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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
Next year, it will be 100 years after the Titanic sank. This is a phenomenal book in verse, told from the perspective of 24 different narrators. Allan Wolf captured a variety of different voices--the undertaker, the baker, a third-class immigrant, a socialite, the ship-builder, the stoker, the rats, the iceburg, and a child are just a few. I learned so much and felt compelled to learn even more about the Titanic after I finished. This is a great read that will interest many people of all ages.
I just couldn't get into it. And, I'm not so into the Titanic fandom.
Beautifully written picture of the diverse people aboard the ship on that fateful trip.
This book was beautiful in the most tragic way. The seriousness of it didn't really hit me until I read the author's note at the end of the book. There Allan Wolf listed all of the facts about the characters in the book, information on the death toll, the contents of the ship, and much much more. As I looked over the comparison between the number of first class passengers who lived and the number of third class passengers who died I felt sickened by the better treatment of the people who had more money in their pockets then the people who were just trying to find the money to feed their young. Did their wealth give them more of a right to live? Did them being the upper class make them better than third class? Well. Everybody's equal when they're dead. The number of men left behind haunted me. I tried to imagine what it would've been like to have to leave my own father behind on that sinking ship. I was reduced to tears. Allan Wolf wrote a magnificent story that puts tragedy in perspective. Even when chivalry is expected, it is common sense to want to throw yourself into safety before anyone else can first.
Fascinating historical fiction told in verse through the eyes of several people who were aboard the Titanic. As intriguing and heart-wrenching as the subject matter suggests.
As always, Wolf’s work feels well-researched and unbiased. At the end of the book, he details his extensive studies and notes any discrepancies debated or liberties taken, which I always appreciate. Wolf chose narrators that provide many different angles to that fateful night- both passengers and crew, survivors as well as those lost. He does a brilliant job bringing so much life and personality to these many unknown names. I especially enjoyed reading the accounts of what happened to many of the survivors after their rescue.
The structure of the novel and the poetry was a little hit or miss for me. I tended to enjoy the poetry with a clear structure or rhyme scheme more than I did the others. Some of the poetry that provided parallel narratives were really cool as well. Choosing to narrate a portion of the story from the perspective of the iceberg was a really interesting choice which added a surprising amount of value to the story.
My only real complaint concerns the pacing. This book feels way longer than it needs to be and the story did lag at times. Readers spend about 2/3 of the book getting to know characters and exploring life aboard the ship before we get into the more historically relevant bits. I feel like those beginning sections could have been severely edited down without losing anything majorly impactful to the overall story.
All in all, really cool read that explores little known individuals who were part of a tragic historical event through poetry and first-person narration. Especially great for readers who might want to know more about what it was like on the ship before the tragedy or what happened directly after.
As always, Wolf’s work feels well-researched and unbiased. At the end of the book, he details his extensive studies and notes any discrepancies debated or liberties taken, which I always appreciate. Wolf chose narrators that provide many different angles to that fateful night- both passengers and crew, survivors as well as those lost. He does a brilliant job bringing so much life and personality to these many unknown names. I especially enjoyed reading the accounts of what happened to many of the survivors after their rescue.
The structure of the novel and the poetry was a little hit or miss for me. I tended to enjoy the poetry with a clear structure or rhyme scheme more than I did the others. Some of the poetry that provided parallel narratives were really cool as well. Choosing to narrate a portion of the story from the perspective of the iceberg was a really interesting choice which added a surprising amount of value to the story.
My only real complaint concerns the pacing. This book feels way longer than it needs to be and the story did lag at times. Readers spend about 2/3 of the book getting to know characters and exploring life aboard the ship before we get into the more historically relevant bits. I feel like those beginning sections could have been severely edited down without losing anything majorly impactful to the overall story.
All in all, really cool read that explores little known individuals who were part of a tragic historical event through poetry and first-person narration. Especially great for readers who might want to know more about what it was like on the ship before the tragedy or what happened directly after.
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated