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majakrmer's review against another edition
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment and Death of parent
Moderate: Death and Grief
saliwali's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism and Death
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexism, Bullying, Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Death of parent
Minor: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Terminal illness
kassidyreads's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Violence, and Death of parent
Minor: Abandonment, Body shaming, and Racism
ashylibrarian's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
...I did say I was going to be reading everything by Adiba Jaigirdar, and this exception.
Oceans 8 meets Six of Crows but make it Titanic in this adventurous heist novel.
I had a great time reading this historical fiction. It is not a perfect, flawless novel, but the adventure, the heist, the cast of characters. I could not put it down.
It didn't always feel like I was reading a historical fiction novel, which for me was a bit sad, but I think it helps to make it appeal to a broader audience since historical fiction can be a difficult sell sometimes.
The character dynamics were flying all over the page. Each of the main characters had a specific, unique purpose.
I will be recommending this title.
Hands down one of the most fun historical fictions I have read to date.
Titanic ✅
Powerhouse Female Cast ✅
Heist ✅
Josefa, a top-class, cunning thief, has her eyes set on stealing the top-dollar Rubiyat, a one-of-a-kind book encased with millions of dollars worth of stones.
Josefa knows she can’t accomplish this alone, however, so she recruits a crew of equally talented girls to help her out: Hinnah, a daring acrobat; Violet, an actress and expert dissembler; and Emilie, an artist who can replicate any drawing by hand.
Giving Six of Crows mixed with Ocean’s 8 and a side of Titanic.
It wasn’t a perfect book and came with a few questionable plot holes, but, man, did I have a great time reading this one.
I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again, I will read everything Jaigirdar writes.
Image description in the comments.
Oceans 8 meets Six of Crows but make it Titanic in this adventurous heist novel.
I had a great time reading this historical fiction. It is not a perfect, flawless novel, but the adventure, the heist, the cast of characters. I could not put it down.
It didn't always feel like I was reading a historical fiction novel, which for me was a bit sad, but I think it helps to make it appeal to a broader audience since historical fiction can be a difficult sell sometimes.
The character dynamics were flying all over the page. Each of the main characters had a specific, unique purpose.
I will be recommending this title.
Hands down one of the most fun historical fictions I have read to date.
Titanic ✅
Powerhouse Female Cast ✅
Heist ✅
Josefa, a top-class, cunning thief, has her eyes set on stealing the top-dollar Rubiyat, a one-of-a-kind book encased with millions of dollars worth of stones.
Josefa knows she can’t accomplish this alone, however, so she recruits a crew of equally talented girls to help her out: Hinnah, a daring acrobat; Violet, an actress and expert dissembler; and Emilie, an artist who can replicate any drawing by hand.
Giving Six of Crows mixed with Ocean’s 8 and a side of Titanic.
It wasn’t a perfect book and came with a few questionable plot holes, but, man, did I have a great time reading this one.
I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again, I will read everything Jaigirdar writes.
Image description in the comments.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Classism, and Death
Moderate: Racism, Death of parent, Sexism, and Violence
Minor: Abandonment and Toxic friendship
lostinthelibrary's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-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
3.0
This was just okay. Even as a YA book, It read quite juvenile to me and I feel like the plot rushed through too quickly without much time for development. The overall story was fun though and the characters likable. It's always nice to see an LGBT romance in a historical setting and the development of this relationship was cute and believable. The heist aspect was pacey and at times tense but it never really hit me emotionally. I think younger readers would enjoy this but for me it was just fine.
Content Warnings
Minor: Abandonment and Death of parent
cayrivvers's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
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? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Confinement, and Classism
Moderate: Racism, Death of parent, and Violence
Minor: Sexism and Abandonment
jodierose14's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, and Abandonment
verysillygoose's review against another edition
emotional
sad
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? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Abandonment and Domestic abuse
pages_with_panda's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I really wanted to like this book - I LOVE heists! AND it's sapphic! And it's on the TITANIC? I was so curious to see how this would play out, even if it was tragic.
However the story felt very, very short. It was fast paced, but not for the action. I mean, one second we're in Ireland, the next the ship is sinking.
I would've loved to see the "crew" work at least one mini heist before this big one. Because we're basically told the girls have these "roles" and they're the best, but honestly there was no one else? They all lived together. There was literally no competition to be on this heist. Not only that, but Emilie and Hinnah seem to be the only ones with talents. When the tagline called Violet an actor, I thought she might have some actually acting skills, not just be a semi-decent liar? And I would've liked to see some of Josefa's plan because beyond stealing a ticket, I can't believe she spent months working on it.
I also think that there wasn't much thought to how a Black or brown women would've been perceived on a ship like this in the 1900s? The author's note tells us there was one other Black family on the (real) ship so it was possible, but I think Emilie would've acknowledge it at least more than once? I'd hate to say that their backgrounds were simply written at random and a diverse cast was added in without thought.
The "sapphic" relationship also seemed very rushed, but honestly everything else in the book was too so I don't think it matters at this point.
The premise was so interesting but maybe 4 POVs was too much for the author. There were hints to more detailed backgrounds (Hinnah's trapeze act partner?) but nothing that actually gave us anything to care about. To the point where I literally did not care about the ending and kind of rushed through it. I especially felt like it got more ridiculous and I had to suspend my belief towards the end. There were zero tears shed, unfortunately.
The girls seemed to be able to get away with ridiculous stunts as well that made it very unbelievable for a story set during a very real setting. I got lost in some action scenes because I could not follow what was going on.
Might be a fun read for some younger readers though. And unrelated, but the cover is GORGEOUS and I love it so much.
However the story felt very, very short. It was fast paced, but not for the action. I mean, one second we're in Ireland, the next the ship is sinking.
I would've loved to see the "crew" work at least one mini heist before this big one. Because we're basically told the girls have these "roles" and they're the best, but honestly there was no one else? They all lived together. There was literally no competition to be on this heist. Not only that, but Emilie and Hinnah seem to be the only ones with talents. When the tagline called Violet an actor, I thought she might have some actually acting skills, not just be a semi-decent liar? And I would've liked to see some of Josefa's plan because beyond stealing a ticket, I can't believe she spent months working on it.
I also think that there wasn't much thought to how a Black or brown women would've been perceived on a ship like this in the 1900s? The author's note tells us there was one other Black family on the (real) ship so it was possible, but I think Emilie would've acknowledge it at least more than once? I'd hate to say that their backgrounds were simply written at random and a diverse cast was added in without thought.
The "sapphic" relationship also seemed very rushed, but honestly everything else in the book was too so I don't think it matters at this point.
The premise was so interesting but maybe 4 POVs was too much for the author. There were hints to more detailed backgrounds (Hinnah's trapeze act partner?) but nothing that actually gave us anything to care about. To the point where I literally did not care about the ending and kind of rushed through it. I especially felt like it got more ridiculous and I had to suspend my belief towards the end. There were zero tears shed, unfortunately.
The girls seemed to be able to get away with ridiculous stunts as well that made it very unbelievable for a story set during a very real setting. I got lost in some action scenes because I could not follow what was going on.
Might be a fun read for some younger readers though. And unrelated, but the cover is GORGEOUS and I love it so much.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Death and Violence
Minor: Death of parent and Abandonment