Mindi asked Ruta Sepetys:

One of my favorite lines from Salt to the Sea is when Alfred thinks that there is so much ugliness in the world, and we should not be forced to face it. The novel itself forces the reader to face the ugliness of the world, but to embrace the love and beauty that exists despite--or in spite--of it. How does this theme reflect your view of the function of art, especially YA literature, if at all?

Ruta Sepetys Hi Mindi,

Wow, thank you for your observation about Alfred and for this beautiful question.

I think that hardship, struggle, and loss are an important part of the human experience because they are intertwined with love and joy. If we feel loss, it's because we have loved. And what could be more important than the capacity to love? Art and literature give us an opportunity to place beauty and horror next to each other and when they're side by side, we are able to see (and evaluate) the depth of both. Death amplifies life. Sorrow allows us to appreciate joy. So if we turn away from the ugliness, we are denying ourselves an experience of true beauty in the future.

Thank you for asking!

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