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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
Very good but the scuba diving scene was very annoying. I didn’t like the irresponsibility-the same stuff could have happened without negligence.
What a tragic story of so much loss of life. Patti wove together a harrowing story of survival for the passengers of the Pulaski. I loved the present day story added in showing us how we have a choice in our future and what we do with tragedy.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-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
emotional
informative
mysterious
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
Beginning was gripping and ending was great but flashbacks in the middle dragged
Another retelling of the Titanic including the Titanic Museum in Belfast, Ireland...
The history behind this book is fascinating. It’s fun learning about the Pulaski shipwreck, as well as the expedition uncovering it, and the history of Savannah.
That said, I wasn’t a fan of the writing. The chapters set in the past, written in third person, were far better than the chapters in present day, written in first person. And there was altogether too much telling and not enough showing. I consider myself to be of reasonable intelligence and can gather things for myself without having them explained to me.
Not to mention, some of the language in the present day chapters is too sentimental and ethereal for my taste. For example:
“What really mattered? Minutes or years passed as I searched for the answer. Finally my heart called out: everything. Everything matters. … There existed a great life force, a presence that could only be called love. Alongside me, inside me, around me, I sensed the waves of something larger than the ocean itself. Love, where I would eventually go. … It was unseen and it held everything together. I was in it and I was of it.”
I prefer more straight-forward writing and I think prose and moralizing need to be earned. So overall the novel was only okay for me. I did enjoy reading the author’s note and learning about the history though.
That said, I wasn’t a fan of the writing. The chapters set in the past, written in third person, were far better than the chapters in present day, written in first person. And there was altogether too much telling and not enough showing. I consider myself to be of reasonable intelligence and can gather things for myself without having them explained to me.
Not to mention, some of the language in the present day chapters is too sentimental and ethereal for my taste. For example:
“What really mattered? Minutes or years passed as I searched for the answer. Finally my heart called out: everything. Everything matters. … There existed a great life force, a presence that could only be called love. Alongside me, inside me, around me, I sensed the waves of something larger than the ocean itself. Love, where I would eventually go. … It was unseen and it held everything together. I was in it and I was of it.”
I prefer more straight-forward writing and I think prose and moralizing need to be earned. So overall the novel was only okay for me. I did enjoy reading the author’s note and learning about the history though.
This is a dual timeline historical fiction novel about a historian (modern) and a historical, real life shipwreck from the early 1800s. This is my second Patti Callahan (Henry) novel, and I feel basically the same about this one as I did the other one that I read.
The good:
-I appreciate the author worked to be sensitive to the topic of slavery and enslaved people, since this is set within that era. Some of it still felt a little too romanticized, but that goes along with her heavy handed style. But, I do truly feel she made an effort to be respectful to the history of the era.
-The historical elements based on truth were interesting. I would love to read a non-fiction book based on the Pulaski disaster. The authors notes were interesting, and she talked about how her interest in the Pulaski and the real life retrieval of it happened at the same time.
-There are some good quotes in here. A few.
The bad:
This author is so, so heavy handed. There is zero subtlety. It's like everything is constantly knocking you upside the head. It's cliche, predictable, and cheesy in so many ways. I honestly almost rated it two stars because I just got so exhausted trodding through the heavy handed, overly romanticized prose. I could not wait for the book to be over, honestly. Good idea, not my personal taste when it comes to execution.
Basically, a two star book, but she gets an extra star for being respectful and mindful of the history of enslaved people.
The good:
-I appreciate the author worked to be sensitive to the topic of slavery and enslaved people, since this is set within that era. Some of it still felt a little too romanticized, but that goes along with her heavy handed style. But, I do truly feel she made an effort to be respectful to the history of the era.
-The historical elements based on truth were interesting. I would love to read a non-fiction book based on the Pulaski disaster. The authors notes were interesting, and she talked about how her interest in the Pulaski and the real life retrieval of it happened at the same time.
-There are some good quotes in here. A few.
The bad:
This author is so, so heavy handed. There is zero subtlety. It's like everything is constantly knocking you upside the head. It's cliche, predictable, and cheesy in so many ways. I honestly almost rated it two stars because I just got so exhausted trodding through the heavy handed, overly romanticized prose. I could not wait for the book to be over, honestly. Good idea, not my personal taste when it comes to execution.
Basically, a two star book, but she gets an extra star for being respectful and mindful of the history of enslaved people.