Feature: I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys – Writing Our Own Histories in the Face of Oppression

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys is based on true events and is a haunting exploration of power, oppression, and the dangerous cost of silence under a dictatorship. Set in Romania in 1989, the story follows Cristian, a 17-year-old living under the shadow of Nicolae Ceaușescu’s brutal communist regime. Cristian is forced to betray those he loves as he becomes entangled in the secretive world of informants, surveillance, and the constant fear that pervades everyday life. As the story unfolds, we witness not just one individual’s fight for survival, but also a broader, collective struggle for truth and freedom.

What strikes me most about I Must Betray You is how vividly it depicts the suffocating atmosphere of a regime that controls every aspect of life, down to the smallest conversations. Through Cristian’s journey, we experience what it means to live in a world where speaking out can cost you everything, where history is rewritten by those in power, and where hope often seems like a distant dream. Yet, this is not just a story of the past (if you can even call 1989 THE PAST). It’s one that resonates deeply with our present, particularly in the context of the current political climate in the United States. I Must Betray You landed on my best-of list in 2022 and I still think about it regularly. So today you get some of my thoughts.

I Must Betray You

by Ruta Sepetys
Published by: Penguin
on February 1, 2022
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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?
A gut-wrenching, startling window into communist Romania and the citizen spy network that devastated a nation, from the number one New York Times best-selling, award-winning author of Salt to the Sea and Between Shades of Gray.

The Echoes of Dictatorship in Modern Times

The similarities between the 1980s Romanian dictatorship and trends we’re witnessing today in the U.S. are impossible to ignore. The manipulation of truth, the erasure or distortion of history, and the creation of an atmosphere of fear and mistrust are not problems confined to the past. In fact, they’re strikingly relevant today. In I Must Betray You, Cristian’s reality is shaped by a government that controls information, an omnipresent surveillance state that bends the truth to suit its agenda. People are forced to question everything they hear, unsure if their neighbors are allies or informants. Trust is a luxury that’s no longer available, and personal safety hinges on obedience to a regime that allows no dissent.

In many ways, we’re seeing similar dynamics play out today, where facts are questioned, history is rewritten, and the media is often treated with suspicion or outright hostility. The very notion of objective truth has been under siege in recent years, with misinformation running rampant and narratives shaped by those with the loudest voices and most power. When political leaders bend the truth to their will, when history is distorted to fit a narrative, and when citizens are pitted against one another, the consequences are profound (and often terrifying). We are told that women need to be protected from trans folks when research shows us that trans women are more likely to be victims of violence and discrimination than perpetrators and that inclusion and support for trans people actually contribute to safer, more equitable environments for all women. And of course it’s often rooms full of cisgender men deciding what’s best for us.

What I Must Betray You makes painfully clear is the human cost of living in such a world: the erosion of trust, the alienation of communities, and the desperation that sets in when the truth is suppressed. These are not just historical issues; they are part of a larger, ongoing struggle for truth and justice that transcends borders and time periods.

Writing Our Own Histories

One of the most powerful themes in Sepetys’ novel is the question of who gets to write history. Under Ceaușescu’s regime, the state controlled the narrative, dictating what was remembered and what was erased. In a world where surveillance is pervasive and the truth is warped, history becomes malleable, and the individual voice is silenced. But as Cristian learns, even in the darkest of times, people have the power to reclaim their stories.

This theme of writing one’s own history is more important than ever. We are all, in a sense, living through a period where the narratives we tell about ourselves and our communities are constantly being contested. In times of political upheaval, in moments of crisis, the stories we tell about our pasts and our identities become the battleground for the future. And, just like in I Must Betray You, the question of whether we have the courage to stand up and tell the truth, especially when it’s dangerous, matters grately. And, hey, Ruta even has a non-fiction book to help facilitate this called You: The Story: A Writer’s Guide to Craft Through Memory.

Cristian’s journey in the novel is a reminder that history is not just something we inherit; it’s something we actively participate in. We may not live yet live fully in a dictatorship, but we are still the storytellers of our time. It’s up to us to ensure that the truth is preserved, that the voices of those who have been silenced are heard, and that the history we create reflects the values we believe in. The choices we make, the ways we speak up, and the ways we challenge injustice shape the narratives of tomorrow.

The Power of Resistance and Reclamation

I Must Betray You is also a story about resistance, not just against the external forces of a totalitarian regime, but against the internal forces of fear, conformity, and self-censorship. It’s about reclaiming the power of the individual in the face of overwhelming forces. In the book, every act of rebellion, no matter how small, is a statement of resistance. Whether it’s a whispered conversation between friends or a dangerous decision to take action, each moment is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.

In the face of the challenges we face today, whether it’s political polarization, systemic injustice, or the rise of authoritarian rhetoric, I Must Betray You reminds us of the importance of standing up, speaking out, and writing our own histories. It’s a reminder that we are all active participants in shaping the world around us. Even when it feels like our voices are small, even when it feels like the truth is slipping away, we still have the power to make sure that history reflects who we truly are. It’s a reminder that we all have a role to play in the resistance – not to spoil 40 year old history but the people and the military banded together to dismantle the regime during the week of Christmas in 1989.

So, what story will you tell? And what will it mean for the history you leave behind?