top of page
  • jlentz24

Book Rec: I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys

Updated: Jul 31

“How could we expect others to feel our pain or hear our cries for help when all we could do was whisper?”


Sepetys does it again in this gut-wrenching, can’t-put-it-down historical thriller. The spy network in Communist Romania is alive and well and a 17-year-old must walk a tightrope to play the game. This novel helps us remember the dark history often covered up. Written by a Nashville local, I Must Betray You is a riveting story about a factual time in Eastern Europe as the Iron Curtain comes crumbling down. Great book for high school students to better understand the fight for freedom. Discussion guide below!


book jacket of a young man walking toward a city block with a flag

Romania, 1989. Communist regimes are crumbling across Europe. Seventeen-year-old Cristian Florescu dreams of becoming a writer, but Romanians aren’t free to dream; they are bound by rules and force.


Amidst the tyrannical dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu in a country governed by isolation and fear, Cristian is blackmailed by the secret police to become an informer. He’s left with only two choices: betray everyone and everything he loves—or use his position to creatively undermine the most notoriously evil dictator in Eastern Europe.


Cristian risks everything to unmask the truth behind the regime, give voice to fellow Romanians, and expose to the world what is happening in his country. He eagerly joins the revolution to fight for change when the time arrives. But what is the cost of freedom?



Discussion Questions

  1. Before reading this book, what did you already know about 1989 Communist Romania?

  2. Not every book has a happy ending. Do you feel like Cristian received one? Why or why not?

  3. The novel strongly focuses on friendships. How do you think you would respond in a community in which you can’t trust anyone?

  4. Why do you think Cristian writes and doesn’t speak out? How did his notebook end up speaking volumes for the people of Romania?


If you are looking for more historical spy thrillers, check out The Alice Network!

 

Some content may contain affiliate or referral links. As an Amazon Associate, I also earn from qualifying purchases. When you click on and/or make a purchase through an affiliate link placed on Lifetime Tidbits, I may receive a small commission or other form of compensation at no additional cost to you. Please see my Disclaimers Page for more information. Thank you for reading!

Recent Posts

See All

2 Kommentare

Mit 0 von 5 Sternen bewertet.
Noch keine Ratings

Rating hinzufügen
Gast
27. Dez. 2023
Mit 5 von 5 Sternen bewertet.

this review made me read it!! Thanks!

Gefällt mir

Unknown member
02. Juni 2023

One of the best books I’ve read to date!

Gefällt mir
bottom of page