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Post by Konrad Sartorius on Jun 19, 2013 16:01:34 GMT -5
For the Summer Reading I am going to read the book Between the Shades of Grey, a book detailing the battle for survival of a young Lithuanian girl during the Soviet Union's occupation of her country during the 1940's.
The posting schedule is as follows:
July 3-Chapter 1-15
July 7- Chapter 16-30
July 11-Chapter 31-45
July 15-Chapter 46-60
July 19- Chapter 61-75
July 23-Chapter 76-85
Anyone who wishes to join this reading club please feel free to mention your joining on the forum post. Read Away! Huzzah!
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Post by Abby Cerano on Jul 2, 2013 16:45:15 GMT -5
Hello Konrad my name is Abby! I will be new to the mount this year! I just wanted to let you know I will be joining your book club!  |
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Post by Abby Cerano on Jul 2, 2013 16:49:39 GMT -5
I have really enjoyed reading this book so far! It is a great book so far despite how sad it is. I enjoy being able to read what this harrowing experience is like through Lina's point of view. Especially since she is our age. I think it is great that all of the people who have been put on the train have a sense of unity. They all try to work together in order to try and survive!
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Post by Konrad Sartorius on Jul 3, 2013 21:06:26 GMT -5
Hello Konrad my name is Abby! I will be new to the mount this year! I just wanted to let you know I will be joining your book club! :) Welcome to the Mount, Abby. Thanks for joining this book club and I look forward to discussing books with u! |
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Post by Konrad Sartorius on Jul 3, 2013 21:17:12 GMT -5
I really enjoyed the opening of this book. It does a great job of intertwining the stories of individuals and families into the greater story of Lithuania ~1940s. In it we see the struggle for survival and the humanity or the lack thereof in human beings when the easy choice would be fend for oneself. This book, and it's opening chapters sheds light on the brutality of Soviet Socialism, especially during the Stalinist years. There is an almost infinite amount of literature on the Holocaust(and rightfully so), which details the evils committed in the name of Fascism, but a stunning lack of literature detailing the brutality inflicted against people such as Lina, in the name of Communism and Soviet nationalism. Judging form the opening of this book, this author helps to fill a void left neglected by history, the Annexations of the Baltic States.
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Post by Abby Cerano on Jul 6, 2013 16:04:53 GMT -5
After reading chapters 16-30 I think the author continues to do a good job of manifesting all of the harrowing events the Lithuanian people had to face. Although it is hard to read about the gruesome and appalling situation they were put in, it's important that we all know what they had to go through. I still think this is a good book. However, it is hard to read and know that they actually had to face these revolting events. One of the most important things the people on the train have done is work together. I think this will be a key element if they want to survive. I'm hopeful that Lina's handkerchief will eventually get to her father! And that through her artwork and talent, her family will be re united eventually as well!
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Post by Konrad Sartorius on Jul 7, 2013 15:24:36 GMT -5
I just finished reading chapters 16-30 of the book. I think that author is great at the describing the surroundings and feelings of Lina and those around her. There have been three (3) groups of people forming in their journey. Their are those like Lina and her family who are staying together and not giving up, and still help others, There is also those have decided to fend for themselves and not help others, and lastly those that have given up hope (i.e.the "bald man") and have been broken as people. During the incident outside the bathhouse, we see that amongst the Soviet NKVD officers they are common people. Their are those that take advantage of their power and abuse it and hurt other people, and their are those that "follow orders" and don't object to any of the evil they witness and partake in. It shows that common people can partake in evil directly or fail to object to it, and therefore partake in evil.
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Post by Konrad Sartorius on Jul 9, 2013 13:04:12 GMT -5
I just finished reading chapters 31-45. In the begining of the section it is revealed that the NKVD have decided to try to get mother to join them and help them in spying. Forunately, she doesn't join in with them. She had the moral courage not to give in and join the enemy. Many people didn't have the courage to do so in real life and bretrayed their fellow countryman and fellow prisoners. This lead to paranoia and distrust amongst prisoners, just as Lina assumes taht Andrius is collaborating with the NKVD officers, albeit that turns out to be false. We can also see the sacrifices made by people to protect loved ones and care for each other. An example of that is how Andrius' mother is forced to partake in prostituion for the Soviet officers, just so that they don't harm her son. Towards the end of the reading selection, we see that people(includign the Soviets) are starting to see that Lina has a great drawign skill, and are starting to imploy her for her artsitic skill.
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Post by Konrad Sartorius on Jul 9, 2013 13:04:44 GMT -5
I just finished reading chapters 31-45. In the begining of the section it is revealed that the NKVD have decided to try to get mother to join them and help them in spying. Forunately, she doesn't join in with them. She had the moral courage not to give in and join the enemy. Many people didn't have the courage to do so in real life and bretrayed their fellow countryman and fellow prisoners. This lead to paranoia and distrust amongst prisoners, just as Lina assumes taht Andrius is collaborating with the NKVD officers, albeit that turns out to be false. We can also see the sacrifices made by people to protect loved ones and care for each other. An example of that is how Andrius' mother is forced to partake in prostituion for the Soviet officers, just so that they don't harm her son. Towards the end of the reading selection, we see that people(includign the Soviets) are starting to see that Lina has a great drawign skill, and are starting to imploy her for her artsitic skill.
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Post by Konrad Sartorius on Jul 9, 2013 13:06:13 GMT -5
Opps I just quadropple posted:p
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Post by Konrad Sartorius on Jul 14, 2013 2:49:44 GMT -5
The people are excited (somewhat) that the German's are advancing and attacking the Soviet Union. Mr. Stalas (the bald man), points out that regardless of who wins Lithuania is still trapped due to her geographic location. The people of the camp secretly set up a message system in which a woman goes and gets their letters out to their loved ones. Eventually, Jonas becomes ill with scurvy and almost dies. During this time of crisis, Andruis and Lina become friends again, while they wait fro Jonas to recover, which he eventually does. Eventually Christmas comes along and the people decide that they need to celebrate. During this time, they come to learn more about each other, (including the fact that Mr. Stalas is a Jewish man). Once again her drawing skills are put to the test as the commander demands that she draw his portrait. Eventually her birthday comes around and her family and the other prisoners throw a surprise birthday party in Mr. Stalas' hut. After the party Andrius gives her a present the Dombey and Sun, and they share their first kiss (so cute  . But then the NKVD plan to make a major plot twist, by moving them all around and sending Lina, and not Andrius to separate camps. Now Lina and her new found love are going to be separated.  I hope that in the next upcoming chapters that the family of Lina and all the others return back to Lithuania, and that Lina and Andrius get reunited. |
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Post by Abby Cerano on Jul 15, 2013 1:09:01 GMT -5
A lot has happened and unraveled throughout these chapters! For a while I thought Jonas was going to die. I was glad that Andrius was able to help! I think the people continue to show unity. It was a great idea to still celebrate Christmas, regardless of the circumstances. I think it gave people hope. For the most part they have done a good job of sticking together and helping each other, throughout this whole period of time. Regardless of how bad things have been going and are going they all still gathered in Mr.Stalas' shack and celebrated Lina's birthday! They have continually shown care and love for one another. I'm sure Lina was happy to have been able to kiss Andrius. And especially happy to be talking to each other again. Sadly, just as things start to look a little better, word of people being moved has arisen. Everyone gathers in Mr.Stalas shack to converse about the topic! No one knows why or who exactly will be moved. Because of this, it is decided everyone should just try to prepare for what may lye ahead.
I'm hoping that Lina and her family will hopefully be able to reunite with her father and with Andrius and his mother as well. I'm hoping that they make it out alive and that they continue to have the strength that they've shown throughout the book.
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Post by Abby Cerano on Jul 16, 2013 2:12:47 GMT -5
The NKVD has gathered Lina and her family, as well as many of the other passengers, to move them somewhere else. No one is sure of where they will be moved to. Lina's mother starts to show signs of physical weakness during one of their stops to bathe, She collapses on the ground due to fatigue. Lina and Mr.Rimas are quick to help her. Everyone is soon back on the road again. After endless nights of traveling they finally learn where they are being taken. They have been taken into the Trofimovsk. Which is at the very top of the Arctic Cricle. Everyone quickly panics. As soon as they arrived they were put to labor. They were to make their own huts. All they had were pieces of log that might have floated ashore. Everyone knew it would be difficult to try and survive the arctic winter. Because of such harsh weather many died the first few nights. One night Mr.Stalas reveals to Lina why her family was put on the list. Her father had helped his brother's family Repatriate. Throughout all this time Lina's mother continues to get weaker and weaker. In the very last chapter Lina's mother was told their father was killed.
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Post by Abby Cerano on Jul 16, 2013 2:17:29 GMT -5
There were a lot of surprises and new people that were brought into these chapters. I hope that they can find the strength to survive the harsh Arctic winter. At this point I'm not sure if Lina's mom will make it. It would be unimaginable to lose both parents. I hope that help will come to them soon and that they will be able to go back home! I also hope that Ivanov was just lying and that her father is still alive. I still hope that her and Andrius will be able to meet again.
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Post by Konrad Sartorius on Jul 18, 2013 12:41:10 GMT -5
Konrad Sartorius
During this passage we see the love that Andrius and Lina have developed for each other during their time in prison. They once again get on a train, but this time there is less of a commotion, either because they have experience in this situation or they have been numbed to the situation. You’ll also notice the high regard by which they view America, during their (false) hope that they’re going to be sent to the United States. I think that this speaks volumes about the way people in foreign lands view the United States, and shows that immigrants to the United States need to be welcomed, as we don’t know what they’ve been through and how they’ve suffered. Some go mad and lose the will to live, as Jiana’s mum does temporarily. The Lithuanian’s in the camp start believing in the concept of, “Western Betrayal,” a political belief that has taken hold today in Eastern Europe, mostly Czechoslovakia and Poland, in which the peoples their feel betrayed by the Western Powers (USA, Britain, France), that they had fought fascist oppression, but left the people of Eastern Europe to fend for themselves after the Soviet takeovers. The medical condition starts to break down, in the camp as the prisoners have weakened immune systems, due to unsanitary conditions and extremely cold conditions. The bald man informs Lina as to why she and her family were being thrown into the Soviet gulag system (her father assisting her cousin’s family to safety.) She becomes extremely upset with her mother during this time period. Later on mother is informed by Kretzsky about the fate of their father, and that he was shot in prison. Mother collapses at this point, and Lina shows her anger and hate for Kretzsky, and Kretzsky admits he hates himself also.
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. But then the NKVD plan to make a major plot twist, by moving them all around and sending Lina, and not Andrius to separate camps. Now Lina and her new found love are going to be separated.
I hope that in the next upcoming chapters that the family of Lina and all the others return back to Lithuania, and that Lina and Andrius get reunited.