Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Finalist: I MUST BETRAY YOU by Ruta Sepetys
Introduction by Heavy Medal Award Committee Member Courtney Hague
Let’s take a look at the book I MUST BETRAY YOU by Ruta Sepetys in terms of a couple of the Newbery criteria.
First, I MUST BETRAY YOU excels in its delineation of setting. Ruta Sepetys takes us to a time and place that is not often spoken of. The year is 1989 and we arrive in Bucharest, Romania, to follow Cristian, a 17 year old high school student, as he navigates life in one of the most oppressive Communist regimes. Cristian describes where he lives this way:
When the power snapped off in the winter, the dark was instantly deep. The windows became a glaze of ice inside and out. Even when the electricity was on, the temperature in our apartment rarely rose above 12 degrees Celsius, which was 54 degrees Fahrenheit (pg 69).
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For a setting that is not well-known, Sepetys paints a picture that is so detailed and precise you can almost feel the cold, fear, and hunger.
Its interpretation of theme is also quite salient. The themes of trust and suspicion run throughout this novel. Who can be trusted? What does it mean to trust and what can guilt or suspicion do to you? These are questions that are explored through Cristian’s experience. As an informant, Cristian knows that he cannot be trusted but once he has been tapped as an informant, he becomes even more suspicious of everyone around him. His paranoia slowly ramps up throughout the story until he does not trust his best friend, his girlfriend, or even his sister, even as he wants to protect them.
The scene where Cristian’s classmate breaks and shouts about being an informant in class gives us a glimpse into Cristian’s future. He could easily snap. At one point, Cristian thinks:
A lie is like a snowball. It rolls, becomes bigger, heavier, and eventually, it’s difficult to lift. I had thought I was strong. But how much weight could I actually carry? (pg. 115).
As the novel progresses, the reader can feel the weight of the guilt and suspicion on Cristian. It is palpable. As Cristian wrestles with his desire to tell someone what he has done, but also struggles with the knowledge that his own sister has been an informant as well, we, as readers, also do not know what Cristian should do or where he should turn.
Sepetys transports us as readers to a unique time and place in history and makes us feel as if we are experiencing it with the people there. This feat is accomplished through her masterful use of both setting and theme and her thorough descriptions and precise details.
Heavy Medal Award Committee members and others are now invited to discuss this book further in the Comments section below. Please start with positive observations first; stick to positives until at least three comments have been posted or we reach 1:00 pm EST.
Filed under: Book Discussion, Heavy Medal Mock
About Steven Engelfried
Steven Engelfried retired from full-time library work a couple years ago and now works as a part-time Youth Librarian at the West Linn Public Library in Oregon. He served on the 2010 Newbery committee, chaired the 2013 Newbery Committee, and also served on the 2002 Caldecott committee. You can reach him at sengelfried@yahoo.com.
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Steven Engelfried says
Thanks for the excellent introduction, Courtney! Those two highlighted literary elements of setting and theme really do stand out in this book. We can also see how those two help to develop other elements, like character and plot. Cristian is a compelling character partly because we see how challenging it is for him to navigate that oppressive setting of paranoia and suspicion, while still standing up for family, friends, and what he believes in…and surviving himself. Plot developments also depend greatly upon that particular time and place, and it’s hard for Cristian (and the reader) to make decisions and anticipate what will happen next…
Aryssa says
I totally agree—the setting delineation done here is SUPERB. It’s transformative for the reader, and so crucial since it’s a lesser-known setting and based in a real moment in time.
Kate McCarron says
I second that! I agree that this book’s strength is in the setting and theme. I could imagine their small apartment with sparse provisions and the “Reporters” on the balconies, a visible reminder of the fear and mistrust that permeates the community. I would go even further and advocate that this book offers it all-the plot as well as presentation of information. The author uses several foreshadowing techniques such as when Cristian’s Mom stumbles in the stairway, one begins to wonder if she too is an informant. I may be biased as historical fiction is a genre that I love and in this I learned alot about a period of history that I didn’t know much about.
Gabrielle Stoller says
I third that! While I always love Ruta Sepetys books, I loved this being in a lesser known setting! It truly transformed my thinking and visualization of the region for me!
Louie Lauer says
Can I fourth that? This was an unfamiliar topic for me, requiring a great deal of background for me to get into the story. Sometimes, too much of this kind of “world building” can be a roadblock for a reader, but I never felt that way. The break-neck speed of the pacing with these complex characters keeps the reader wholly involved, even if it is an unfamiliar setting.
Amanda Bishop says
Great introduction to this outstanding historical fiction book! I loved how rich the setting was and how you as a reader felt the tension throughout the book. I too felt suspicious of everyone and everything. I didn’t know who Christian could truly trust or if he was going to be betrayed. Sepetys did an amazing job bringing this historical event to life. I didn’t know anything about this subject prior to reading the book and it really sparked an interest in learning more about it.
My only critique of this book in terms of Newbery is whether or not in fits into the age range. The audience for this book seems so much older and feels more Printz eligible for me.
Maura Bayliss says
I agree! I was there, I was suspicious, and I was nervous due to Sepetys’ writing and so well executed plot details and pacing. I was so interested to learn what was really happening vs. what we as Americans were reading about. But this book felt relentlessly dark especially at the beginning, maybe as it took me time to get used to the atrocities. Babies dying due to electricity being turned off and mandatory pregnancy checks among other things makes me think this doesn’t fit the Newbery parameters. But I loved it.
Aryssa says
Maura, I also think this might not fall into their consideration because it doesn’t feel like it really is for 14 and under. Not that it being labeled as YA or necessarily having a 17-year-old protagonist is what matters, but overall, I do think this is more likely to win a YA award than the Newbery. An excellent piece of historical fiction though! Just maybe a bit older. I could see myself handing this to a 14 year old, but maybe not an 11 year old.
Louie Lauer says
I agree that this book fits more comfortably in the upper reaches of the age range, but I do think it should receive consideration for the Newbery. The criteria states that children are considered ” as persons of ages up to and including fourteen, and books for this entire age range are to be considered”. Following these guidelines, even if a book is appropriate for 14 and up, it could be considered for the Newbery. It doesn’t have to be appropriate for all readers in that range. Of the reviews that provide age ranges, Kirkus reviewed it at 12-18, Publishers Weekly said 12 and up, Booklist said grades 8-11 and SLJ said grades 9 and up. I certainly agree this book does not fit for younger than 13 or 14, generally speaking, but I do think, with the way the criteria is written, it can still be considered eligible.
Amanda Sealey says
I agree, Louie! It’s definitely for the older end of the spectrum, but should absolutely be considered.
Laurie Beth Schneider says
This book blew me away. The prose, the setting, the pacing, the characters. It is superlative by any and all measures. Yes, the audience skews on the upper end of MG, but this has happened before; Gary D. Schmidt’s LIZZIE BRIGHT AND THE BUCKMINSTER BOY received both Newbery and Printz honors.
Kate McCarron says
As well as Jason Reynold’s Long Way Down medaled in both Newbery and Printz!
Kerrie Lattari says
The theme is handled so well. It actually parallels with another one of our Heavy Medal finalists, The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill. In both of these books, those in power gained and maintained their control over a population by sowing seeds of distrust among them. If you have been convinced that you can’t trust your neighbor, you stop communicating, you turn inward, and you lose your sense of community. This combined with the ethical dilemma presented to readers– would you turn informant in order to protect the people you love?–forces the reader to do some deep, critical thinking. The emotional toll of the plot points and the fast pacing make this a book you don’t want to put down!
Ellen Peterson says
I think this book is fantastic it’s my favorite 2022 book I have read. I think the characters are well developed and the setting is done well. I learned a lot about a time in Romania I new nothing about. As much as I love this book and really do want it some kind of award I have to agree with others I don’t think this fits the Newbery age range. Some parts of the book are intense and violent. Some kids may be able to handle that but I don’t see many reading this unless there at the upper end of the age range. That being said it is a wonderful well written historical fiction.
Jennifer Whitten says
The comments were really helpful about the age appropriateness of this book for the Newbery or YA award level. I read this book when it first came out and it has really stuck with me since I finished it but I did wonder if the age level was more for YA. I did a fast reread with the lens in mind of how you build background while also telling a story. Septetys was masterful at this with showcasing small moments like drinking the “contraband” coke drink or drinking banana shampoo for the sake of the taste. The themes of fear, trust, choice, and options hit home with this one considering all the events in Ukraine and what the people are fighting for there.
