It becomes hard to stop reading about this amazing time in history, and about the brave people who put their lives at risk in order to overthrow a cruel despot. But the tempo races as Cristian becomes involved in a series of events culminating in the Revolution of 1989. The first few chapters take a slow pace planting readers into this grim context. Although this is psychologically traumatizing, it does give him an opportunity to expose the horrors of what is happening in Romania. Then his worst fears are realized when he is coerced by Ceausescu’s secret agents to being an informant, he agrees only because they offer medicine to cure his grandfather’s leukemia. He has fallen in love with Liliana but even wonders if she can be trusted. His grandfather is the only person he can trust. Cristian dreams of being free but must be so careful what he says and to whom, never knowing who are secret agents of the regime. Cristian is surrounded by fear and intimidation – he must have whispered conversations in his own home to avoid being overheard by bugging devices in the lights. I Must Betray You is told through the perspective of Cristian he is seventeen, intelligent and has a desire to be a writer.Ĭoming of age during the harsh dictatorship of Ceausescu is harrowing. This novel is less fiction, more history readers are absorbed into the reality of the destitution of the Romanian people. Sepetys’ latest novel, I Must Betray You, is set in Romania during the oppressive communist dictatorship of Nicola and Elena Ceausescu. She is categorized as a ‘crossover’ novelist, valued by both adults and young adults.

Her books are written with the intent of giving voice to populations who suffered through cruel totalitarian regimes but are under-represented in historical records. Ruta Sepetys is a celebrated writer of historical fiction and a world-class ambassador for human dignity.

Sepetys talks about i must betray