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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
Surviving Savannah by Patti Callahan wholly embraces the value of history, of digging deep into days gone by to pay homage to those who lived, worked, and suffered, those who left legacies and those who passed through unnamed and unnoticed. Callahan dives headfirst into the myths and legends surrounding Savannah, Georgia through the retelling of the steamship Pulaski disaster.
Although considered the “Titanic of the South,” the Pulaski disaster is one I had never even heard of, and I was delighted to learn about it in Callahan’s novel. Callahan writes from three perspectives, the first being present-day Savannah historian Everly Winthrop, who works to uncover the intrigue surrounding the Pulaski for a local museum. The second and third are flashbacks to 1838, as two different women – Lilly and Augusta – fight for their survival as the Pulaski plummets into the depths of the sea.
If you haven’t figured this out about me already, I LOVE being exposed to parts of history that are novel to me. Henry powerfully conveys the importance of history, which had me nerding out just a little bit and pumping my fists in agreement. Lilly and Augusta’s stories displayed the different ways passengers managed to survive the explosion. I was very invested in each of their journeys throughout the novel. In addition to the actual disaster and subsequent survivor tales, I enjoyed the look into what life was like in that time, including the abundant wealth of Savannah’s elite (both women are aristocrats). Henry also doesn’t shy away from the many issues of the 1800s, such as women’s complete lack of rights and autonomy from their husbands or male guardians and, of course, the horrific slave trade.
Unfortunately, Henry made the 1838 timeline story so compelling that I really didn’t care about modern day Everly’s plot… Everly – reeling from her own trauma – finds new purpose in digging up all she can about the Pulaski. Unlike the 1838 narratives, Everly’s felt awkward to me. Some of the dialogue and character interactions seemed unnatural, while Lilly and Augusta’s were compelling and believable. In some ways, I liked Henry showing the process of unearthing historical evidence and putting together a museum exhibit through Everly’s story, but in other ways, it felt forced as much of it was told – not shown – through long dialogues that I felt like no one would actually have. However, it is very evident that the author meticulously researched and crafted it and was passionate about getting the Pulaski’s story right.
I would definitely recommend this book. It is, all in all, a worthwhile read as it embraces the value of history, the resilience of the human spirit, the bonds of friendship, the issues of a time in history, as well as debating the roles of fate, myth, and providence in our lives.
www.theliteratureladies.com
Although considered the “Titanic of the South,” the Pulaski disaster is one I had never even heard of, and I was delighted to learn about it in Callahan’s novel. Callahan writes from three perspectives, the first being present-day Savannah historian Everly Winthrop, who works to uncover the intrigue surrounding the Pulaski for a local museum. The second and third are flashbacks to 1838, as two different women – Lilly and Augusta – fight for their survival as the Pulaski plummets into the depths of the sea.
If you haven’t figured this out about me already, I LOVE being exposed to parts of history that are novel to me. Henry powerfully conveys the importance of history, which had me nerding out just a little bit and pumping my fists in agreement. Lilly and Augusta’s stories displayed the different ways passengers managed to survive the explosion. I was very invested in each of their journeys throughout the novel. In addition to the actual disaster and subsequent survivor tales, I enjoyed the look into what life was like in that time, including the abundant wealth of Savannah’s elite (both women are aristocrats). Henry also doesn’t shy away from the many issues of the 1800s, such as women’s complete lack of rights and autonomy from their husbands or male guardians and, of course, the horrific slave trade.
Unfortunately, Henry made the 1838 timeline story so compelling that I really didn’t care about modern day Everly’s plot… Everly – reeling from her own trauma – finds new purpose in digging up all she can about the Pulaski. Unlike the 1838 narratives, Everly’s felt awkward to me. Some of the dialogue and character interactions seemed unnatural, while Lilly and Augusta’s were compelling and believable. In some ways, I liked Henry showing the process of unearthing historical evidence and putting together a museum exhibit through Everly’s story, but in other ways, it felt forced as much of it was told – not shown – through long dialogues that I felt like no one would actually have. However, it is very evident that the author meticulously researched and crafted it and was passionate about getting the Pulaski’s story right.
I would definitely recommend this book. It is, all in all, a worthwhile read as it embraces the value of history, the resilience of the human spirit, the bonds of friendship, the issues of a time in history, as well as debating the roles of fate, myth, and providence in our lives.
www.theliteratureladies.com
"Maybe, Everly Winthrop, we are the ones who make meaning out of the tragedies.”
I had never heard of the Pulaski before reading this book. To be honest, I didn't even know what this book was about before I picked it up--I only knew that it was written by the incredible Patti Callahan Henry, so it had to be good, and I wasn't disappointed. The Pulaski was a steamship that set out from Savannah, Georgia in the 1830s; thanks to a mistake, it sunk on the open water, resulting in the death of hundreds of people. Those who survived the wreck were changed forever.
Everly Winthrop, history professor and lover of all things Savannah, has been tasked with telling the story of the Pulaski and its survivors when the ancient steamships remains are found in the ocean. As she begins to unearth the stories of those who were on the Pulaski, she finds the Longstreets, a family of eleven who boarded the ship together, with only a few surviving. Her research leads her to discover that their history is tied with her own tragedy--the loss of her best friend to a catastrophic accident. As she researches the Longstreets, especially Augusta and Lily, Everly must face the pain she's endured and the guilt she still carries, paralleled in the lives of Augusta and Lily. She processes this pain and must decide if she can still endure.
