This book was absolutely amazing. I've always found fictional world war two stories very generic, but Lina's was original and gave a new perspective on the war and who else was effected. Ruta's writing is so vivid and emotional it is hard to believe these words were not written by a real Lina Vilkas. She is a great antagonist, she has a strong personality that is reflected in her art. I also loved how the flashbacks were placed. They were placed at the exact right moments that made them flow with the story. This a work of genius.