upside down when he is blackmailed into becoming an informer and asked to spy on the teenage son of the US diplomat who’s apartment Cristian’s mother cleans (so kind of like Normal People except instead of fucking each other they fuck each other over). Determined to outsmart even the secret police, Cristian has a plan to get his story of the truth about Romania out of the country but betrayal lurks behind every corner. A tense, claustrophobic novel where ‘there is no such thing as a ‘confidant’,’ and widespread suffering emanates from every page, I Will Betray You’s punchy writing and shocking twists will have you flipping pages as if Cristian’s survival depends on you to keep reading.
Romanian demonstrators gather in front of the Communist Party headquarters in Bucharest, Dec 22, 1989
In I Must Betray You, Sepetys depicts a country under harsh oppression, a country few knew anything about and champions the spirit of hope and resistance kept alive in the hearts of the people. This was a fascinating novel that covered a period of history I knew very little about and deftly folds the educational aspects into a pot-boiler of a novel where the tension accrues with tremendous intensity. There are many mysteries at the heart of this tale and danger at every corner, keeping you and Cristian constantly on your toes wondering who could be betraying who and Cristian must learn the harsh reality that ‘when betraying others, we often betray ourselves.' It is written in very short chapters, most of which end on a cliff-hanger or with a right-hook of a surprise line that makes this very easy to plow through quickly, the tension keeping you yearning for more. I quite enjoyed this and it felt like something you’d read for a class in middle or high school and actually be glad to have assigned reading homework and I could see this working very successfully in a classroom. It does sort of fall into the historical fiction tendency to have its characters interact with almost too many aspects of a historical event, but it does so in a way that gives you a broader portrait of what was happening at the time.
‘Mistrust is a form of terror. The regime pits us against one another. We can’t join together in solidarity because we never know whom we can trust or who might be an informer.’
The novel does an excellent job of depicting the crushing mistrust and anxieties of living under such a system, where 1 in every 10 people living in the country was an informer as Sepetys says in her afterword. We feel this pressure at all times in the book and Sepetys has a clever method of sprinkling “classified documents” throughout the text that reveal an unknown informer is watching everything Cristian does, and this added layer of dramatic irony increases our stress watching Cristian knowing he isn’t being as secretive as he thinks. The stress is great for everyone, with one boy even having a break down in class and confessing he is an informer, and as the story progresses Cristian finds that he might not be the only one in his own family.
I am reminded of that Modest Mouse song with the lyrics ‘Everyone's a voyeurist / They're watching me watch them watch me right now’ and even in their own homes these characters have to whisper for fear their homes might be bugged. It is an excellent depiction of how control can work by effectively turning everyone against each other to use the uncertainty of fear to keep people in line. It is terrifying.
‘And I noticed something.
Choice.
Options.
The characters in foreign movies had both.
We had no choice.’
Where there are any choices in the novel, it tends to be between a rock and a hard place. Anything from the West is contraband, though people seem to find ways to acquire and hide them (trading cigarettes—kents—is one way, though these are needed for anything from bribes to simply getting a dentist to numb your gums for a tooth extraction) and it provides a window into the outside world that seems so strange to Cristian. Trying a coke for the first time feels like ‘a revolution on my tongue’ and his one wish is to try a banana. When he sees a clip of American teenager while at the Diplomat’s house he is surprised they don’t all lunge for the bowl of fruit, until it hits him that they have no need to lunge for the fruit because it is plentiful. It works well to show the reasoning Ceaușescu cut them off from the rest of the world so they wouldn’t even be aware what they were missing. Writing to a teen audience in the US, this is a reminder of the privileges one has without even realizing it, or as Cristian says we usually don’t appreciate or recognize the good things in life until they are gone.
Ceaușescu (center) at Disneyland, a photo seen by Cristian in the novel.
This gets into Ceaușescu’s cult of personality and the manipulation of an entire country. He has also hoodwinked world leaders, with the US even supporting him. We learn of children’s groups to promote submission to the state, like Falcons of the Fatherland beginning at age 4. Abortion is highly illegal and women are considered property of the State, with tax breaks for having large families and awards if you have 5 or 10. A new generation raised not knowing any differently and an aging generation with their speech suppressed is a catalyst for control, especially when anything from beyond the borders is taught to be dangerous and simply seeing something without reporting it is reason enough for imprisonment. Discovering the truth feels like ultimate betrayal. Luckily for Cristian he has his grandfather, his Bunu, who speaks against the regime and teaches Cristian to fight back and hope.
‘Words are weapons.’
Perhaps my favorite aspect of the novel is the way words are a major form of resistance. ‘They steal our power by making us believe we don’t have any,’ Bunu teaches him, ‘but words and creative phrases—they have power, Cristian. Explore that power in your mind.’ Cristian keeps a diary full of observations and poetry, a diary that would be a death sentence if the secret police ever found it, and hopes to get it to the Diplomat as a way for the US to learn the truth about Romania. A journal with lines like ‘If communism is Paradise, why do we need barriers, walls, and laws to keep people from escaping?’ In a world where speech can lead to death, it is also speech that can lead to freedom, and Sepetys captures this in such an empowering and inspiring way.
‘DO YOU HEAR ME?
RECITING JOKES,
LAUGHING TO HIDE TEARS OF TRUTH
THAT WE ARE DENIED THE PRESENT
WITH EMPTY PROMISES
OF AN EMPTIER FUTURE.’
This is an excellent novel, and while being a YA it is just as engaging and informative for adults. It is an harrowing look at the Romanian Revolution and events leading up to it, such as Romania’s star Olympic gymnast Nadia Comăneci defecting, and the surrounding countries fighting for freedom. It becomes a powerful lesson on solidarity, organizing and uprising, recognizing ‘this is bigger than the ‘I’ or the ‘me.’ This must be ‘we.’’ The slow-burn tension building first half of the book explodes to a dramatic conclusion, full of violence and bravery, making this a very exciting but heart wrenching novel and there are some incredible twists. Plus there is an adorable blossoming romance between Cristian and Lilliana which adds a tender sweetness to the tale. Ultimately, I Will Betray You becomes a book about surveillance and betrayal with a reminder that not knowing the full story can be deadly, and sometimes we never know all the truth until far too late. A gripping thriller full of important history, I Will Betray You is quite the impressive page-turner.
4.5/5
‘Romanians were joining in hand and heart. And together they were finally calling—
For freedom.’
In December 1989, the Christmas Revolution brought about the end of dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu’s rule and 42 years of communism in Romania. Under strict austerity measures that left many impoverished and starving, a lack of free speech with constant terror of informers or the brutal Securitate (secret police), and a cult of personality to the leader that kept much of their suffering unreported outside Romania, the Romanian people came together to fight for freedom as many communist governments in Eastern Europe fell. I Will Betray You by Ruta Sepetys is a fantastic YA historical fiction surrounding the events of Romania being the last country to remove their dictator—and the only to do so violently. It follows Cristian, a teenage boy who’s life is turned upside down when he is blackmailed into becoming an informer and asked to spy on the teenage son of the US diplomat who’s apartment Cristian’s mother cleans (so kind of like Normal People except instead of fucking each other they fuck each other over). Determined to outsmart even the secret police, Cristian has a plan to get his story of the truth about Romania out of the country but betrayal lurks behind every corner. A tense, claustrophobic novel where ‘there is no such thing as a ‘confidant’,’ and widespread suffering emanates from every page, I Will Betray You’s punchy writing and shocking twists will have you flipping pages as if Cristian’s survival depends on you to keep reading.
Romanian demonstrators gather in front of the Communist Party headquarters in Bucharest, Dec 22, 1989
In I Must Betray You, Sepetys depicts a country under harsh oppression, a country few knew anything about and champions the spirit of hope and resistance kept alive in the hearts of the people. This was a fascinating novel that covered a period of history I knew very little about and deftly folds the educational aspects into a pot-boiler of a novel where the tension accrues with tremendous intensity. There are many mysteries at the heart of this tale and danger at every corner, keeping you and Cristian constantly on your toes wondering who could be betraying who and Cristian must learn the harsh reality that ‘when betraying others, we often betray ourselves.' It is written in very short chapters, most of which end on a cliff-hanger or with a right-hook of a surprise line that makes this very easy to plow through quickly, the tension keeping you yearning for more. I quite enjoyed this and it felt like something you’d read for a class in middle or high school and actually be glad to have assigned reading homework and I could see this working very successfully in a classroom. It does sort of fall into the historical fiction tendency to have its characters interact with almost too many aspects of a historical event, but it does so in a way that gives you a broader portrait of what was happening at the time.
‘Mistrust is a form of terror. The regime pits us against one another. We can’t join together in solidarity because we never know whom we can trust or who might be an informer.’
The novel does an excellent job of depicting the crushing mistrust and anxieties of living under such a system, where 1 in every 10 people living in the country was an informer as Sepetys says in her afterword. We feel this pressure at all times in the book and Sepetys has a clever method of sprinkling “classified documents” throughout the text that reveal an unknown informer is watching everything Cristian does, and this added layer of dramatic irony increases our stress watching Cristian knowing he isn’t being as secretive as he thinks. The stress is great for everyone, with one boy even having a break down in class and confessing he is an informer, and as the story progresses Cristian finds that he might not be the only one in his own family.
‘And thats when it hit me:
The teacher must be an informer. He informed on the students.
The school director was an informer. He informed on the teachers.
The secretary was an informer. She informed on the school director.
Luca was an informer. He informed on me.
I was an informer. I informed on Americans.’
I am reminded of that Modest Mouse song with the lyrics ‘Everyone's a voyeurist / They're watching me watch them watch me right now’ and even in their own homes these characters have to whisper for fear their homes might be bugged. It is an excellent depiction of how control can work by effectively turning everyone against each other to use the uncertainty of fear to keep people in line. It is terrifying.
‘And I noticed something.
Choice.
Options.
The characters in foreign movies had both.
We had no choice.’
Where there are any choices in the novel, it tends to be between a rock and a hard place. Anything from the West is contraband, though people seem to find ways to acquire and hide them (trading cigarettes—kents—is one way, though these are needed for anything from bribes to simply getting a dentist to numb your gums for a tooth extraction) and it provides a window into the outside world that seems so strange to Cristian. Trying a coke for the first time feels like ‘a revolution on my tongue’ and his one wish is to try a banana. When he sees a clip of American teenager while at the Diplomat’s house he is surprised they don’t all lunge for the bowl of fruit, until it hits him that they have no need to lunge for the fruit because it is plentiful. It works well to show the reasoning Ceaușescu cut them off from the rest of the world so they wouldn’t even be aware what they were missing. Writing to a teen audience in the US, this is a reminder of the privileges one has without even realizing it, or as Cristian says we usually don’t appreciate or recognize the good things in life until they are gone.
Ceaușescu (center) at Disneyland, a photo seen by Cristian in the novel.
This gets into Ceaușescu’s cult of personality and the manipulation of an entire country. He has also hoodwinked world leaders, with the US even supporting him. We learn of children’s groups to promote submission to the state, like Falcons of the Fatherland beginning at age 4. Abortion is highly illegal and women are considered property of the State, with tax breaks for having large families and awards if you have 5 or 10. A new generation raised not knowing any differently and an aging generation with their speech suppressed is a catalyst for control, especially when anything from beyond the borders is taught to be dangerous and simply seeing something without reporting it is reason enough for imprisonment. Discovering the truth feels like ultimate betrayal. Luckily for Cristian he has his grandfather, his Bunu, who speaks against the regime and teaches Cristian to fight back and hope.
‘Words are weapons.’
Perhaps my favorite aspect of the novel is the way words are a major form of resistance. ‘They steal our power by making us believe we don’t have any,’ Bunu teaches him, ‘but words and creative phrases—they have power, Cristian. Explore that power in your mind.’ Cristian keeps a diary full of observations and poetry, a diary that would be a death sentence if the secret police ever found it, and hopes to get it to the Diplomat as a way for the US to learn the truth about Romania. A journal with lines like ‘If communism is Paradise, why do we need barriers, walls, and laws to keep people from escaping?’ In a world where speech can lead to death, it is also speech that can lead to freedom, and Sepetys captures this in such an empowering and inspiring way.
‘DO YOU HEAR ME?
RECITING JOKES,
LAUGHING TO HIDE TEARS OF TRUTH
THAT WE ARE DENIED THE PRESENT
WITH EMPTY PROMISES
OF AN EMPTIER FUTURE.’
This is an excellent novel, and while being a YA it is just as engaging and informative for adults. It is an harrowing look at the Romanian Revolution and events leading up to it, such as Romania’s star Olympic gymnast Nadia Comăneci defecting, and the surrounding countries fighting for freedom. It becomes a powerful lesson on solidarity, organizing and uprising, recognizing ‘this is bigger than the ‘I’ or the ‘me.’ This must be ‘we.’’ The slow-burn tension building first half of the book explodes to a dramatic conclusion, full of violence and bravery, making this a very exciting but heart wrenching novel and there are some incredible twists. Plus there is an adorable blossoming romance between Cristian and Lilliana which adds a tender sweetness to the tale. Ultimately, I Will Betray You becomes a book about surveillance and betrayal with a reminder that not knowing the full story can be deadly, and sometimes we never know all the truth until far too late. A gripping thriller full of important history, I Will Betray You is quite the impressive page-turner.
4.5/5
‘Romanians were joining in hand and heart. And together they were finally calling—
For freedom.’
February 28, 2022
To quote the author:
“ …when adversity is drawn out of the shadows and recognized, we endure that human beings living under oppression - past and present – know they are not forgotten. Together we can shine a light in dark corners of the past. Together, we can give history a voice.”
The author hopes through the reading of her book, readers will be inspired to research the fall of communism in Europe and the incredible fortitude and bravery of the Romanian people. This fictional story is based on a time in our recent past when the people of Romania lived under the brutal Ceausescu regime. The author paints a vivid picture of what life was like, and although the people endured much deprivation, the worst was the atmosphere of fear and suspicion thrust upon them when the regime forced citizens to become informers. No one was above suspicion, not even family and close friends.
In this fictional story, seventeen-year-old Cristian is forced to become an informer when he is found with an illegal American dollar bill. We see Cristian’s mental anguish as he navigates this new secret life, and the effect on his relationships and sense of self. The choice before him: betray everyone he knows or do what he can to undermine the regime. His first-person narrative is interspersed with reports on him from the Securitate, the secret police of Romania.
Despite the regime’s efforts, contraband made its way into Romania in the form of magazines, books, and movies, which exposed the young people to a world beyond their borders and gave them a hint of what it was like to be free. Cristian was also exposed to the ways of the West through his mother’s work cleaning for an American diplomat. In 1989, when they heard the news that communist countries around them had fallen, it was a spark of hope, and the beginnings of what would be a bloody revolution. History tells us that the regime fell, but the price was high. The epilogue takes place 20 years later, when Cristian is able to access the historical archives and discovers some shocking truths. It was a tense and sobering end to the book.
This is teen historical fiction, but I very much enjoyed it, despite it not being my preferred genre. This was an exception. The chapters are short, and the plot fast-moving, especially in the last half. I enjoyed hearing the story from the perspective of a teenager on the cusp of adulthood. His relationships with his family, especially his much beloved grandfather, were endearing. He has the typical teenage concerns overshadowed by this brutal life. This would be an excellent book in a school curriculum or for parents to read and discuss along with their teen, as a starting point to learn more.
I applaud the author shedding a light on this dark time in history. In the author notes, she highlights the amount of research she did to ensure her story was historically accurate. I’m old enough to remember the fall of the Berlin Wall and Communism and recall the Romanian uprising in the news. In 2019, my husband and I also had the opportunity to visit a Communist museum in a former Eastern Bloc nation, a memorial in the actual building where atrocities took place. Included were video recordings of those imprisoned, interrogated, or tortured. It was a devastating experience, but one we were glad to experience. History that is forgotten is doomed to be repeated.
The deep desire to be a free people is built into the human spirit.
In 1989 the Romanian citizens rose up against a totalitarian government. Although the circumstances aren’t the same, we are currently watching the events play out on our TV screens as average Ukrainian citizens rise up against the Soviet invaders, using all means at their disposal to defend their right to be free.
*This was a buddy read with my friend Marialyce, be sure to read her review to see what she thought!
March 8, 2022
Ruta Sepetys doesn't freaking miss! I don't think they'll ever be a book by her that disappoints me because she's so brilliant. If you're look for YA historical fiction that explores periods of times, perspectives, experiences, cultures, countries that often are left out of the narrative look no further than this author. I loved this book to pieces and honestly I can't wait to read it again. I received this book for review, but all thoughts are my own.
I Must Betray You is set against the backdrop of the rule of communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. Romanians are living in constant fear of the government and each other. Without adequate food, electricity, medical care, clothing, connections to the global community, Ceausescu and his followers were able to commit some of the worst human atrocities. The story itself is told from the perspective of Christian who is forced to become of an informant after he is found with illegal currency (an American dollar). Readers follow Christian day to day as he describes what life is like in Romania and how complicated his life becomes as an informant.
The story is told in short chapters which makes the book more digestible. It's not by any means an easy read. After all, this book covers the Romanian Revolution which takes place in 1989 which isn't even forty years ago. The simple things that I take for granted sometimes like having access to electricity at night, having access to a grocery store are some of the most difficult things for Christian and his family. Things get even more complex when the book begins to address the beginnings of the Romanian Revolution. It is truly heartbreaking to watch people who have suffered so much rise up to end a dictatorship only to find themselves back in a similar situation. I couldn't imagine living in world where I couldn't trust anyone. Friends, families, lovers, teachers, classmates---everyone had potential to be an informant. Speaking of informants, there are some really interesting chapters which are the reports of someone in the book who is an informant that's not Christian and the twist that comes at the end is rather mind-blowing.
One of my favorite parts of any Sepetys book is the writing It's always so lyrical and does a heck of a job capturing the emotions behind the characters. This book was no different. Readers will feel Christian's anguish, his longing to be somewhere else, his struggles trying to navigate first love while trying to survive. I soaked up every single world and connected with Christian in a way that I didn't expect. Overall, this was a heartbreakingly beautiful story and I recommend it to anyone who is in to historical fiction.
I Must Betray You is set against the backdrop of the rule of communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. Romanians are living in constant fear of the government and each other. Without adequate food, electricity, medical care, clothing, connections to the global community, Ceausescu and his followers were able to commit some of the worst human atrocities. The story itself is told from the perspective of Christian who is forced to become of an informant after he is found with illegal currency (an American dollar). Readers follow Christian day to day as he describes what life is like in Romania and how complicated his life becomes as an informant.
The story is told in short chapters which makes the book more digestible. It's not by any means an easy read. After all, this book covers the Romanian Revolution which takes place in 1989 which isn't even forty years ago. The simple things that I take for granted sometimes like having access to electricity at night, having access to a grocery store are some of the most difficult things for Christian and his family. Things get even more complex when the book begins to address the beginnings of the Romanian Revolution. It is truly heartbreaking to watch people who have suffered so much rise up to end a dictatorship only to find themselves back in a similar situation. I couldn't imagine living in world where I couldn't trust anyone. Friends, families, lovers, teachers, classmates---everyone had potential to be an informant. Speaking of informants, there are some really interesting chapters which are the reports of someone in the book who is an informant that's not Christian and the twist that comes at the end is rather mind-blowing.
One of my favorite parts of any Sepetys book is the writing It's always so lyrical and does a heck of a job capturing the emotions behind the characters. This book was no different. Readers will feel Christian's anguish, his longing to be somewhere else, his struggles trying to navigate first love while trying to survive. I soaked up every single world and connected with Christian in a way that I didn't expect. Overall, this was a heartbreakingly beautiful story and I recommend it to anyone who is in to historical fiction.
March 1, 2022
At last, I’ve been baptized into Sepetys’ world. My first.
Romania. 1989. A dictatorship under the communist cloud. Where people are expected to spy on each other. Throw them under the bus in order to secure contraband or empty promises. Trust no one. What a horrifying world to grow up in and live in. Whisper truths but be fearful and mindful of someone listening.
17 year old Cristian has been told he has to become an informant. He has no choice. It’s to save his Buno. The guilt consumes him.
This was a stunner of a read. An eye opener as I didn’t really know the history of Romania. The suffering they endured. The bravery which they fought back. Democracy is life. And those that threaten it, need to be brought to justice. 4.25⭐️
I have to admit the lines were blurring for me. Between watching the news of Ukraine and this story, worried of what will become of Ukraine if the Russians have their way, is one communist mind fuck.
Freedom is worth fighting for.
Romania. 1989. A dictatorship under the communist cloud. Where people are expected to spy on each other. Throw them under the bus in order to secure contraband or empty promises. Trust no one. What a horrifying world to grow up in and live in. Whisper truths but be fearful and mindful of someone listening.
17 year old Cristian has been told he has to become an informant. He has no choice. It’s to save his Buno. The guilt consumes him.
This was a stunner of a read. An eye opener as I didn’t really know the history of Romania. The suffering they endured. The bravery which they fought back. Democracy is life. And those that threaten it, need to be brought to justice. 4.25⭐️
I have to admit the lines were blurring for me. Between watching the news of Ukraine and this story, worried of what will become of Ukraine if the Russians have their way, is one communist mind fuck.
Freedom is worth fighting for.
Want to read
June 25, 2023there's no one i can trust to break my heart and ruin my life like ruta sepetys!!
April 5, 2024
only 30 years ago
🇪🇸 A novel like this is like being caught up in a murder mystery. You try to figure out who the killer is. You immediately reject the obvious. Who are the people you’re not likely to suspect? One of them is the guilty party.
It’s the same with this story. You think - who are the ones you’d least expect to be an informer? You come up with some names. But you know what? Regardless of how clever you think you are you will be fooled by this book. You will not get them all. Ultimately, you will be caught off guard. Perhaps shocked. Saddened. Upset. It depends on how close you get to the characters.
Crisply written, fast paced. Will pull you in. The denouement occurs at the speed of light.
Startling to think this was going on only 30 years ago. How could the nations not know what was happening to the Romanian people? The Cold War was still on at the height of the dictatorship. There were spies everywhere. Espionage was rampant. How could the world powers not know?
❤️🩹 Everyone gets betrayed in this book. Everyone gets hurt. There is love. But love and the lovers get hurt too.
🇪🇸 A novel like this is like being caught up in a murder mystery. You try to figure out who the killer is. You immediately reject the obvious. Who are the people you’re not likely to suspect? One of them is the guilty party.
It’s the same with this story. You think - who are the ones you’d least expect to be an informer? You come up with some names. But you know what? Regardless of how clever you think you are you will be fooled by this book. You will not get them all. Ultimately, you will be caught off guard. Perhaps shocked. Saddened. Upset. It depends on how close you get to the characters.
Crisply written, fast paced. Will pull you in. The denouement occurs at the speed of light.
Startling to think this was going on only 30 years ago. How could the nations not know what was happening to the Romanian people? The Cold War was still on at the height of the dictatorship. There were spies everywhere. Espionage was rampant. How could the world powers not know?
❤️🩹 Everyone gets betrayed in this book. Everyone gets hurt. There is love. But love and the lovers get hurt too.
February 2, 2022
Wow! O carte pe care am asteptat-o cu ardoare, care s-a "bucurat" de controverse pe pagina editurii desi nu se stia mai nimic despre ea. Insa cei care au citit cartile anterioare ale Rutei (eu le-am citit pe toate) stiau ca daca Ruta este foarte buna la ceva, acel ceva este documentarea si teserea unor povesti impresionate pe fundal istoric. Pentru cei care au trait comunismul informatiile nu vin ca o descoperire sau ca ceva senzational, insa povestea este bine construita, castiga dramatism catre final, tocmai cand ma gandeam ca nu estenla fel de dramatica precum Printre tonuri cenusii sau O mare de lacrimi. Nu este la fel de dramatica, nici nu ar avea cum, avand in vedere subiectul, insa nici departe nu este. Exista si anumite dramatizari, poate pentru efect, chiar am vorbit azi cu mama la telefon, sa imi confirme unele amintiri sau povesti pe care le-am tot auzit dupa Revolutie, iar ea mi-a dat dreptate. Eram privati de multe, dar unele sunt putin exagerate.
Eram atat de nerabdatoare sa citesc cartea incat am avut-o in precomanda pe Amazon si a meritat cu siguranta, am citit-o intr-o zi, alternat cu varianta audio. Varianta audio este extrem de buna, naratorul foarte convingator in rolul lui Cristi. Cartea abunda de cuvinte in limba romana, de la numarul tuturor capitolelor pana la saluturi, expresii, sloganuri etc. La traducere cel mai probabil nu va fi evident acest lucru, insa am apreciat si acest lucru.
Nota de final a autoarei vorbeste foarte frumos de Romania si de romani, povesteste cum s-a nascut romanul si ce munca de documentare a implicat.
Alte carti despre acest subiect pe care vi le recomand:
Dragul meu turnator - Gabriel Liiceanu
Craciunul care nu a mai venit - Anamaria Ionescu
Sambata in care totul s-a schimbat - Sophie Van Llewyn
Eram atat de nerabdatoare sa citesc cartea incat am avut-o in precomanda pe Amazon si a meritat cu siguranta, am citit-o intr-o zi, alternat cu varianta audio. Varianta audio este extrem de buna, naratorul foarte convingator in rolul lui Cristi. Cartea abunda de cuvinte in limba romana, de la numarul tuturor capitolelor pana la saluturi, expresii, sloganuri etc. La traducere cel mai probabil nu va fi evident acest lucru, insa am apreciat si acest lucru.
Nota de final a autoarei vorbeste foarte frumos de Romania si de romani, povesteste cum s-a nascut romanul si ce munca de documentare a implicat.
Alte carti despre acest subiect pe care vi le recomand:
Dragul meu turnator - Gabriel Liiceanu
Craciunul care nu a mai venit - Anamaria Ionescu
Sambata in care totul s-a schimbat - Sophie Van Llewyn
January 19, 2024
I listened to I Must Betray You on audiobook. Author, Ruta Sepetys, and narrator Edoardo Ballerini, do a fabulous job with this historical fiction novel set in Romania in 1989 when the tyrannical dictator, Nicholae Ceausescu ruled.
The main premise of the book is how the regime blackmailed citizens so that they would spy and report on each other...even spying on friends, family members, and loved ones. The level of distrust and betrayal is very deep.
Nadia Comaneci, the Olympic gold medalist, defected from Romania in 1989 before the revolution began and it's mentioned in the book. One of the memorable passages in the book is that revolutions eat their heroes. I also liked the title of a letter that was published near the end of the book called Screaming Whispers which described daily life in Romania during the revolution.
The main premise of the book is how the regime blackmailed citizens so that they would spy and report on each other...even spying on friends, family members, and loved ones. The level of distrust and betrayal is very deep.
Nadia Comaneci, the Olympic gold medalist, defected from Romania in 1989 before the revolution began and it's mentioned in the book. One of the memorable passages in the book is that revolutions eat their heroes. I also liked the title of a letter that was published near the end of the book called Screaming Whispers which described daily life in Romania during the revolution.
January 25, 2022
Together we can shine a light in dark corners of the past. Together, we can give history a voice. ~Ruta Sepetys
Under the Ceaușescu regime, Romania was isolated from the world. Its citizens were deprived of liberty and basic necessities. They had to wait in line for rations. Electricity was available sporadically. The Securitate established a web of citizen informers. Extensive pictorial and written files were kept. The consumption of an exotic treat like a Coke or a Twinkie was documented. Family members were turned against each other. Once the archives were opened after the revolution, they found over twenty-six kilometers of files -- sixteen miles.
In this important work of historical fiction, the story of Cristian is told from late 1989. He is seventeen and has just been coerced into being an informant in exchange for medicine to help his grandfather who has leukemia. The world Cristian lives in is bare and bleak. They wait in line for everything. Kent cigarettes are a necessary currency for bartering. Radio Free Europe gives hope. If only the station would come in clearly. The beginnings of the revolution in Timișoara help fuel the fire for the rest of the country. For Cristian and his family, for his friends Liliana and Luca this will be a dangerous December. Included in this book are pictures and information about the many interviews Ruta Sepetys did to put this book together.
On a personal note, in the early 80's my husband's family sponsored a Romanian immigrant. He had to swim across a river to escape communism. More than one attempt was necessary. That man later brought over a wife and started a family. He is an inspiration and a reminder of the gift freedom is. I also could not help noticing that the apartment buildings shown in the book are very similar to the building my son and his family are currently living in as residents of Talsi, Latvia.
One final comment: take note of the cover. In it a young man is running with a flag. That flag has a hole in the center, because the communist symbol has been cut out.
Thank you to Philomel Books and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Under the Ceaușescu regime, Romania was isolated from the world. Its citizens were deprived of liberty and basic necessities. They had to wait in line for rations. Electricity was available sporadically. The Securitate established a web of citizen informers. Extensive pictorial and written files were kept. The consumption of an exotic treat like a Coke or a Twinkie was documented. Family members were turned against each other. Once the archives were opened after the revolution, they found over twenty-six kilometers of files -- sixteen miles.
In this important work of historical fiction, the story of Cristian is told from late 1989. He is seventeen and has just been coerced into being an informant in exchange for medicine to help his grandfather who has leukemia. The world Cristian lives in is bare and bleak. They wait in line for everything. Kent cigarettes are a necessary currency for bartering. Radio Free Europe gives hope. If only the station would come in clearly. The beginnings of the revolution in Timișoara help fuel the fire for the rest of the country. For Cristian and his family, for his friends Liliana and Luca this will be a dangerous December. Included in this book are pictures and information about the many interviews Ruta Sepetys did to put this book together.
On a personal note, in the early 80's my husband's family sponsored a Romanian immigrant. He had to swim across a river to escape communism. More than one attempt was necessary. That man later brought over a wife and started a family. He is an inspiration and a reminder of the gift freedom is. I also could not help noticing that the apartment buildings shown in the book are very similar to the building my son and his family are currently living in as residents of Talsi, Latvia.
One final comment: take note of the cover. In it a young man is running with a flag. That flag has a hole in the center, because the communist symbol has been cut out.
Thank you to Philomel Books and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
May 14, 2022
“Sfârsitul Șoaptelor” nu e doar o ficțiune istorică. E un reminder a ce au trăit părinții și bunicii noștri.
E o dovadă a crimelor și a nedreptăților făcute în regimul comunist.
Am alergat prin cartea asta, nu alta. Am urlat și eu cu personajele la revoluție, mi-a fost și mie frică, am avut și eu emoții.
