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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Surviving Savannah by Patti Callahan was a very highly-anticipated book on my list for this year, and I was lucky to be one of the first in line at my library to borrow it. It was the second book by Patti Callahan that I read, and like the first, it did not disappoint.
The book takes place both during present day and back in 1838 aboard (or not so much) The Savannah. Present day, Everly is asked to put together a museum showcasing the tragedy of The Savannah, a ship that had an explosion in the steam room, causing it to sink, and many aboard to perish. The book had the perfect mixture of history, and action. By the end of the book, you could really feel the emotions of the characters, both past and present, as they coped with the tragedy at hand. The descriptions Patti Callahan used to describe the settings were beautiful, and I really felt like I was there. I also LOVED the way that the characters all tied together by the end, making for a wonderful story through the decades.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves Historical Fiction. I loved learning about something that I had never previously exposed myself to in the past! I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars.
The book takes place both during present day and back in 1838 aboard (or not so much) The Savannah. Present day, Everly is asked to put together a museum showcasing the tragedy of The Savannah, a ship that had an explosion in the steam room, causing it to sink, and many aboard to perish. The book had the perfect mixture of history, and action. By the end of the book, you could really feel the emotions of the characters, both past and present, as they coped with the tragedy at hand. The descriptions Patti Callahan used to describe the settings were beautiful, and I really felt like I was there. I also LOVED the way that the characters all tied together by the end, making for a wonderful story through the decades.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves Historical Fiction. I loved learning about something that I had never previously exposed myself to in the past! I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars.
This book was beautifully written, painstakingly researched, and so moving. When I first looked up this book, I had never heard of the Pulaski disaster but I put it on my TBR because I'm planning a trip to Savannah in the next year and love to get the feel for places I'm visiting through books. Now? Now I'm completely obsessed with the fascinating, horrific tale of the doomed steamship, Pulaski.
The author weaves the story so well it's almost as if you are there in 1838 with Augusta, Lilly, and the other passengers of the Pulaski watching the horror unfold as the ship exploded and then on the lifeboats and floating on the decks left behind when the ship sinks. You feel the terror, the exhaustion, the helpless and hopelessness as the survivors as well as the grief for those lost forever.
In the present time, Everly's story arc is so satisfying. We meet a woman who has basically closed herself off to any enjoyment in life and isolated herself from friends after a tragedy in her own life a year earlier and through curating the museum exhibit for the Pulaski and trying to uncover Augusta and Lilly's stories we see the spark return to her. She opens herself back up to old friends, including the former fiancé of her late friend Mora and makes a new friend in Maddox, who is leading the salvaging of the Pulaski wreckage. She's completely transformed from the beginning of the book.
This is easily one of my favorite books that I've read so far this year. I listened both to the audiobook, which had great narrators, as well as reading the ebook when I couldn't listen to the audiobook (at work and out and about) and it was a real struggle to put down. It left me wanting to know more about the real life survivors of the Pulaski and their accounts, and the author even has resources on her website and at the end of the book should readers want to learn more.
The author weaves the story so well it's almost as if you are there in 1838 with Augusta, Lilly, and the other passengers of the Pulaski watching the horror unfold as the ship exploded and then on the lifeboats and floating on the decks left behind when the ship sinks. You feel the terror, the exhaustion, the helpless and hopelessness as the survivors as well as the grief for those lost forever.
In the present time, Everly's story arc is so satisfying. We meet a woman who has basically closed herself off to any enjoyment in life and isolated herself from friends after a tragedy in her own life a year earlier and through curating the museum exhibit for the Pulaski and trying to uncover Augusta and Lilly's stories we see the spark return to her. She opens herself back up to old friends, including the former fiancé of her late friend Mora and makes a new friend in Maddox, who is leading the salvaging of the Pulaski wreckage. She's completely transformed from the beginning of the book.
This is easily one of my favorite books that I've read so far this year. I listened both to the audiobook, which had great narrators, as well as reading the ebook when I couldn't listen to the audiobook (at work and out and about) and it was a real struggle to put down. It left me wanting to know more about the real life survivors of the Pulaski and their accounts, and the author even has resources on her website and at the end of the book should readers want to learn more.
A must read for anyone traveling to Savannah. Told in duel timelines, this work is wonderful and meticulously researched. Current day professor, Everly, has always been fascinated by the story of Lily Forsyth and whether she actually survived. Once the ruins of the Pulaski are discovered after 180 years, she agrees to curate an exhibit on the tragedy. Summers in Savannah in the nineteenth century were brutally hot. Those who could afford to move to a summer location did so. That introduces the reader to Lilly and Augusta’s families. Dubbed the Titanic of the South, the two families boarded the luxury steam ship to depart Savannah for milder temperatures up north. But as night arrived, tragedy struck. Few survived.
This is one of the better books I've read this year.
Everly is a modern day researcher still coping with the recent loss of her best friend, Mora, and not doing very well, honestly.
"The Pulaski" was a steamship that sank tragically in 1838, with many lives lost and a handful of survivors that went through horrors at sea before being rescued days later.
As a reader, I was pulled into both timelines, and felt an emotional connection with the characters. Very well done.
Everly is a modern day researcher still coping with the recent loss of her best friend, Mora, and not doing very well, honestly.
"The Pulaski" was a steamship that sank tragically in 1838, with many lives lost and a handful of survivors that went through horrors at sea before being rescued days later.
As a reader, I was pulled into both timelines, and felt an emotional connection with the characters. Very well done.
Have you heard of the Pulaski,” the titanic of the south“. A steamship that sunk off the coast of North Carolina in 1838, carrying some of the wealthiest residents of Savanna at the time?
Not me. I love reading about historical events that are turned into historical fictions and although im happy to have heard about this steamboat I am heartbroken over the loss of life due to human error and lack of safety protocals.
This is a dual timelime Story bouncing between 1838 and present. The present day story is about Everly. An archaeologists who has been hired to put together the museum exhibit of the Pulaski.
The past story alternates between the perspectives of Lily and Augusta. Both ladies are members of the same wealthy Savanna family and are traveling on the Pulaski to spend the summer in New York. Lily is traveling with her husband, her baby, and her nursemaid.
Augusta was traveling with her brother and his family, she is a doting aunt. about social expectations.
Both storylines quickly captured my attention. Everlys research into that stemboat made me think that i was a researcher in a past life.
Lily and Augusta’s stories were much more intense and Patti did an amazing job of vividly describing the scenes in this book and i felt like I was in Savannah again.
I felt like I was right there with both Augusta and Lily trying to hang on with everything they got. Made me really think about the resilience of the human spirit and the desire to survive.
Another wonderful story from this excellent author.
Not me. I love reading about historical events that are turned into historical fictions and although im happy to have heard about this steamboat I am heartbroken over the loss of life due to human error and lack of safety protocals.
This is a dual timelime Story bouncing between 1838 and present. The present day story is about Everly. An archaeologists who has been hired to put together the museum exhibit of the Pulaski.
The past story alternates between the perspectives of Lily and Augusta. Both ladies are members of the same wealthy Savanna family and are traveling on the Pulaski to spend the summer in New York. Lily is traveling with her husband, her baby, and her nursemaid.
Augusta was traveling with her brother and his family, she is a doting aunt. about social expectations.
Both storylines quickly captured my attention. Everlys research into that stemboat made me think that i was a researcher in a past life.
Lily and Augusta’s stories were much more intense and Patti did an amazing job of vividly describing the scenes in this book and i felt like I was in Savannah again.
I felt like I was right there with both Augusta and Lily trying to hang on with everything they got. Made me really think about the resilience of the human spirit and the desire to survive.
Another wonderful story from this excellent author.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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:
Complicated
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Interesting dual timeline historical fiction looking at the sinking of the steamship Pulaski in 1838. In the present, Everly, a Savannah history professor is asked to guest-curate an exhibit when the wreckage is discovered. The reimagined stories of the ship's survivors, focused mainly on the women, was obviously well-researched and I appreciated the author's note. Everly's story focused on how, through her research into these stories, she learned to appreciate surviving in the wake of her best friend's death a year earlier. I think I'm oversimplifying this, but I don't want to say too much. It easily held my interest on a long car ride.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief
Moderate: Slavery
The event in this book was one I had never heard of despite having lived right outside of Savannah once upon a time. Callahan then couples a forgotten calamity with heartwarming memories of a grandfather telling stories and I was hooked. Honestly, when grandpa tells a story what else is one supposed to do but listen. The story of the sinking of the steamboat Pulaski and the creative way that Callahan provided perspective on the individuals involved in the wreck was brilliant. Every aspect of humanity can be found in the pages of this book. I enjoyed the investigative compulsion of Everly and enjoyed following along as she went down the various rabbit holes of research. Everly experienced a lot of self-reflection due to her own losses. While it ties into the overall storyline I did find that it slowed down the pace tremendously. This book takes you to the streets of Savannah and beyond. Bonaventure Cemetery is exactly as portrayed. Callahan needs to continue writing historical fiction because she delivers!
I received an advance copy of this title via NetGalley.
I received an advance copy of this title via NetGalley.