Between Shades of Gray

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Elena Vilkas demonstrates extraordinary compassion even to those who seem least deserving of it. When have you witnessed similar acts of kindness in difficult circumstances?

2. Lina uses her art both as documentation and as a way to process her experiences. What creative outlets have helped you navigate challenging periods in your life?

3. The stone with quartz becomes a powerful symbol of connection between Lina, Jonas, and Andrius. What objects in your life carry similar emotional significance?

4. If you were suddenly forced to leave your home with only what you could carry, what few items would you choose to take?

5. Lina struggles between her desire for revenge and her capacity for forgiveness, particularly regarding Kretzsky. When have you found yourself torn between these opposing emotions?

6. The relationship between Lina and Andrius develops against the backdrop of extreme hardship. How does this context shape their connection in ways that differ from relationships that form under less fraught circumstances?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The Soviet deportation and imprisonment of Baltic peoples remains less widely known than other World War II atrocities. What factors might contribute to this historical oversight?

2. Throughout the novel, we see how the Soviet regime systematically dehumanizes the deportees through labels like “thieves” and “prostitutes.” What similar tactics of dehumanization do you observe in historical or contemporary conflicts?

3. Sepetys mentions in the epilogue that survivors of the Soviet deportations were viewed as criminals when they returned to Soviet-occupied Lithuania and could not speak about their experiences. What parallels exist between this silencing and other instances where traumatic histories have been suppressed?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Lina’s artistic inspiration comes from Edvard Munch, whose work depicts emotional anguish. What does this artistic influence reveal about Lina’s character and her approach to documenting her experiences?

2. The character of Nikolai Kretzsky evolves from an anonymous “young blond guard” to a complex individual with his own tragic background (116). What purpose does his character serve in the overall narrative?

3. Consider the juxtaposition between Lina’s memories of her privileged past and her brutal present circumstances, similar to the narrative technique used in Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief. How does this narrative approach enhance our understanding of Lina’s experience?

4. The novel features several moral exemplars—Elena Vilkas, Kostas Vilkas, Andrius—alongside characters who make more morally compromised choices. What statement is Sepetys making about human nature through this spectrum of moral responses?

5. The epilogue reveals that Lina survived, married Andrius, and buried her documentation for future generations to find. What significance does this ending hold for the themes of bearing witness and preserving history?

6. Sepetys portrays several minor characters, like Mr. Stalas (the bald man) and Ulyushka, as initially antagonistic and progressively reveals greater complexity. What role do these characters play in developing the novel’s ideas about judgment and compassion?