O recomand din tot sufletul tuturor. E alertă, antrenantă și e despre România.
La sfârsitul cărții o să vă bucurați că nu ați trăit în perioada aceea și că acum, țara noastră nu mai este subjugată.
Sper să vă placă și vouă povestea. Eu personal am simțit că citesc un thriller, nu o ficțiune istorică. Am avut drame, tensiune și muuulte secrete.
E o dovadă a crimelor și a nedreptăților făcute în regimul comunist.
Am alergat prin cartea asta, nu alta. Am urlat și eu cu personajele la revoluție, mi-a fost și mie frică, am avut și eu emoții.
O recomand din tot sufletul tuturor. E alertă, antrenantă și e despre România.
La sfârsitul cărții o să vă bucurați că nu ați trăit în perioada aceea și că acum, țara noastră nu mai este subjugată.
Sper să vă placă și vouă povestea. Eu personal am simțit că citesc un thriller, nu o ficțiune istorică. Am avut drame, tensiune și muuulte secrete.
March 4, 2022
I Must Betray You is an outstanding book - one I finished reading several days ago, and yet I'm still a jumble of feelings. A perfect example of historical fiction at its best!
Disclaimer: this is going to be a long ass review.
Actual facts that were referenced in this book: By 1989, Romanians had been subjected to a dictatorship for nearly two and a half decades. They were ruled by Nicolae Ceausescu, a ruthless tyrant who lived in luxury while the people lacked even the most basic necessities. Fear dominated the entire society. People were being robbed of their freedom to think, speak, and move around. Women existed just to reproduce, men were overworked, and kids were indoctrinated with propaganda. Many were imprisoned for minor offenses, or many would disappear, be beaten or tortured, and there was no one ever there to help them. In other words, life in Romania was hardly even tolerable from the time the Ceausescus assumed power until their execution (and shockingly, everything until 89 was mostly hidden/overseen from/by the entire world).
As a Romanian myself, I can't help but admire Ruta for relaying this narrative so masterfully, because this story is not easy to read. The violence and suffering that the Romanian people had to endure is unsettling to say the least, and it's a piece of history that I'm glad more people will learn about thanks to this book. Sepetys is also an amazing writer, who didn't shy away from the hard truths.
The plot:> The story is told by Cristian, a 17-year-old kid, as he attempts to cope with the difficulties of existing in a communist dictatorship's oppressive society. One day he's called to the principal's office, where he is questioned by the Securitate (secret police) and then forced to become an informer for them. He does this in exchange for medicine for his sick grandfather, as well as to keep himself and his family out of trouble. The author portrays the struggle of all Romanians through Cristian so well, as practically everyone was under constant surveillance by everyone else. Friends and even family members have been known to deceive one another for the smallest of benefits - even if it was simply for a small amount of extra food.
Cristian is stunned to discover details about life beyond Romania's borders from a new friend - the son of the American diplomat where his mother works as a housekeeper. That's when his eyes open to the whole charade and lies that Ceausescu has been feeding them, and he is determined to make a change somehow. So, despite his lack of a voice, he learns to fight back in whatever ways he can.
My thoughts: From the beginning, I empathised with Cristian. I admired how devoted he was to his family, particularly his grandfather. One of my favorite aspects of the novel was their relationship, as it shone brightly among all the fear and anxiety.
However, by the end of the book, I was wrecked. The events of the actual revolution were the most intense to read about, because days after the marches in the western city of Timișoara (which were violently suppressed on Ceausescu's orders), unrest spread throughout the country and most notably in Bucharest.
Following a carefully prepared, but ultimately botched, address by Ceausescu, hundreds of thousands of demonstrators protested in the capital city. The same people who had gathered to cheer Ceausescu, turned against him and began shouting that they wanted freedom and change. Citizens then clashed violently with the army and the Securitate.
This part of the story brought tears to my eyes because I grew up hearing stories from family and friends about those occurrences. We lived just 60 kilometers from Bucharest, and when my father learned of the events in the city, he took off work in the middle of the day to join the revolution. Given how many people were imprisoned, tortured, or killed as a result of those demonstrations, and the fact that my dad was a part of it.. hit me even harder than I thought. My heart was with all the people who finally had the guts to stand up to their oppressors. And the fact that they won in the end, was all the more gratifying. I can't even properly describe all the feelings I had, it was all very bittersweet.
Picture of the people in the Revolution Square, in Buhcarest.
As I said at the beginning of this review, I'm still an emotional mess and I could ramble on for much longer, but I'll just say one more thing - that this is an inspiring and worthwhile read.
P.S. I'll leave a youtube link here, in case anyone is interested in seeing real footage of how the revolution unfolded on December 21st 1989.
P.P.S. A round of appreciation is also due to the narrator for his stellar performance on the audiobook. He did an amazing job with each character, and his pronunciation of all the Romanian words was flawless. 🙌
Disclaimer: this is going to be a long ass review.
Actual facts that were referenced in this book: By 1989, Romanians had been subjected to a dictatorship for nearly two and a half decades. They were ruled by Nicolae Ceausescu, a ruthless tyrant who lived in luxury while the people lacked even the most basic necessities. Fear dominated the entire society. People were being robbed of their freedom to think, speak, and move around. Women existed just to reproduce, men were overworked, and kids were indoctrinated with propaganda. Many were imprisoned for minor offenses, or many would disappear, be beaten or tortured, and there was no one ever there to help them. In other words, life in Romania was hardly even tolerable from the time the Ceausescus assumed power until their execution (and shockingly, everything until 89 was mostly hidden/overseen from/by the entire world).
As a Romanian myself, I can't help but admire Ruta for relaying this narrative so masterfully, because this story is not easy to read. The violence and suffering that the Romanian people had to endure is unsettling to say the least, and it's a piece of history that I'm glad more people will learn about thanks to this book. Sepetys is also an amazing writer, who didn't shy away from the hard truths.
The plot:> The story is told by Cristian, a 17-year-old kid, as he attempts to cope with the difficulties of existing in a communist dictatorship's oppressive society. One day he's called to the principal's office, where he is questioned by the Securitate (secret police) and then forced to become an informer for them. He does this in exchange for medicine for his sick grandfather, as well as to keep himself and his family out of trouble. The author portrays the struggle of all Romanians through Cristian so well, as practically everyone was under constant surveillance by everyone else. Friends and even family members have been known to deceive one another for the smallest of benefits - even if it was simply for a small amount of extra food.
Cristian is stunned to discover details about life beyond Romania's borders from a new friend - the son of the American diplomat where his mother works as a housekeeper. That's when his eyes open to the whole charade and lies that Ceausescu has been feeding them, and he is determined to make a change somehow. So, despite his lack of a voice, he learns to fight back in whatever ways he can.
My thoughts: From the beginning, I empathised with Cristian. I admired how devoted he was to his family, particularly his grandfather. One of my favorite aspects of the novel was their relationship, as it shone brightly among all the fear and anxiety.
However, by the end of the book, I was wrecked. The events of the actual revolution were the most intense to read about, because days after the marches in the western city of Timișoara (which were violently suppressed on Ceausescu's orders), unrest spread throughout the country and most notably in Bucharest.
Following a carefully prepared, but ultimately botched, address by Ceausescu, hundreds of thousands of demonstrators protested in the capital city. The same people who had gathered to cheer Ceausescu, turned against him and began shouting that they wanted freedom and change. Citizens then clashed violently with the army and the Securitate.
This part of the story brought tears to my eyes because I grew up hearing stories from family and friends about those occurrences. We lived just 60 kilometers from Bucharest, and when my father learned of the events in the city, he took off work in the middle of the day to join the revolution. Given how many people were imprisoned, tortured, or killed as a result of those demonstrations, and the fact that my dad was a part of it.. hit me even harder than I thought. My heart was with all the people who finally had the guts to stand up to their oppressors. And the fact that they won in the end, was all the more gratifying. I can't even properly describe all the feelings I had, it was all very bittersweet.
Picture of the people in the Revolution Square, in Buhcarest.
As I said at the beginning of this review, I'm still an emotional mess and I could ramble on for much longer, but I'll just say one more thing - that this is an inspiring and worthwhile read.
P.S. I'll leave a youtube link here, in case anyone is interested in seeing real footage of how the revolution unfolded on December 21st 1989.
P.P.S. A round of appreciation is also due to the narrator for his stellar performance on the audiobook. He did an amazing job with each character, and his pronunciation of all the Romanian words was flawless. 🙌
July 8, 2022
3.5 stars
Who in life could we truly trust? What remains unseen, hunting through the shadows?Ruta Sepetys has an incredible gift for crafting novels that bring awareness to largely unknown periods in history, and I Must Betray You is no different. It is an eye-opening and beautifully written account of the Romanian Revolution.
If communism is Paradise, why do we need barriers, walls, and laws to keep people from escaping?In 1989, Romania is a communist country ruled by a ruthless dictator. When 17-year-old Cristian Florescu is accused of anti-communist behavior, the Romanian police give him two choices: either he can spy on other citizens or his grandfather will be killed.
Cristian is a likable and relatable character. It is inspiring to see him grow and develop from a shy young poet into a true revolutionary hero. He has an incredibly strong bond with his grandfather and his sister, and those relationships are uplifting and well-written.
The Romanian Revolution is such a fascinating yet widely unknown period in history. Sepetys lends great insight into what life was like for Romanians living during that time. The constant government propaganda and surveillance are chilling to read about.
If anything, the romance came off a bit too strong here. It ended up dominating the plot and detracted from the great historical atmosphere that was developed.
While this wasn't quite as moving as Ruta Sepetys' debut Between Shades of Gray, it is still a wonderful account of a little-known time in history. It is entertaining, informative, and eloquent.
You think you know someone. And when you realize you’re wrong, the humiliation steals something from you. Your mind becomes a thick forest of dark thoughts and you wonder—what else am I not seeing?
May 15, 2024
➸ 4 ☆! spoiler free
🎧 -here with me
ᯓᡣ𐭩 I wish I could live through every memory again
Just one more time before we float off in the wind
And all the time we spent
Waiting for the light to take us in
Have been the greatest moments of my life
➥ lets just say i was very surprised by this book! and i had a good time <3 what i mean is, i had a good time learning. whenever i pick up historical fiction books, the topic im most familiar with is WW2 & some of the events during that era. so being able to learn about another historical event, a revolution, a change, a hope, it was a great experience. and i think ruta sepetys did it perfectly, an underrated book!
cristian
ᯓᡣ𐭩 “Do you hear me?
Reciting jokes
Laughing to hide the tears of truth
That we are denied the present
With empty promises
Of an emptier future.”
⋆౨ৎ plot
first off, super fast paced. HELLO?? this book is only 292, pages and it went by so FAST. and when i tell you the chapters are short, i MEAN IT. that made the whole experience better. anyways, back to the plot. this book is about cristian florescu. (17) who has dreams of becoming a writer, but alas this is 1989 romania. being ruled under communism and a dictator. no rights, always forced. trust no one. tell no one. spies are everywhere.
ꪆৎ i have to say, this book kept me on my toes its like a mystery. i could literally not trust anyone in this book. and yet again i am amazed by how strong yet vulnerable these characters. they're just teenagers, only human. they have DREAMS, talents, and passions. so learning about characters like cristian and liliana was so wholesome. i am so proud of them, and i adore them <3 such strong and real people 🥺 i got emotional. to think i take so many things for granted, this has a great message, and a history worth learning about. i LOVE THEM.
⋆˚✿˖°character under-study ✿˖°
cristian: such a fun character! i enjoyed his sense of humor haha. again, he is such a strong character, and props to him!! i could never if i had to be a spy, espc in this timeline. i would get so anxious. and i loved when he got things from america, like coke, the magazines, the banana. idk why it was so wholesome, and aww him and liliana are the cutest ever <3 i adored the romance sm.
side characters: they were cool, and kept the story going! the ending sort of shocked me so wowow.
⋆⭒˚.⋆
overall experience! i really enjoyed this, and it was even more fun because i got to br with best girl ella <33 it made the whole experience better! but yes, i highly recommend, super easy if you want to get into something, while learning something memorable. this is the Romanian Revolution dec 16, 1989 - dec 25, 1989. only 30 years ago 🫢 but yes i hope you can read this sometime! historical fiction will always be one of my faves and i cant wait to read more in the future <3
💌 - to ella, thank you oh so much for reading this with me, im forever grateful 🥹 and im glad you got a 5 star out of this! well deserved, and im glad we both enjoyed, chatting with you was soso fun, LOVE YOU TONS, and i hope we can make more memories buddyreading in the future! (while we will HAHA) sending many hugs precious girl 🫂🫂🫂 YALL CHECK OUT HER REVIEW!!
୨୧・・・・୨୧
⋆.˚ ᡣ𐭩 POST READ four stars! that was something... 🥺 RTC
⋆.˚ ᡣ𐭩 .𖥔˚ preview! there's nothing like reading a book off ur tbr 🤭 and i have been in need of another historical fiction book!! yes, i also want to try 'as long as the lemon tree grows' and 'the nightingale' but im also very excited about this 🫂 even MORE excited for it because i get to do a buddy read with none other than the angel, ELLA!!! shes literally so sweet, i L O V E her 🥹 do yall remember the ellie, ava, & ella br with crooked kingdom 🤭 EEE okay well ill see how this goes, this is a reread for her, so!
͟͟͞͞꒰➳“Good luck comes at a price. Bad luck is free.”
🎧 -here with me
ᯓᡣ𐭩 I wish I could live through every memory again
Just one more time before we float off in the wind
And all the time we spent
Waiting for the light to take us in
Have been the greatest moments of my life
➥ lets just say i was very surprised by this book! and i had a good time <3 what i mean is, i had a good time learning. whenever i pick up historical fiction books, the topic im most familiar with is WW2 & some of the events during that era. so being able to learn about another historical event, a revolution, a change, a hope, it was a great experience. and i think ruta sepetys did it perfectly, an underrated book!
cristian
ᯓᡣ𐭩 “Do you hear me?
Reciting jokes
Laughing to hide the tears of truth
That we are denied the present
With empty promises
Of an emptier future.”
⋆౨ৎ plot
first off, super fast paced. HELLO?? this book is only 292, pages and it went by so FAST. and when i tell you the chapters are short, i MEAN IT. that made the whole experience better. anyways, back to the plot. this book is about cristian florescu. (17) who has dreams of becoming a writer, but alas this is 1989 romania. being ruled under communism and a dictator. no rights, always forced. trust no one. tell no one. spies are everywhere.
ꪆৎ i have to say, this book kept me on my toes its like a mystery. i could literally not trust anyone in this book. and yet again i am amazed by how strong yet vulnerable these characters. they're just teenagers, only human. they have DREAMS, talents, and passions. so learning about characters like cristian and liliana was so wholesome. i am so proud of them, and i adore them <3 such strong and real people 🥺 i got emotional. to think i take so many things for granted, this has a great message, and a history worth learning about. i LOVE THEM.
⋆˚✿˖°character under-study ✿˖°
cristian: such a fun character! i enjoyed his sense of humor haha. again, he is such a strong character, and props to him!! i could never if i had to be a spy, espc in this timeline. i would get so anxious. and i loved when he got things from america, like coke, the magazines, the banana. idk why it was so wholesome, and aww him and liliana are the cutest ever <3 i adored the romance sm.
side characters: they were cool, and kept the story going! the ending sort of shocked me so wowow.
⋆⭒˚.⋆
overall experience! i really enjoyed this, and it was even more fun because i got to br with best girl ella <33 it made the whole experience better! but yes, i highly recommend, super easy if you want to get into something, while learning something memorable. this is the Romanian Revolution dec 16, 1989 - dec 25, 1989. only 30 years ago 🫢 but yes i hope you can read this sometime! historical fiction will always be one of my faves and i cant wait to read more in the future <3
💌 - to ella, thank you oh so much for reading this with me, im forever grateful 🥹 and im glad you got a 5 star out of this! well deserved, and im glad we both enjoyed, chatting with you was soso fun, LOVE YOU TONS, and i hope we can make more memories buddyreading in the future! (while we will HAHA) sending many hugs precious girl 🫂🫂🫂 YALL CHECK OUT HER REVIEW!!
୨୧・・・・୨୧
⋆.˚ ᡣ𐭩 POST READ four stars! that was something... 🥺 RTC
⋆.˚ ᡣ𐭩 .𖥔˚ preview! there's nothing like reading a book off ur tbr 🤭 and i have been in need of another historical fiction book!! yes, i also want to try 'as long as the lemon tree grows' and 'the nightingale' but im also very excited about this 🫂 even MORE excited for it because i get to do a buddy read with none other than the angel, ELLA!!! shes literally so sweet, i L O V E her 🥹 do yall remember the ellie, ava, & ella br with crooked kingdom 🤭 EEE okay well ill see how this goes, this is a reread for her, so!
February 21, 2022
I must admit, when I saw that an author of another nationality wrote a book about an extremely emotional event in the history of Romanians, I was reluctant and did not have high expectations. I ordered my book and until it arrived I read 2 more books written by this author. The two books impressed me a lot, I have nothing to comment on, Sepetys knows what she is doing.
What can I write about I Must Betray You ...... I read it with tears in my eyes and goosebumps. I was 12 years old at the time of the revolution, I remember many shortcomings and prohibitions, but as a child I was not affected as adults were. To my advantage, I come from a family of workers, extremely docile and submissive intellectuals, so they did not attract the attention of security with their way of life.
The way Ruta presents Cristi's dramas with such emotion makes me bow respectfully, Thank you Ruta Sepetys for the empathy and respect with which you treated this event.
What can I write about I Must Betray You ...... I read it with tears in my eyes and goosebumps. I was 12 years old at the time of the revolution, I remember many shortcomings and prohibitions, but as a child I was not affected as adults were. To my advantage, I come from a family of workers, extremely docile and submissive intellectuals, so they did not attract the attention of security with their way of life.
The way Ruta presents Cristi's dramas with such emotion makes me bow respectfully, Thank you Ruta Sepetys for the empathy and respect with which you treated this event.
February 28, 2022
Looking back on history is as the author says a way to both remember and learn, to try and stop atrocities, to be aware that things can happen under the cloak of suspicion, fear, and the manipulations of the press, the new sources, and the population. Romanians living in the country while it was still under Communist rule, know exactly what a terror filled life produces.
Ruta Sepetys takes us there in the year 1989, and introduces us to a young man, Cristian Florescu. Only seventeen, he and his family have lived under the terrible dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu, a ruthless man who has dominated his nation through force, fear, starvation, and deprivation. He has closed off the country and turned the secret police into weapons, threatening the populace, inducing people through fear to spy on one another. Neighbor turns on neighbor, children against family, and even husband against wife. Cristian has a dream but he realizes that Romania is a dreamless country, but his beloved grandfather inspires him. But the police engineer a way to drawn Cristian into the maw and by blackmailing him, Cristian becomes what he hates. The stakes are high and Cristian finds himself caught in a web of who do you trust?
He wants to be free; others want to be free and as news trickles around Europe about other Communist satellites breaking free, he has hope. As revolution approaches, Cristian wants to save those around him especially a girl he has fallen in love with. However, revelations are about to come as he and thousands of other rises up against the totalitarians they have been ruled by. It's a bloody battle, many in fact, but freedom is within their grasp.
This is a YA book that packs a punch. Ruta Sepetys creates an atmosphere of fear, suspicion, want, and loss. She vividly portrays what it was like living under a despot and the Communist way of life. She effectively points out how the elites lived magnificent lives while the commoners suffered and struggled. It is a story our young people should acquaint themselves with, especially those who think communism is the way to govern.
Jan and I were quite moved by this story, and enjoyed our few hours spent reading it. It's short but definitely manages to make one aware that what was in the past can happen again if we are not vigilant citizens.
Nicolae Ceaușescu and his wife, Elena, were convicted of genocide as it was believed that 60,000 people met their deaths under his vile rule. He and his wife were executed and were put to death by a firing squad in 1989.
Ruta Sepetys takes us there in the year 1989, and introduces us to a young man, Cristian Florescu. Only seventeen, he and his family have lived under the terrible dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu, a ruthless man who has dominated his nation through force, fear, starvation, and deprivation. He has closed off the country and turned the secret police into weapons, threatening the populace, inducing people through fear to spy on one another. Neighbor turns on neighbor, children against family, and even husband against wife. Cristian has a dream but he realizes that Romania is a dreamless country, but his beloved grandfather inspires him. But the police engineer a way to drawn Cristian into the maw and by blackmailing him, Cristian becomes what he hates. The stakes are high and Cristian finds himself caught in a web of who do you trust?
