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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
I wanted to love this. I barely finished it. I just could not fall in love with the characters. No matter how hard I tried. It was a lot of complaining, not enough story to build a relationship with the characters.
What a beautiful love story. We all know the story of Titanic, and most know the fictional story of Jack and Rose, but this is the love story of John Jacob Astor and Madeline Force. This is written through the eyes of Madeline as a memoir to her son, with whom she is 5 months pregnant during the sinking of Titanic. The first half of the book tells of their courtship and marriage, the second half describes the sinking and aftermath. The reader has a beautiful voice, perfect for the time period. I was engrossed listening to the details of their lifestyle, the descriptions of their homes and travels, the scandal surrounding their union, but mostly of their true love. If you enjoy early 20th century love stories, and are okay knowing this story ends with great sadness, I highly recommend this book.
I've read quite a few books, fiction and non-fiction, about the Titanic. I won't lie, a few have made me cry. 'The Second Mrs. Astor' caught me unawares. So, being honest here, I bought this book on a whim as an Amazon Prime Day deal and the price was right. But from the minute it came, I immediately opened it up and couldn't put it back down.
'The Second Mrs. Astor' is historical fiction, but it is SO well written! Abe does a very good job of writing in a style which would have been very typical of a well-brought up young heiress writing a memoir to her infant son. Because that is what this book is, it's truly a documentation of their relationship. It's a love story of the purest form. This isn't a 'bodice-ripper' romance, it's about a meeting and a courtship and an engagement. It just so happens that it is a rather well-known love story involving one of the wealthiest men in America at the time and one which ended in one of the most well-known and tragic maritime disasters in history.
Madeline Force was the younger daughter of a fairly wealthy New York family. The Forces weren't 'old money' and they weren't 'Knickerbockers,' but they did move is polite circles of Society (with the capital S). Madeline was only 17 when she caught the eye of a recently divorced Colonel John Jacob Astor. Himself at the age of 47 when he married Madeline, his oldest child was older than his new bride. New York Society was scandalized by the relationship and the Asters found themselves on the outside, looking in. But the strength of their love would endure and it is beautifully rendered in this novel.
The actual voyage of the doomed ship and its sinking only take up maybe the last third of the book. 'The Second Mrs. Astor' truly is the story of their brief period of time together. While there is no great action or heady and intimate passion, this book is well enough written that it flows effortlessly. Abe sprinkles grim foreshadowing like seasoning in a well cooked dish, enough to whet the readers' appetite to continue.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in historical fiction, love stories, or depictions of strong and courageous women.
'The Second Mrs. Astor' is historical fiction, but it is SO well written! Abe does a very good job of writing in a style which would have been very typical of a well-brought up young heiress writing a memoir to her infant son. Because that is what this book is, it's truly a documentation of their relationship. It's a love story of the purest form. This isn't a 'bodice-ripper' romance, it's about a meeting and a courtship and an engagement. It just so happens that it is a rather well-known love story involving one of the wealthiest men in America at the time and one which ended in one of the most well-known and tragic maritime disasters in history.
Madeline Force was the younger daughter of a fairly wealthy New York family. The Forces weren't 'old money' and they weren't 'Knickerbockers,' but they did move is polite circles of Society (with the capital S). Madeline was only 17 when she caught the eye of a recently divorced Colonel John Jacob Astor. Himself at the age of 47 when he married Madeline, his oldest child was older than his new bride. New York Society was scandalized by the relationship and the Asters found themselves on the outside, looking in. But the strength of their love would endure and it is beautifully rendered in this novel.
The actual voyage of the doomed ship and its sinking only take up maybe the last third of the book. 'The Second Mrs. Astor' truly is the story of their brief period of time together. While there is no great action or heady and intimate passion, this book is well enough written that it flows effortlessly. Abe sprinkles grim foreshadowing like seasoning in a well cooked dish, enough to whet the readers' appetite to continue.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in historical fiction, love stories, or depictions of strong and courageous women.
LOVED IT!
Googled so many facts and photos! This was very well researched - according to the author - through news articles (of which, there were MANY).
So very sad - I never even knew this story before reading this book. This proved that no matter how much money you had - you couldn't get on the lifeboat (not that JJ tried to pay for a seat, but just sayin') He asked, was turned down and ACCEPTED IT!
Really great read!
Googled so many facts and photos! This was very well researched - according to the author - through news articles (of which, there were MANY).
So very sad - I never even knew this story before reading this book. This proved that no matter how much money you had - you couldn't get on the lifeboat (not that JJ tried to pay for a seat, but just sayin') He asked, was turned down and ACCEPTED IT!
Really great read!
2.5 stars. The first 60% was beyond slow for me. The age gap is hard to fathom these days, so I didn’t feel a pull to the characters’ love story. It felt sorta weird and unlikely, even though I know it’s a factual relationship! The last portion with the sinking of the Titanic was written very well and explained in horrid (although rushed) detail including what the survivors saw and heart during that awful night. I’d like to learn more about the Titanic to understand all the various points of view… it is fascinating in a terrifying sort of way.
Wow! Very few books make me cry. Well researched and well written. Loved it!
This was an interesting historical fiction. I don't know if it was particularly ground shaking, it told a story that is known well, but didn't really provide anything new to it, other then I different perspective. It was an entertaining perspective, but nothing really special.
I was surprised at how anticlimactic the sinking was...
I was surprised at how anticlimactic the sinking was...
obviously we all know this ending is going to be tragic and i thought i would have been prepared but i wasn’t. catch me trying not to cry while listening to the audiobook at work! it was such a beautiful but heartbreaking story. and, obviously people die, but there should have been a trigger warning about their dog