Book Review: I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys

Genre: YA Historical Fiction Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I’ve officially read all of Ruta Sepetys’ books now, and trust me when I say, if you haven’t read her books, you’re missing out! By no means am I a big fan of historical fiction, but Sepetys’ books are everything you could want in a novel!

Her latest book, I Must Betray You, takes place in Romania in 1989, when the country was being ruled by a communist dictator who had the Western world duped into thinking he was a good leader. The novel follows Cristian, a young man who is compelled to inform for the secret police in order to save his sick grandfather. As the book progresses, he finds out that no one is who they seem to be, and Romania is closer to a revolution than he ever imagined.

There’s not a single thing I would change about this book! It’s clear Sepetys did extensive research (as is apparent in all her books) on the time period. Some of the details were incredibly shocking, such as the fact that 1 in 10 citizens were informing for the secret police.

Additionally, Cristian was a phenomenal character! There were many instances where Cristian wonders if aspects of his life that he has come to accept are common in other countries. I thought this was very telling, and highlighted the way Romanians were isolated. Cristian’s relationships with the other characters were compelling and complex. I loved the way Sepetys portrayed this fire inside him, driving him to change things and fight for freedom.

Similarly, the themes in the novel were very strong, particularly the theme of paranoia. It was fitting that Cristian was an informant for the secret police, as that gives readers a unique perspective of being attached to the character while they engage in somewhat nefarious behavior. This truly showed how anyone could be an informant, and that it didn’t necessarily make them a bad person, just a person who wants to survive.

Finally, the emotional connection I felt with this book was unparalleled! Like Sepetys’ other novels, I Must Betray You is heartbreakingly beautiful. Before reading this one, I would have said The Fountains of Silence was my favorite book by her, but now I’m not sure that I can choose between these two! In my opinion, this book is nothing short of literary genius!