Rox Anne Close says
I agree with others that this book is outstanding in delineation of setting and development of the theme of loyalty and family. The plot development is strong also. It is complex, yet I found it easy to follow. Sepetys developed a mood of suspense, and I think accurately portrayed the history, paranoia and isolation in1989 Romania. I was impressed with the extensive research Sepetys did to write this book, which includes a long list of sources listed at the end of the book, along with global and collaborative efforts that spanned many years.
I think the characters are believable and complex, especially Cristian. Through Sepetys’ exceptional writing style, I felt Cristian’s fear, paranoia and isolation right from the start. Chapter 1 begins: “Fear arrived at 5 o’clock.” Chapter 3 begins: “He knew what I had done.” Chapter 4 begins: “Guilt walks on all fours. It creeps, encircles and climbs. It presses its thumb to your throat. And it waits.” Sepetys ended many chapters with foreshadowing, that added to the feeling of paranoia, such as Cristian’s thoughts at the end of Chapter 11, (page 41): “I often think about that moment, reliving its perfection in my head. Liliana. A real Coke. Banana shampoo. Sometimes we don’t recognize life’s perfect moments. Until it’s too late.”
As Laurie Beth stated, this book blew me away too. It is definitely on the top of my pile to win an award.
Gabrielle Stoller says
When I found out that Ruta Sepetys was writing another book, I was hooked immediately. Without even reading it. I knew I would be taken into a captivating world with well flushed out characters. (Her other books, the Fountain of Silence, is one I always recommend!)
So admittedly, it has been a little while since I have read this one. But I was ecstatic to see it on our list. I definitely have it, in my mind, of a Printz Award, for sure! But Newbery…..does it fit the age criteria?
I wonder: how much leeway is given to the group of that year? We discussed yesterday how they decide just how much illustrations are taken into account when making their decisions. Does flexibility go into age range as well? I think of Jason’s Reynolds LONG WAY DOWN that was posed earlier. It did win both Newbery and Printz honors and tackles mature subject matter. Could it be that due to a younger age protagonist (15 years for LONG WAY DOWN as opposed to 17 year old Cristian in I MUST BETRAY YOU) a case could be made for Newbery? I decidedly feel as if Ruta’s masterful offering is very much pushing the envelope of children’s honoring.
That’s not to say I would be upset if Newbery recognized it? On the contrary! It hits all of the other boxes (setting, characters, delineation of plot, etc)
Maura Bayliss says
I’m still trying to figure out why but Long Way Down struck me as okay for a slightly younger audience than I Must Betray You, and it could totally be my personal biases. Admittedly, it’s been a couple of years since I read it. I’ll try to read it again to assess.
Tally Klinefelter says
I agree. I’m still having a hard time wrapping my head around this one being in the Newbery range. I think what differs in this book from LONG WAY DOWN (going off of memory from reading it years ago) is that I MUST BETRAY you includes a romance plot and LONG WAY DOWN does not. Romance tends to be the thing that pushes novels into the YA sphere. (MG books tend to stop at crushes.)
Other than that, I agree about the strength of every criteria in this novel. The setting is incredibly vivid, and Cristi is such a fully formed character. What stuck with me was the scene where he is watching the home movie and sees the bowl of bananas on the table.
Jenny Arch says
Thanks Courtney for a wonderful introduction, rich with relevant quotes. I agree with many of the comments above: Ruta Sepetys knocks all the Newbery criteria out of the park (theme, presentation, plot, character, setting, and style), although I do feel like this is a YA book (and I hope the Printz committee is considering it). Nevertheless, a Newbery book doesn’t have to be suitable for ALL ages 0-14, so even if it’s just the upper range, it still qualifies. And while readers have probably (hopefully) encountered fiction and nonfiction about WWII, very few of them are likely to know as much about the Cold War, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the “Velvet Revolution,” or conditions in Romania during this time period, which make this uniquely appealing, if at first a bit unfamiliar.
Readers feel such empathy for Cristian, stuck between a rock and a hard place, forced into the choice to be an informant in order to protect his family. Others have mentioned the theme of trust (“Mistrust is a form of terror”), but who controls information, how information spreads, and the risk associated with getting and sharing information, is also important in both plot and theme. When Cristian acquires information from illegal broadcasts from Radio Free Europe and newspapers in the American diplomat’s house, it opens new possibilities. The flip side of the question Liliana asks (“Does the world know what’s happening in Romania? If they did…would they do something?”) is, do Romanians know what’s happening in the world? Will they do something?
This is a powerful, award-worthy work of historical fiction.
Angela Erickson says
This novel is a great example of how good, well-researched historical fiction has the power to transport the reader and open their eyes the lived experiences of others. It calls to mind Styles’ and Sims Bishop’s oft cited metaphor about books being window, mirrors and sliding glass doors. I really felt like I had entered a world I knew little about and was able to grow in empathy as a result.
While I think Sepetys overall does a great job with characterisation, I felt like Cici’s character wasn’t as satisfying for me and left me with a lot of questions. Perhaps this was intentional so the reader feels like Cristian did, somewhat confused and unresolved about her choices but assuming best intent based on the subsequent information that he learns later as an adult.
As far as being age appropriate, I am less concerned with content (violence, oppression, romance) compared to the conceptual understanding that the book requires at times to understand power, trust and betrayal. For instance, when his bunu is killed, Cristian’s mother says “This is what happens to philosophers.” It is moments like this which make the book seem quite sophisticated, despite the thrilling paciness and the relatable characters.
Amanda Sealey says
Such great points! I never thought of the character that way, but looking back I can see she does leave the reader with questions. I also absolutely agree with the necessity for understanding deeper themes and even just single sentences within the book. It would be very hard for a child on the younger end of the age range to engage with the book as it’s meant to be. However, I do still think it should be considered for a Newbery, as it technically fits the age parameters. Thanks for the thought-provoking comment!
Peter Blenski says
Finally caught up! Agree with everyone that I loved the setting and the time period. Very eye-opening. And the amount of twists in this book. I had a hard time putting it down.
Also agree that this is YA with JUV appeal. It’s not only that the subject matter is dark or that the protagonist is 17, it’s that a romance plays heavily into the plot. When that happens, you’re looking at a YA. Seems to be written at a middle grade level much like “Salt to the Sea,” but feel that at least had younger protagonists. Not impossible, but would be surprised if this got a Newbery. This DEFINITELY deserves something though.
Maura Bayliss says
I’m feeling the need to advocate for my K-5 population…shouldn’t this book be considered for, and maybe even win, the Printz so that I can also have a Newbery award winning work to show my students? Am I oversimplifying?????? What do you all think?
Steven Engelfried says
The Newbery Criteria statement that “books for this entire age range [0-14] are to be considered” is always a tricky one. It does mean that members can’t worry about whether a book works with elementary age students. It can be a boon to many teachers, librarians, and others who work with that age range when it does work out that way…but it can’t factor in the decision.
The chances of a book winning a Printz Award (or any other) is also off-limits. The Newbery committee has only its own Criteria to work with; also no knowledge of what other committees are considering.
Other factors, though, could lead members to decide it’s not within the scope of the Newbery: the level of “conceptual understanding” (as Angela E. mentions), age of the protagonist (Gabrielle S.), “intense and violent” content” (Ellen P.)…all of these could be discussed with I MUST BETRAY YOU.
Steven Engelfried says
Continuing with the age range question for I MUST BETRAY YOU, the Newbery Manual gives some further guidance to committee members. From page 69:
– If a book is challenging, and suitable for 13-14-year-olds but not for younger readers, is it eligible? Yes; but it can be given an award only if it does what it sets out to do as well as or better than other, younger books that are also eligible.
Questions for committees to consider include these:
* Is there any 14-year-old for whom this book is suitable?
* If so, is it distinguished enough to be considered?
* If so, exactly what 14-year-olds would respond to it, and why?
This last part really guides the committee to think specifically of specific 14-year-old readers…not even the average 14-year-old. And as others have noted elsewhere, there are 14-year-olds who can read just about anything, including adult books. So it opens it up pretty widely. But that first part emphasizes that the book would need to succeed for its audience better than any other books succeed for their audiences in order to win the Medal.
Maura Bayliss says
Thanks, Steven. I was oversimplifying it. Such a hard question, since as we all know, there are all kinds of 14 year olds in the world, and it’s certainly suitable for some, and I would say it’s distinguished too. I’m not sure it does succeed better than others that we have and will read: my favorite keeps changing as I finish another one. DOOR OF NO RETURN is currently blowing me away. It’s also falling in to the upper age range in my opinion. But I loved VIOLET AND JOBIE, too…