"Tragedy—it can come from anywhere at any time. How do we go through life knowing that? How did we ever not know it? And yet we pretend we’re safe. It’s absurd.”
With the story told mostly from Everly's perspective but with glimpses of Augusta's and Lily's points of view as they escaped the wreckage of the Pulaski, it is a moving exploration of how tragedy changes you. For some, including one of the Longstreet survivors, it can lead you into a horrible version of yourself, to make choices that destroy your life and the lives of others. But for others, you can make the decision to endure pain and not just survive it, but endure.
Patti Callahan Henry is a master storyteller. She uses such rich imagery throughout the book--the most significant character in this novel is probably the ocean, which takes on a life of its own. Her writing style is so evocative, powerful, and emotional, and it's what I love best about her. I also really enjoyed Everly putting together this historical display and the hunting down of facts, plus the way it tied into her own personal life. It was intriguing! At times, I didn't care for the flashbacks to Lily and Augusta. They made the story feel choppy, and I think just one of their perspectives might have been sufficient to capture just how horrific the explosion was. I also struggled with the glorification of the Old South, and I didn't feel that the novel addressed slavery until the end of the novel although it did make strides at that point. The Old South was based on slavery--that's where its wealth and "glory" came from, and so much of the beginning of the novel seemed to act like it was a wonderful place. I really did not like that in the beginning especially. Overall, however, this was an excellent book, especially for the richness of the description and writing. If you enjoy historical fiction with some mystery, powerful emotion, and a very evocative setting, this book is for you!
"Those bits and pieces of myself, of everyone, could be retrieved and examined; their stories could be told. If I took the time, if I looked closely enough, if I dove deep enough, I could find my own wreckage and honor it."
4/5
I had never heard of the Pulaski before reading this book. To be honest, I didn't even know what this book was about before I picked it up--I only knew that it was written by the incredible Patti Callahan Henry, so it had to be good, and I wasn't disappointed. The Pulaski was a steamship that set out from Savannah, Georgia in the 1830s; thanks to a mistake, it sunk on the open water, resulting in the death of hundreds of people. Those who survived the wreck were changed forever.
Everly Winthrop, history professor and lover of all things Savannah, has been tasked with telling the story of the Pulaski and its survivors when the ancient steamships remains are found in the ocean. As she begins to unearth the stories of those who were on the Pulaski, she finds the Longstreets, a family of eleven who boarded the ship together, with only a few surviving. Her research leads her to discover that their history is tied with her own tragedy--the loss of her best friend to a catastrophic accident. As she researches the Longstreets, especially Augusta and Lily, Everly must face the pain she's endured and the guilt she still carries, paralleled in the lives of Augusta and Lily. She processes this pain and must decide if she can still endure.
"Tragedy—it can come from anywhere at any time. How do we go through life knowing that? How did we ever not know it? And yet we pretend we’re safe. It’s absurd.”
With the story told mostly from Everly's perspective but with glimpses of Augusta's and Lily's points of view as they escaped the wreckage of the Pulaski, it is a moving exploration of how tragedy changes you. For some, including one of the Longstreet survivors, it can lead you into a horrible version of yourself, to make choices that destroy your life and the lives of others. But for others, you can make the decision to endure pain and not just survive it, but endure.
Patti Callahan Henry is a master storyteller. She uses such rich imagery throughout the book--the most significant character in this novel is probably the ocean, which takes on a life of its own. Her writing style is so evocative, powerful, and emotional, and it's what I love best about her. I also really enjoyed Everly putting together this historical display and the hunting down of facts, plus the way it tied into her own personal life. It was intriguing! At times, I didn't care for the flashbacks to Lily and Augusta. They made the story feel choppy, and I think just one of their perspectives might have been sufficient to capture just how horrific the explosion was. I also struggled with the glorification of the Old South, and I didn't feel that the novel addressed slavery until the end of the novel although it did make strides at that point. The Old South was based on slavery--that's where its wealth and "glory" came from, and so much of the beginning of the novel seemed to act like it was a wonderful place. I really did not like that in the beginning especially. Overall, however, this was an excellent book, especially for the richness of the description and writing. If you enjoy historical fiction with some mystery, powerful emotion, and a very evocative setting, this book is for you!
"Those bits and pieces of myself, of everyone, could be retrieved and examined; their stories could be told. If I took the time, if I looked closely enough, if I dove deep enough, I could find my own wreckage and honor it."
4/5
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-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
Fascinating story of an 1838 shipwreck, and the harrowing conditions faced by the survivors. Dual timelines: the shipwreck itself, and the present-day museum curator who is preparing an exhibition of the artifacts. Based on the true story of the steamboat Pulaski, which sank in 1838 and was recently discovered off the coast of North Carolina.
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
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
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-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:
No
Shipwreck, Pulaski, salvage of wreck, museum exhibit. Everly, Augusta Longstreet, Lily Forsyth, Longstreet family, Charles Longstreet (Noble Boy, Red Devil)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Slavery