Book Review – “I Must Betray You”

Four Stars out of Five

I don’t have too many favorite modern authors, but there are a few I will intentionally keep an eye on for future offerings. Among them is Ruta Sepetys, who impressed me with The Fountains of Silence. So the moment I saw this novel set for publication, I knew I had to check it out. It’s clear that Sepetys has a desire to bring perhaps little-known or forgotten aspects of history to light, particularly as it pertains to the scourge of Communism throughout Europe. It’s a topic that’s vital to keep in the public’s consciousness as the best way to avoid repeating the past is by learning from it. I harbored no doubts that I would appreciate this novel, and so I did, as it’s both heart-breaking and eye-opening.

I Must Betray You, by Ruta Sepetys, is a stand-alone work of historical fiction set in 1980s Communist Romania. Here, the story centers around Cristian Florescu, a teen boy who dreams of becoming a writer. But under the ironclad rule of Nicolae Ceaușescu, it seems that dreams are doomed to die in despair. Cristian keeps his head down, as do the rest of his hard-working family, but can’t help but let his heart be filled with his Bunu’s fiery words speaking out against the regime and desiring to see freedom come to roost in Romania. One day, Cristian is pulled aside by a member of the Securitate and recruited to serve as an informant. Their target is an American diplomat’s family, as Cristian’s mother works as their maid and he has befriended Dan, their son. Seeing no way out of the situation, Cristian agrees to spy, all the while devising ways to outfox the secret police. He hates living a life of duplicity and can’t help but wonder who else is living a double life as an informer. As political unrest crouches on the country’s doorstep, is there anyone Cristian can trust, and what might become of his fellow countrymen who cry for freedom but pay the ultimate price?

This book’s title certainly fits as it serves as the story’s thesis statement, if you will. I Must Betray You is, first and foremost, a character-driven novel and a character study at that, as it concentrates almost entirely on young Cristian. In some respects, Cristian is a typical teen, with a life consumed with attending school, hanging out with friends, helping out around the house, and dabbling in his own hobbies. However, as pedestrian and even mundane as these activities might seem, they are all observed by both Cristian and the reader as constantly under the proverbial microscope of the Securitate’s watchful eyes and ears. Even in his own home, Cristian and his fmaily are not free to say what they want for fear of exposure. But the one place Cristian, at least, feels safe to divulge his truth sentiments is in his head, which he then directs to the reader through first person dialogue. I think this form of POV works well for the story as it gives readers a glimpse into how Cristian really thinks compared to how he’s forced to act and say out loud.

As was true in The Fountains of Silence, the historical backdrop here comes alive and is not merely utilized as a prop. The characters all feel like they serve as snapshots of real people who lived under Ceaușescu’s tyrannical reign (even though the characters themselves are purely fictional). This novel displays a high level of background research as well as tactful sensibilities displayed throughout the overall narrative. Along these lines, which I Must Betray You is technically YA due to the age of the chief protagonist, it certainly does not read like typical YA and retains a thoughtful, mature tone.Nothing and no one here feels exploited simply to elicit reader sympathy or pity, not are readers explicitly demanded to exhibit judgment for or against Cristian or other characters for their actions (or even lack thereof). Instead, their lives and deeds are present as-is and we are left to judge them for ourselves without being spoon-fed a particular moral.

That’s not to say the novel is devoid of underlying morals or a message. It is clear that Communism and Socialism are condemned in no uncertain terms, and the reasons behind their condemnation are logical. Contrasted with the tyrannical regime Cristian dwells under are snippets of the outside world, gleaned from either Dan or American or otherwise clandestine news sources discussing the plight of Romanian from an external glance, as well as stories of freedom from oppression in surrounding nations. However, to even admit that one knows of such matters is as good as treason. Thus, everything here is is balanced on a razor’s edge, from managing the stresses and depressing nature of such a life with some of life’s common pleasures, from partaking in entertainment (albiet illegal, according to the rules of the government) to Cristian’s attempts to profess his love for his longtime crush, Liliana. However, it’s clear from the beginning that someone is watching Cristian, and the net tightens in time. As to who is watching the watcher remains a mystery until the end, and it is set up like a mystery with numerous “suspects” and twists. It could easily be one of the nosy neighbors just as it could be someone from under Cristian’s own roof. The reveal is surprising and, despite how expected it might be, it is gut-wrenching just the same.

I also appreciate how the story makes commentary without being overtly so. The external theme is one that cautions against the dangers of Communism and Socialism in all their forms, as nothing about these systems is inherently good despite their claims of equality for all. It’s a warning many people today, even in the United States, would do well to heed as simple freedoms, such as freedom of speech, seem to be in danger of being siphoned away. Thus, this serves as a prime example of how fiction can be used to transmit truth – as the world in which Cristian finds himself seems not too far removed from where some countries in the world still are or very well could succumb to being.

My only reason for rating this four stars rather than five is simply because it’s a short read. I enjoyed The Fountains of Silence more for its multi-faceted and layered plot. This is essentially a character study, which doesn’t make it bad but does limit its narrative scope. Also, while the list of resources is extensive, many are old and out of print. This isn’t a negative against the story itself but simply stating a fact. As I know myself, based on research projects I’ve undertaken throughout the years, sometimes one has to rely upon old books and materials. But casually curious readers may find some of these additional resources difficult to come by for themselves.

Overall, I Must Betray You is another gem from the pen of Ruta Sepetys. It serves as a harrowing portrait of Communist Romania with the underlying warning that the same atrocities could be repeated today while simultaneously functioning as a concentrated character study of what living under tyranny truly looks like. Readers searching for considerate historical fiction that balances its historical backdrop with a respectful fictional story would do well to pick this up.

Content:
Language – Essentially none. There are sporadic PG and PG-13-level words spoken throughout but nothing pervasive. In one scene, the sh-word is used to refer to feces and one character says it is also a metaphor the government would like to use for the downtrodden public.

Violence – Beatings, shootings, torture, acts of humiliation (such as head shavings, compelling characters to kiss portraits of national leaders, and making characters clean up a soiled bathroom) occur as means by which the government controls and injects fears into the hearts of even its young citizens, as some characters who are subjected to such atrocities are teenagers. Bloody injuries occur, especially when soldiers turn onto a group of protestors, but nothing is too graphically described. Throughout the novel there is an underlying sense of peril due to in living under constant surveillance and not feeling like no one can be trusted, not even close friends or family. Some characters are either killed (on-page or off) or else die and are mourned by family and/or friends left behind.

Sexual Content – Essentially none. One character is implied to be exchanging sexual favors in order to pass along information to the secret police. Nothing about this solitary encounter is described aside from a character seeing a woman’s foot propped up on a car’s dashboard and witnessing a male occupant fondling said woman’s clothed lap. Elsewhere, characters kiss or hold hands but nothing progresses.