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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I wish I liked this more but it fell a little flat to me. It had a dnd vibe where you have characters with cool backstories but feel very separate so they and their relationships feel thin. The love story and the found family aspects just didn't feel real or earned. Also Violet being weird to the black woman in 1912 because she felt like she lived an easy pampered life is so funny. Like girl. It feels like a modern commentary shoved into the setting and makes Violet look stupid when it could have been an interesting plotline if we engaged with racism more. I also don't think we took enough advantage of this being on the titanic. I didn't feel the tension in that aspect or the heist itself. It had so much potential but also maybe I am too old for a YA of the caliber and would have enjoyed it at 14.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
DNF @ 20% + The last 10 chapters and the Author's note.
I really am not sure how to feel. It's a strange thing where you go into a book that's really been marketed as high-stakes heist fun and then remember it's taking place on the Titanic.
I went to Titanic: the Exhibition last month and though that makes me no expert, what it did make me is more aware of the absolute tragedy that took place. I can see why people would be drawn to the Titanic for storytelling. The glittering excess of the ship was remarkable. As was the gross negligence from the designers as they sacrificed safety for luxury. And all this ending in tragedy.
As soon as I read the first few chapters I couldn't see a satisfying ending. Either our main characters were guaranteed to die, or they'd all live and make off with their treasure which would feel strange for a Titanic story. The ending that the author actually put to paper probably was the most satisfying it could have been.
Doesn't really help my emotional discordance though when I read a chapter, see the cover, and then remember the real life tragedy that occurred.
I really am not sure how to feel. It's a strange thing where you go into a book that's really been marketed as high-stakes heist fun and then remember it's taking place on the Titanic.
I went to Titanic: the Exhibition last month and though that makes me no expert, what it did make me is more aware of the absolute tragedy that took place. I can see why people would be drawn to the Titanic for storytelling. The glittering excess of the ship was remarkable. As was the gross negligence from the designers as they sacrificed safety for luxury. And all this ending in tragedy.
As soon as I read the first few chapters I couldn't see a satisfying ending. Either our main characters were guaranteed to die, or they'd all live and make off with their treasure which would feel strange for a Titanic story. The ending that the author actually put to paper probably was the most satisfying it could have been.
Doesn't really help my emotional discordance though when I read a chapter, see the cover, and then remember the real life tragedy that occurred.
I always love reading stories that revolve around the beautiful TITANIC. This one brings in the Rubaiyat, which is one of the lost artifacts from that tragic day. I enjoyed learning about the jeweled encrusted book of poetry and the story Jaigirdar creates around it. The four main characters are all strong young women that fight for what they want.
The characters feel… unfinished, snd stuff happens without logical reason other than a try for suspense.
I wanted desperately for all the girls to survive this journey on the Titanic, and obviously it is super realistic that only Josefa and Emilie survived, it still felt like a gut punch.
I wish we had more space to explore the girls’ histories and their connections to the world and the space they created for themselves in it, but I enjoyed the pieces I got. I love how the four girls with complicated relationships with their families from four different parts of the world all ended up in Dublin and became friends. I love the simple happenstance of that.
I loved the heist aspect of this story. I appreciated that was really the main plot point, next to the irony for the reader of the time clock countdown to the Titanic sinking.
The main conflict between the girls, I felt like it could have been resolved in one immediate conversation. Perhaps I am too understanding, but I understood and empathized with Josefa’s motivations, so I wasn’t as upset as Violet about her keeping that information. It’s probably because I knew she had some sort of history with them from the moment she clocked him in her POV, so I was already suspicious. Does part of me wish she would’ve revealed a little about who August was? Sure, I tend to lean towards honesty and openness. But I do appreciate that sorries and forgiveness were exchanged soon after she told them.
I wish we had more space to explore the girls’ histories and their connections to the world and the space they created for themselves in it, but I enjoyed the pieces I got. I love how the four girls with complicated relationships with their families from four different parts of the world all ended up in Dublin and became friends. I love the simple happenstance of that.
I loved the heist aspect of this story. I appreciated that was really the main plot point, next to the irony for the reader of the time clock countdown to the Titanic sinking.
The main conflict between the girls, I felt like it could have been resolved in one immediate conversation. Perhaps I am too understanding, but I understood and empathized with Josefa’s motivations, so I wasn’t as upset as Violet about her keeping that information. It’s probably because I knew she had some sort of history with them from the moment she clocked him in her POV, so I was already suspicious. Does part of me wish she would’ve revealed a little about who August was? Sure, I tend to lean towards honesty and openness. But I do appreciate that sorries and forgiveness were exchanged soon after she told them.
It had the heart... but did nothing with it. There are far more nuanced takes farther down, but DANG IT! I wanted to love this! A diverse cast, with great backstory potential! A wlw plot! The Titanic!
I hope Adiba keeps writing, there is talent here. It might have done better on a smaller canvas, and not trying to make it a story on the Titanic.
Edit: I didn't know the author had written other books, I may still check her out
I hope Adiba keeps writing, there is talent here. It might have done better on a smaller canvas, and not trying to make it a story on the Titanic.
Edit: I didn't know the author had written other books, I may still check her out
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No