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mysteriesandhistories's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I read a different edition but am not able to add it. Immaculate writing. Slow start building to a truly terrifying, brilliant final chapter.
lottie1803's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
spauffwrites's review against another edition
3.0
Excellent book about the Titanic disaster. It portrays the tragedy without a lot of melodramatic language -- very refreshing to a reader who grew up with the sappy James Cameron version of history.
sarahrosebooks's review against another edition
4.0
The sinking of the Titanic. It has been done and re-done several times over the years, in books and on film, and some may say that we've had just enough of it - after all, we all know exactly what happened.
This book itself came out the year before the famous James Cameron film Titanic, so cannot be accused of copying the film despite both having similar themes. The difference in this book, however, is that the view of the social classes (as seen through the main character, Morgan, himself an upper class person), is one of the main themes of the story, where as in the film it is the romance which takes precedence.
Here, Morgan is shown to be at times quite sensitive, having a sometimes morbid outlook and a tendency towards self-destruction, as seen later on in the novel. He is the nephew (I think) of the owner of the White Star Line, and so has an important place on board the ship, where as in actuality he did very little on the ship's actual design and is only seen as important because of who his uncle is. He sees the faults of his class quite clearly, though he can do little about it.
The best thing about this novel is the last chapter, where the Titanic has hit the iceberg and begins to sink. It is Morgan's view of this, so similar to what we know from the film, which seems quite heartbreaking. There is some kind of resolution to this, as it is also a tale of how Morgan changes from the beginning of the book to the end.
The negative? Probably that we know the tale, so without such an interesting main character and a host of secondary characters to keep us interested, the story would have fallen flat.
Definitely worth reading if you like character-studies and don't mind the fact that the story is built around a well-known ship and it's sinking.
This book itself came out the year before the famous James Cameron film Titanic, so cannot be accused of copying the film despite both having similar themes. The difference in this book, however, is that the view of the social classes (as seen through the main character, Morgan, himself an upper class person), is one of the main themes of the story, where as in the film it is the romance which takes precedence.
Here, Morgan is shown to be at times quite sensitive, having a sometimes morbid outlook and a tendency towards self-destruction, as seen later on in the novel. He is the nephew (I think) of the owner of the White Star Line, and so has an important place on board the ship, where as in actuality he did very little on the ship's actual design and is only seen as important because of who his uncle is. He sees the faults of his class quite clearly, though he can do little about it.
The best thing about this novel is the last chapter, where the Titanic has hit the iceberg and begins to sink. It is Morgan's view of this, so similar to what we know from the film, which seems quite heartbreaking. There is some kind of resolution to this, as it is also a tale of how Morgan changes from the beginning of the book to the end.
The negative? Probably that we know the tale, so without such an interesting main character and a host of secondary characters to keep us interested, the story would have fallen flat.
Definitely worth reading if you like character-studies and don't mind the fact that the story is built around a well-known ship and it's sinking.
gilliadd's review against another edition
2.0
For such a damning story, I didn't much care for anyone. I guess I wanted to mourn someone at the end, but the characters are all flat. It has some nice quotes though and the writer can clearly construct a good sentence but the story itself is lackluster.
narniaru's review against another edition
4.0
It is rather strange that I began reading this novel the day Beryl Bainbridge died. I felt so sad because I was enjoying her style of writing so much. Beryl writes about people and she is very honest. I think setting this story on the Titanic was all the more interesting because it just enlightens how silly people can be.
pixiegael's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This was a pretty quick read, a slim book, but a story well told.
We travel on the Titanic with a group of bright young things, all the usual pains of growing up (albeit with lots of money), and there are intrigues and conflicts in their relationships and in the past of our narrator. And then there's an iceberg, and the band played on.
It kept me entertained for a few days, anyway.
We travel on the Titanic with a group of bright young things, all the usual pains of growing up (albeit with lots of money), and there are intrigues and conflicts in their relationships and in the past of our narrator. And then there's an iceberg, and the band played on.
It kept me entertained for a few days, anyway.
impla77's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Interesting backdrop, especially since we know the oncoming doom, but I don’t think this was really that compelling? Morgan, the main character was fine, but the relationships between these toffs was just not interesting to me
sanrodsara's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
1.0