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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
I just can’t get away from the past vs present narrative (+ love story). And to be completely honest, I put off reading this for a good long while. As usual, I was much more interested in the story of the Pulaski vs. Everly’s story. I was really invested in the Longstreet’s and was moved by their harrowing experience of survival. I had never heard of the Pulaski sinking and it was fascinating and heartbreaking. For that alone it gets the 4. I will say that Everly didn’t annoy me nearly as much as some other present day narratives I’ve recently read. I also think this will be a good discussion for book club.
A slog! And the present day protagonist is unbearable. Eventually skipped to all the chapters taking place in the past to get through it.
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
In 1838, The Steamship Pulaski set sail from Savannah to Baltimore, loaded with wealthy passengers, their extravagant belongings, and also their enslaved people. Lilly Forsyth, her nursemaid, the enslaved Priscilla, and Lilly's daughter Madeleine board along with Lilly's cousins, the wealthy and famous Longstreets. Lilly is also accompanied by her arrogant, cruel, and abusive husband, Adam. Dripping with wealth and carrying all the comforts of home, the Pulaski sets sail for a one-night voyage to Baltimore so the rich can escape the Southern heat. A horrific explosion and fire occur during the night, causing the sinking of the ship and great loss of life. Lilly, Priscilla, and Madeleine begin their desperate attempt to survive in more ways than one.
In present day, Everly has suffered a great personal loss after the death of her best friend Mora. She is approached by Oliver, who was engaged to Mora when she died. Oliver is part of a team which has discovered the remains of the Pulaski after more than 180 years and is beginning the recovery.. He asks Everly to curate the artifacts and help arrange an exhibit. Everly has been living a reclusive life since the death of Mora in a horrible hit-and-run accident that Everly survived. She is going through the motions and is obsessed with finding the hit -and-run driver, who is still unidentified. Can she commit to a project such as the Pulaski?
This captivating and exquisitely written story looks at the many different sides of survival. There is survival of a tragedy, such as the sinking of the Pulaski, there is survival of slavery and horrific abuse, and survival of an accident that turned to murder. Then the author looks at different reactions of the survivors. This takes a fascinating turn, as different characters have very different reactions to the same tragedy. Some embrace life, knowing that it is fleeting, some cower in fear, and others blaze with hate and anger. The characters, especially Lilly, Priscilla, and Everly, are well developed and engaging. The story is an intriguing mix of fact and fiction. Patti Callahan takes a real event, the sinking of the Pulaski, and combines it with both real and fictional characters to create a story that is fascinating and hard to put down. I would recommend it for any fans of historical fiction or maritime fiction.
I received a free copy of this book from Berkley Publishing. My review is voluntary.
In present day, Everly has suffered a great personal loss after the death of her best friend Mora. She is approached by Oliver, who was engaged to Mora when she died. Oliver is part of a team which has discovered the remains of the Pulaski after more than 180 years and is beginning the recovery.. He asks Everly to curate the artifacts and help arrange an exhibit. Everly has been living a reclusive life since the death of Mora in a horrible hit-and-run accident that Everly survived. She is going through the motions and is obsessed with finding the hit -and-run driver, who is still unidentified. Can she commit to a project such as the Pulaski?
This captivating and exquisitely written story looks at the many different sides of survival. There is survival of a tragedy, such as the sinking of the Pulaski, there is survival of slavery and horrific abuse, and survival of an accident that turned to murder. Then the author looks at different reactions of the survivors. This takes a fascinating turn, as different characters have very different reactions to the same tragedy. Some embrace life, knowing that it is fleeting, some cower in fear, and others blaze with hate and anger. The characters, especially Lilly, Priscilla, and Everly, are well developed and engaging. The story is an intriguing mix of fact and fiction. Patti Callahan takes a real event, the sinking of the Pulaski, and combines it with both real and fictional characters to create a story that is fascinating and hard to put down. I would recommend it for any fans of historical fiction or maritime fiction.
I received a free copy of this book from Berkley Publishing. My review is voluntary.
what a heartbreaking book. i loved the dual-timeline elements of this story, though as usual the historic period was much better. next time i'm in savannah i will be sure to look up some of the places mentioned in this wonderful book! this was a quick, engaging read.
I love learning about another part of our history. Could have done without the present day story.
4 stars - A great HF novel about a topic I knew nothing about!
This was a beautifully written and extremely well researched book about the sinking of the luxury steamship, Pulaski or the “Titanic of the South”. The story of the Pulaski sinking was completely new to me and one I found very interesting. It is told from multiple narratives and dual timelines, so you get to read experiences first hand on the ship as well as in present time with the discovery and restoration of the ship, its artifacts and piecing together what happened. As often is the case for me, I enjoyed the past perspective more than the present, but both provided knowledge that helped flesh out the story in its entirety. I thought the theme of survivor’s guilt was well conceived and done very well. This book would be great for a book club as well!
Since this was my first read by the author, I look forward to her next and cannot wait to see what topic she picks!
Thanks to Berkley Publishing for the Netgalley widget in exchange for an honest review.
Review Date: 03/11/2021
Publication Date: 03/09/2021
This was a beautifully written and extremely well researched book about the sinking of the luxury steamship, Pulaski or the “Titanic of the South”. The story of the Pulaski sinking was completely new to me and one I found very interesting. It is told from multiple narratives and dual timelines, so you get to read experiences first hand on the ship as well as in present time with the discovery and restoration of the ship, its artifacts and piecing together what happened. As often is the case for me, I enjoyed the past perspective more than the present, but both provided knowledge that helped flesh out the story in its entirety. I thought the theme of survivor’s guilt was well conceived and done very well. This book would be great for a book club as well!
Since this was my first read by the author, I look forward to her next and cannot wait to see what topic she picks!
Thanks to Berkley Publishing for the Netgalley widget in exchange for an honest review.
Review Date: 03/11/2021
Publication Date: 03/09/2021
I really enjoyed reading about something that I had no idea had happened. This book has the duel timeline, which I am usually a fan of, but this time, I wish it had just stayed in the past timeline. The present timeline was all over the place and I felt like just didn't mesh well with the past timeline. Overall, an interesting read for the history aspect if nothing else.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes