Review: I Must Betray You

Title: I Must Betray You

Author: Ruta Sepetys

Release Date: 2/1/22

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Find it here: Goodreads

Synopsis from Goodreads: 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?

My Review: This was a fantastic read. It was written wonderfully and fast paced enough to hold the readers attention. The story had a lot of built up tension that really made it hard to put down. I loved the historical fiction aspect and how well that time and place was portrayed. The author did a great job of really immersing the readers in Romania. This was my first book from Ruta Sepetys but it won't be my last!

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All opinions are my own.*