He wants to be free; others want to be free and as news trickles around Europe about other Communist satellites breaking free, he has hope. As revolution approaches, Cristian wants to save those around him especially a girl he has fallen in love with. However, revelations are about to come as he and thousands of other rises up against the totalitarians they have been ruled by. It's a bloody battle, many in fact, but freedom is within their grasp.
This is a YA book that packs a punch. Ruta Sepetys creates an atmosphere of fear, suspicion, want, and loss. She vividly portrays what it was like living under a despot and the Communist way of life. She effectively points out how the elites lived magnificent lives while the commoners suffered and struggled. It is a story our young people should acquaint themselves with, especially those who think communism is the way to govern.
Jan and I were quite moved by this story, and enjoyed our few hours spent reading it. It's short but definitely manages to make one aware that what was in the past can happen again if we are not vigilant citizens.
Nicolae Ceaușescu and his wife, Elena, were convicted of genocide as it was believed that 60,000 people met their deaths under his vile rule. He and his wife were executed and were put to death by a firing squad in 1989.
February 6, 2023
Primera novela que leo de Ruta Sepetys. Me ha gustado mucho. No tardaré en leer alguna más.
Dice la sinopsis:
Rumanía, 1989. Los regímenes comunistas se están desmoronando por toda Europa. Cristian Florescu, un joven de diecisiete años, sueña con ser escritor, pero los ciudadanos rumanos no tienen libertad ni para soñar, oprimidos por las reglas y la fuerza del régimen. En medio de la dictadura de Nicolae Ceausescu, con un país gobernado por el aislamiento y el miedo, la policía secreta chantajea a Cristian para que se convierta en informante. Solo tiene dos opciones: traicionar a todos y todo lo que ama o utilizar su posición para socavar al dictador más malvado de la Europa del Este. Cristian lo arriesga todo para desenmascarar la verdad detrás del régimen, dar voz a sus compatriotas y mostrar al mundo lo que está pasando en su país.
Mis impresiones.
La novela trata un tema poco conocido en general. Las condiciones de vida de los rumanos bajo la dictadura de Nicolae Ceausescu y la sublevación del pueblo, que pedía la caída del régimen, en diciembre de 1989.
Nicolae Ceausescu, llegó al poder en la década de los sesenta. Se mantuvo en él aislando al país tanto de occidente como del bloque comunista. Basó su régimen en el culto a su persona. Mientras él y su familia se enriquecían, el pueblo pasaba hambre, frío y todo tipo de penalidades. Ni atención sanitaria tenían si no era a base de trueque. Su policía secreta reclutó de grado o a la fuerza a miles de confidentes. Nadie sabía quién podía ser uno de ellos. Hasta los niños eran forzados a espiar a sus familias. Cualquier cosa por delirante o absurda que fuera podía llevar a una persona a ser represaliada.
El bloque soviético sabía de sobra cómo era el personaje, lo que no les impidió dejarle campar a su anchas. Se dice que en el caso de occidente supo dar el pego. No tengo esto último muy claro. Los embajadores occidentales en Rumanía veían lo que estaba ocurriendo. Los dirigentes de países como Francia, EEUU e Inglaterra, que lo recibieron con honores de estado, tampoco se llamaban a engaño sobre él. Una vez más, las potencias democráticas miraron para otro lado.
Ruta Sepetys nos narra todo esto de forma sencilla y natural. La prosa es fluida y directa, los capítulos cortos y el ritmo ágil. El hilo conductor es un adolescente de 17 años, Cristian Florescu. Será él quién nos cuente la historia. Su desesperanza es contagiosa. Sabía que le estaban robando el futuro y la posibilidad de elegir. El relato que ofrece de su vida cotidiana, la casa en la que vive, el instituto, las colas de la escasez, etc, es estremecedor. Tremendo, igualmente, la forma en que esos jóvenes se echaron a la calle en diciembre de 1989 sin más armas que su determinación. Derrocaron al dictador y muchos pagaron un alto precio en el intento.
La construcción que hace Sepetys de los personajes es muy buena. Están bien trazados, especialmente los jóvenes, que son los que llevan el peso de la acción. Entre los adultos destaco al abuelo de Cristian, que encarnaba el valor de la disidencia abierta y el de su madre, la otra cara de la moneda, la del miedo.
La ambientación en el Bucarest de la época es de nota. Los edificios, los perros callejeros, la nieve, el frío, la falta de electricidad y como contraste las condiciones en las que vivían los diplomáticos extranjeros. La documentación, ingente sin duda, está tan bien introducida que ni se nota.
El final acorde con la situación que vivió el país, en el que no se desclasificaron los archivos hasta décadas después. Por el camino fueron destruidos multitud de documentos que habrían significado respuestas para muchos ciudadanos. A día de hoy son muchas las incógnitas que quedan abiertas.
Resaltar por último, la nota final de la autora y las fotografías de la época que incluye.
En conclusión, una buena novela que narra un episodio sobre la historia reciente de Rumanía. Bien contado y bien documentado. Recomendable.
Dice la sinopsis:
Rumanía, 1989. Los regímenes comunistas se están desmoronando por toda Europa. Cristian Florescu, un joven de diecisiete años, sueña con ser escritor, pero los ciudadanos rumanos no tienen libertad ni para soñar, oprimidos por las reglas y la fuerza del régimen. En medio de la dictadura de Nicolae Ceausescu, con un país gobernado por el aislamiento y el miedo, la policía secreta chantajea a Cristian para que se convierta en informante. Solo tiene dos opciones: traicionar a todos y todo lo que ama o utilizar su posición para socavar al dictador más malvado de la Europa del Este. Cristian lo arriesga todo para desenmascarar la verdad detrás del régimen, dar voz a sus compatriotas y mostrar al mundo lo que está pasando en su país.
Mis impresiones.
La novela trata un tema poco conocido en general. Las condiciones de vida de los rumanos bajo la dictadura de Nicolae Ceausescu y la sublevación del pueblo, que pedía la caída del régimen, en diciembre de 1989.
Nicolae Ceausescu, llegó al poder en la década de los sesenta. Se mantuvo en él aislando al país tanto de occidente como del bloque comunista. Basó su régimen en el culto a su persona. Mientras él y su familia se enriquecían, el pueblo pasaba hambre, frío y todo tipo de penalidades. Ni atención sanitaria tenían si no era a base de trueque. Su policía secreta reclutó de grado o a la fuerza a miles de confidentes. Nadie sabía quién podía ser uno de ellos. Hasta los niños eran forzados a espiar a sus familias. Cualquier cosa por delirante o absurda que fuera podía llevar a una persona a ser represaliada.
El bloque soviético sabía de sobra cómo era el personaje, lo que no les impidió dejarle campar a su anchas. Se dice que en el caso de occidente supo dar el pego. No tengo esto último muy claro. Los embajadores occidentales en Rumanía veían lo que estaba ocurriendo. Los dirigentes de países como Francia, EEUU e Inglaterra, que lo recibieron con honores de estado, tampoco se llamaban a engaño sobre él. Una vez más, las potencias democráticas miraron para otro lado.
Ruta Sepetys nos narra todo esto de forma sencilla y natural. La prosa es fluida y directa, los capítulos cortos y el ritmo ágil. El hilo conductor es un adolescente de 17 años, Cristian Florescu. Será él quién nos cuente la historia. Su desesperanza es contagiosa. Sabía que le estaban robando el futuro y la posibilidad de elegir. El relato que ofrece de su vida cotidiana, la casa en la que vive, el instituto, las colas de la escasez, etc, es estremecedor. Tremendo, igualmente, la forma en que esos jóvenes se echaron a la calle en diciembre de 1989 sin más armas que su determinación. Derrocaron al dictador y muchos pagaron un alto precio en el intento.
La construcción que hace Sepetys de los personajes es muy buena. Están bien trazados, especialmente los jóvenes, que son los que llevan el peso de la acción. Entre los adultos destaco al abuelo de Cristian, que encarnaba el valor de la disidencia abierta y el de su madre, la otra cara de la moneda, la del miedo.
La ambientación en el Bucarest de la época es de nota. Los edificios, los perros callejeros, la nieve, el frío, la falta de electricidad y como contraste las condiciones en las que vivían los diplomáticos extranjeros. La documentación, ingente sin duda, está tan bien introducida que ni se nota.
El final acorde con la situación que vivió el país, en el que no se desclasificaron los archivos hasta décadas después. Por el camino fueron destruidos multitud de documentos que habrían significado respuestas para muchos ciudadanos. A día de hoy son muchas las incógnitas que quedan abiertas.
Resaltar por último, la nota final de la autora y las fotografías de la época que incluye.
En conclusión, una buena novela que narra un episodio sobre la historia reciente de Rumanía. Bien contado y bien documentado. Recomendable.
July 25, 2022
(3.5/5)
i'm starting to worry that my own expectations are slowly becoming my downfall.
because this book ?? it wasn't as good as i was anticipating it to be.
and i'm extremely sad about that.
for starters, i didn't feel as intense of an emotional connection with the characters of this book as i usually do in ruta sepetys' books, and for me, that was the worst part of it. it's not that i couldn't imagine the horrors of what they were experiencing and of what the people during this time experienced, but rather, the writing itself and the pacing of the novel was incapable of portraying those emotions in a poignant way.
that being said, however, there was a lot that i did like.
despite having taken a world history class and an american history class, both of which placed special emphasis on the outcome of wwii and the cold war, especially with the spread of communism during that time, i had never even so much as heard about communism in romania, nor its deleterious effects on the people, or the revolution that followed, before i read this book. all of which, of course, made me wonder how much of the world and its history i remain ignorant of.
this book definitely made me think, and i really like that about it. and while i do think that some of the characters could have been better developed, the story made for interesting reading and will probably live rent-free in my head for the next couple of weeks.
~~~~~~
I'M SCREAMING FEBRUARY SEEMS SO FAR AWAY
i'm starting to worry that my own expectations are slowly becoming my downfall.
because this book ?? it wasn't as good as i was anticipating it to be.
and i'm extremely sad about that.
for starters, i didn't feel as intense of an emotional connection with the characters of this book as i usually do in ruta sepetys' books, and for me, that was the worst part of it. it's not that i couldn't imagine the horrors of what they were experiencing and of what the people during this time experienced, but rather, the writing itself and the pacing of the novel was incapable of portraying those emotions in a poignant way.
that being said, however, there was a lot that i did like.
despite having taken a world history class and an american history class, both of which placed special emphasis on the outcome of wwii and the cold war, especially with the spread of communism during that time, i had never even so much as heard about communism in romania, nor its deleterious effects on the people, or the revolution that followed, before i read this book. all of which, of course, made me wonder how much of the world and its history i remain ignorant of.
this book definitely made me think, and i really like that about it. and while i do think that some of the characters could have been better developed, the story made for interesting reading and will probably live rent-free in my head for the next couple of weeks.
~~~~~~
I'M SCREAMING FEBRUARY SEEMS SO FAR AWAY
March 2, 2022
1989 Romania
Romanians don’t be afraid! You will be free!
And free they were.
Rich with more recent history! Reality of war. Friend against friend. Family against family. All about survival. In the end freedom reigns!
Romanians don’t be afraid! You will be free!
And free they were.
Rich with more recent history! Reality of war. Friend against friend. Family against family. All about survival. In the end freedom reigns!
November 11, 2022
N-am trăit anii comunismului și nici Revoluția, dar cartea asta mi-a trezit un milion de sentimente. Chiar dacă este ficțiune, acțiunea se bazează pe realitatea acelor ani. Da, știu, unii vor spune că relatările sunt exagerate, alții le vor aproba cu desăvârșire. Eu nu știu de care parte să mă pun pentru că Universul m-a scutit de experiența asta și m-a trimis în joc puțin mai târziu. Dar am auzit totuși povești de la părinți, bunici și alți oameni și nu, viața nu părea deloc strălucită în comunism, asta bineînțeles dacă nu îți păsa că ești îngrădit sau dacă… știi tu. Cu aproximație, cică la fiecare 60 de cetățeni era câte un securist și 1 din 10 civili era informator al Securității. Adică securiștii puteau ajunge să aibă putere de viață și de moarte și informatorii dispuneau bineînțeles la rândul lor de unele beneficii. Atât de mare se spune că era caracatița care a crescut și a acaparat România datorită sau din cauza fricii induse. Înspăimântător este că dacă numerele sunt reale și oricum nu au cum să fie foarte mult diferite, atunci caracatița a trăit în continuare, dar fără cap. Adică, soții Ceaușescu au fost uciși, ok, dar restul celor câteva zeci sau sute de mii de securiști, torționari și informatori de bună voie care au susținut acest regim, ce s-a întâmplat cu ei? Exact, au rămas în societate. Cu aceeași mentalitate, evident mascată, dar fără aceleași puteri depline. Asta înseamnă că e posibil ca doctorul ăla care așteaptă mereu șpagă să fi fost informator în trecut, ca șeful de post să fi fost poate securist, ca bătrânul ăla de pe scară mereu încruntat să fi fost torționar și la fel de posibil ca unii băieți cu cravate din Parlament să fi fost ceva din toate astea. Ori cartea asta m-a băgat în paranoia, ori numerele alea pot fi adevărate. Cert este că povestea e construită interesant în jurul unei familii clasice cu doi copii care încearcă să treacă peste neajunsuri așa cum poate. Cartea merită citită, obligatoriu aș spune. :)
June 18, 2023
Ruta has done it again!! ❤️ She’s moved my heart through her fictional portrayal of true events, that I was ignorant about. 🤯 I love that her storytelling enthralls you so intensely, that you feel obligated to do more historical research. 😍 This was a fantastic read!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!!!
March 6, 2022
I Must Betray You was my third book that I have read by Ruta Sepetys. As in her past novels of historical fiction, her research was impeccable and impressive. I listened to the audiobook of I Must Betray You that was brilliantly performed by Edoardo Ballerini. All my emotions were awakened and touched as I listened to this gripping yet heart wrenching story about what the citizens of Romania endured under the tyranny of Nikolae Ceausescu and his wife, Elana. I Must Betray You triggered memories of watching the summer Olympics when Romanian born Nadia Comaneci competed in the late 1970’s. The fact that she was from Romania meant nothing to me at that time. Then news about Nadia’s defection to the United States was made public. After reading I Must Betray You, I realized how difficult, fearful and guarded Nadia’s life must have been as a young gymnast athlete living in Romania under the Communist regime of Ceausescu. The day to day life in Romania during Nicolas Ceausescu’s unrelenting tyranny was vividly described through the voice and eyes of a young seventeen year old boy, Christian Florescu, in the pages of I Must Betray You. Ceausescu’s regime never discriminated by age or gender when it came to who the Securitate chose to be their informants. The people of Bucharest lived in constant fear, were always hungry, lived in poverty and never knew who could be trusted. Christian secretly kept a journal that described in detail the horrendous conditions the Romanian people were forced to endure day in and day out. He wrote how he was forced to become an informant so his beloved grandfather could continue to receive the medicine he required that would keep him alive. There were spies lurking around every corner. People were not safe to voice their fears or opinions out loud for fear they were being secretly spied upon. Nicolae Ceausescu had totally fooled the world and their leaders about life in Romania. He managed to conceal the conditions and fear the Romanian people were living under and with. The feared Securitate even pinned one family member against another. They would stop at nothing to bully the people of Romania into getting the information they desired. In stark contrast, as poor and suppressed as the Romanian people were, Ceausescu lived with freedom and wealth. No one in the world had an inkling about the life the Romanian people led. Christian hoped his journal could be secretly taken out of Romania and be read so that others could finally witness, understand and hopefully want to help change the stark realities of how the Romanian people were forced to live.
I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys allowed me to visualize the sterile gray cement blocks where the majority of Romanians lived in the poorest of conditions, not knowing when the electricity or heat might be turned off, standing in line after line of food queues for hours at a time for meager food allotments and the fear and repression felt by all. Ruta Sepetys expertly opened my eyes to the tyranny of the Ceausescu regime that lasted from 1965 to 1989. Finally, the people of Romania having had enough of Ceausescu and Communism united and revolted. The Romanian Revolution put an end to the years of Communist rule and ended by executing both Ceausescu and his equally evil wife, Elena. Ruta Sepetys personally added a historical end note at the conclusion of the audiobook that was both informative and enlightening. With all that is occurring in the lives and country of the Ukrainian people today this book becomes even that more important to read. I Must Betray You was fast paced and pulled me in immediately to the suffering the Romanian people underwent. I highly recommend this book.
I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys allowed me to visualize the sterile gray cement blocks where the majority of Romanians lived in the poorest of conditions, not knowing when the electricity or heat might be turned off, standing in line after line of food queues for hours at a time for meager food allotments and the fear and repression felt by all. Ruta Sepetys expertly opened my eyes to the tyranny of the Ceausescu regime that lasted from 1965 to 1989. Finally, the people of Romania having had enough of Ceausescu and Communism united and revolted. The Romanian Revolution put an end to the years of Communist rule and ended by executing both Ceausescu and his equally evil wife, Elena. Ruta Sepetys personally added a historical end note at the conclusion of the audiobook that was both informative and enlightening. With all that is occurring in the lives and country of the Ukrainian people today this book becomes even that more important to read. I Must Betray You was fast paced and pulled me in immediately to the suffering the Romanian people underwent. I highly recommend this book.
February 6, 2022
Poate sunt subiectiva, dar cred ca este cea mai buna carte a autoarei. Am așteptat-o mult si, știind ce munca de cercetare face autoarea pentru cărțile ei, eram convinsă ca nu ma va dezamagi. E greu sa delimitezi ficțiunea de adevăr, dar cred ca, in linii mari, cartea reușește sa surprindă atmosfera si sentimentele trăite de tinerii intelectuali din Bucureștiul comunist. Cred ca oamenii de la țara au un adevăr diferit, caci am auzit deseori părți frumoase ale perioadei comuniste povestite de bunici, de exemplu. Fiecare om experimentează in mod diferit întâmplările prin care trece si e normal sa existe perspective diferite - autoarea oferă una dintre ele, care merita descoperită.
March 1, 2022
Ruta Sepetys is such a gift: her books often take us back behind the Iron Curtain and remind the world of the dark that existed there. In this case, it is Romania in 1989. (Given Putin's war on Ukraine, that curtain is likely to rise again.) She is a brilliant storyteller and she puts such wonderful flesh and bones on her characters, and gives them such remarkable inner lives. We know them and get them -- and in this wonderful novel, we feel their fear and then their courage.
July 31, 2023
✰ 4.25 stars ✰
“I could outwit the Securitate. That’s what I thought. What I really believed.
I didn’t yet know that sometimes in outwitting others, we accidentally outwit ourselves.”
One of the few things I enjoy most about reading historical fiction like I Must Betray You is that I always walk away learning a little more about a time in history that I may not have known about. I'm always appreciative of how authors incorporate fictional characters into real-life events that helped me believe that there were people who did live these experiences. Ruta Sepetys transported me to Communist Romania, where our young protagonist, seventeen-year-old Cristian Florescu gets caught in a dangerous web of secrets and deception when he is forcibly tricked into become the the secret police's newest recruit as their spy and informer - Code name “OSCAR.”
“I’d know the game and outplay him. That’s right, I thought I could outwit Paddle Hands.
The very idea—was it blazing ignorance or blazing courage?
In hindsight, a bit of both. Ignorant courage, blazing.”
And so begins a thrilling cat-and-mouse game between Cristian and the secret police and his own family - questioning everyone's intentions, doubting everyone's good deeds, and second guessing everyone's motives I admired Cristian's stance of wanting to outsmart the secret police, even when the fear of being caught was so very visceral. And in the midst of his own efforts to out-wit those around him, as he also learns about a life of hopeful promise and freedom from the bleakness of his own way of living - there is a halting realization that there is a traitor in their midst. Someone set on preventing anyone from going against the current regime and leaking all the efforts they're trying to make.
The author heightens the prevalent tension by keeping the writing very fast-paced and direct and the chapters short - she highlights the danger of how one action stepping out of line can lead to peril - how even lurking in their mists, are the shadows of prying eyes - watching - Cristian doubts everyone he knows - everyone he trusts could be a spy - not ever knowing how close to home his suspicions would finally lead him.
“Who in life could we truly trust? What remains unseen, hunting through the shadows?
I had no idea then that within a few months I’d be an informer and Bunu’s words would ring so true.
I could trust no one.
Not even myself.”
While I did very much enjoy the beginning, I felt the story wane towards the conclusion, as it deviated from the actual spy story, to the eventual devolvement of the Communist countries. I do understand that this was a pivotal, most crucial part of history that had to be portrayed and it was very well integrated into Cristian's own personal story, but to then have the actual reveal to the real traitor NOT land as a mark of surprise on me - a quiet reveal that hurt, but then fade away into sadness. And then, my rational mind reasons with me, that 'maybe, that was the point, Amina?' That amidst all the lives lost, all the people who were in danger, the fear that ran rampant in the streets where no one is safe and families were being torn apart - how could it hurt in the end, when Cristian has already lost that person in the end?
“Words are weapons. I’ll be able to fight our American and British enemies with words, not only guns.”
Those rare instances where Cristian was at Dan's house were so very bittersweet - how my heart ached that as much as he was confined to stay here, it was absolute disbelief for him that life could actually be so good elsewhere in the States for even a normal person - that this was all that he had been taught to know. And to see him channel those thoughts into powerful words - that he realized that just as much as media allows Romanians to see what is real-life happiness on the outside, he could inform the world of what life really was like here - not just a picture they see on screen, but a voice speaking from the inside - that they are just normal people like them, who want to live a better happier life and enjoy all the things in life they've been so haplessly deprived.
“An unexamined life is not worth living. The notebook was my way of searching within, examining life and asking questions that I couldn’t speak aloud.”
I also appreciated the photos that were included at the end - it helped me better visualize the living arrangements of Cristian and his family - the prison where he and Liliana and the other kids were kept - the revolutionary students who fought back against the regime. It was a helpful look into a time that I was not quite privy too, and helped bring much more presence to her story, itself. It was definitely an entertaining read - a bit on the Young Adult side - but, one that makes me eager to see what else she has to offer. ✨✨✨
“Just remember, Pui, good luck comes at a price. Bad luck is free.”
“I could outwit the Securitate. That’s what I thought. What I really believed.
I didn’t yet know that sometimes in outwitting others, we accidentally outwit ourselves.”
One of the few things I enjoy most about reading historical fiction like I Must Betray You is that I always walk away learning a little more about a time in history that I may not have known about. I'm always appreciative of how authors incorporate fictional characters into real-life events that helped me believe that there were people who did live these experiences. Ruta Sepetys transported me to Communist Romania, where our young protagonist, seventeen-year-old Cristian Florescu gets caught in a dangerous web of secrets and deception when he is forcibly tricked into become the the secret police's newest recruit as their spy and informer - Code name “OSCAR.”
“I’d know the game and outplay him. That’s right, I thought I could outwit Paddle Hands.
The very idea—was it blazing ignorance or blazing courage?
In hindsight, a bit of both. Ignorant courage, blazing.”
And so begins a thrilling cat-and-mouse game between Cristian and the secret police and his own family - questioning everyone's intentions, doubting everyone's good deeds, and second guessing everyone's motives I admired Cristian's stance of wanting to outsmart the secret police, even when the fear of being caught was so very visceral. And in the midst of his own efforts to out-wit those around him, as he also learns about a life of hopeful promise and freedom from the bleakness of his own way of living - there is a halting realization that there is a traitor in their midst. Someone set on preventing anyone from going against the current regime and leaking all the efforts they're trying to make.
The author heightens the prevalent tension by keeping the writing very fast-paced and direct and the chapters short - she highlights the danger of how one action stepping out of line can lead to peril - how even lurking in their mists, are the shadows of prying eyes - watching - Cristian doubts everyone he knows - everyone he trusts could be a spy - not ever knowing how close to home his suspicions would finally lead him.
“Who in life could we truly trust? What remains unseen, hunting through the shadows?
I had no idea then that within a few months I’d be an informer and Bunu’s words would ring so true.
I could trust no one.
Not even myself.”
While I did very much enjoy the beginning, I felt the story wane towards the conclusion, as it deviated from the actual spy story, to the eventual devolvement of the Communist countries. I do understand that this was a pivotal, most crucial part of history that had to be portrayed and it was very well integrated into Cristian's own personal story, but to then have the actual reveal to the real traitor NOT land as a mark of surprise on me - a quiet reveal that hurt, but then fade away into sadness. And then, my rational mind reasons with me, that 'maybe, that was the point, Amina?' That amidst all the lives lost, all the people who were in danger, the fear that ran rampant in the streets where no one is safe and families were being torn apart - how could it hurt in the end, when Cristian has already lost that person in the end?
“Words are weapons. I’ll be able to fight our American and British enemies with words, not only guns.”
Those rare instances where Cristian was at Dan's house were so very bittersweet - how my heart ached that as much as he was confined to stay here, it was absolute disbelief for him that life could actually be so good elsewhere in the States for even a normal person - that this was all that he had been taught to know. And to see him channel those thoughts into powerful words - that he realized that just as much as media allows Romanians to see what is real-life happiness on the outside, he could inform the world of what life really was like here - not just a picture they see on screen, but a voice speaking from the inside - that they are just normal people like them, who want to live a better happier life and enjoy all the things in life they've been so haplessly deprived.
“An unexamined life is not worth living. The notebook was my way of searching within, examining life and asking questions that I couldn’t speak aloud.”
I also appreciated the photos that were included at the end - it helped me better visualize the living arrangements of Cristian and his family - the prison where he and Liliana and the other kids were kept - the revolutionary students who fought back against the regime. It was a helpful look into a time that I was not quite privy too, and helped bring much more presence to her story, itself. It was definitely an entertaining read - a bit on the Young Adult side - but, one that makes me eager to see what else she has to offer. ✨✨✨
“Just remember, Pui, good luck comes at a price. Bad luck is free.”
May 10, 2024
3.5/5 Estrellas
Que la Rumanía de Ceaucescu, haya pasado a la historia como uno de los regímenes totalitarios más crueles, despóticos, nepotistas y corruptos, quizá no nos pille por sorpresa.
Pero sumergirse en el día a día de una familia rumana a finales de 1989, justo antes de la caída del régimen, pasar hambre y frío con ellos, vivir aislado del mundo, pero sobre todo sufrir el miedo, miedo a hablar, miedo a pensar, miedo al vecino, al compañero, a tu propia familia, es el gran acierto de esta novela. Porque en la Rumanía de Ceaucescu, el miedo campaba a sus anchas. Se estima que uno de cada 10 rumanos actuaba como confidente en esa época, por presión, coacción o convicción. Esta es la mano de hierro con la que el dictador apretaba el cuello de su pueblo, asfixiándolo y sometiéndolo. Junto con su brazo ejecutor, la policía secreta Securitate, que al parecer nada tenía que envidiar a otras coetáneas como la Stasi.
Sufrimos con los jóvenes, que carecen de pasado, ya que han nacido en el régimen y les han ocultado su propia historia. Tampoco vislumbran un futuro, más allá del negro panorama en el que sobreviven. Aislados del mundo, les llegan retazos de un mundo occidental que les venden como una sociedad corrupta y cuasi demoniaca, pero que ellos anhelan conocer. Los jóvenes fueron un de los pilares fundamentales de la revolución rumana que echó del poder a Ceaucescu en Diciembre de 1989. Los jóvenes y su deseo de libertad.
La autora da voz a los jóvenes, a Cristian, a Liliana, a Lucas. Este es uno de los grandes atractivos de la novela, pero para ello utiliza una forma de lenguaje y de escritura, quizá dirigido a un público más juvenil, que para mi gusto se ha quedado un poco corto y demasiado simple. Aquí es donde ha bajado un poco la nota.
Más allá de este detalle la novela es sólida, comprometida y merece ser leída, porque saca a la superficie uno de esos retazos de la historia marcados por el sufrimientos de millones de personas. Una historia que merece ser conocida, aunque desgraciadamente se va replicando una y otra vez a lo largo del mundo, no hay más que mirar a Corea del Norte, quizá el caso más extremo de este tipo de gobiernos alienantes y aislacionistas.
Que la Rumanía de Ceaucescu, haya pasado a la historia como uno de los regímenes totalitarios más crueles, despóticos, nepotistas y corruptos, quizá no nos pille por sorpresa.
Pero sumergirse en el día a día de una familia rumana a finales de 1989, justo antes de la caída del régimen, pasar hambre y frío con ellos, vivir aislado del mundo, pero sobre todo sufrir el miedo, miedo a hablar, miedo a pensar, miedo al vecino, al compañero, a tu propia familia, es el gran acierto de esta novela. Porque en la Rumanía de Ceaucescu, el miedo campaba a sus anchas. Se estima que uno de cada 10 rumanos actuaba como confidente en esa época, por presión, coacción o convicción. Esta es la mano de hierro con la que el dictador apretaba el cuello de su pueblo, asfixiándolo y sometiéndolo. Junto con su brazo ejecutor, la policía secreta Securitate, que al parecer nada tenía que envidiar a otras coetáneas como la Stasi.
Sufrimos con los jóvenes, que carecen de pasado, ya que han nacido en el régimen y les han ocultado su propia historia. Tampoco vislumbran un futuro, más allá del negro panorama en el que sobreviven. Aislados del mundo, les llegan retazos de un mundo occidental que les venden como una sociedad corrupta y cuasi demoniaca, pero que ellos anhelan conocer. Los jóvenes fueron un de los pilares fundamentales de la revolución rumana que echó del poder a Ceaucescu en Diciembre de 1989. Los jóvenes y su deseo de libertad.
La autora da voz a los jóvenes, a Cristian, a Liliana, a Lucas. Este es uno de los grandes atractivos de la novela, pero para ello utiliza una forma de lenguaje y de escritura, quizá dirigido a un público más juvenil, que para mi gusto se ha quedado un poco corto y demasiado simple. Aquí es donde ha bajado un poco la nota.
Más allá de este detalle la novela es sólida, comprometida y merece ser leída, porque saca a la superficie uno de esos retazos de la historia marcados por el sufrimientos de millones de personas. Una historia que merece ser conocida, aunque desgraciadamente se va replicando una y otra vez a lo largo del mundo, no hay más que mirar a Corea del Norte, quizá el caso más extremo de este tipo de gobiernos alienantes y aislacionistas.
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