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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
Really enjoyed this book of historical fiction based on the sinking of the steamship Pulaski in 1838. Had never even heard of the “Titanic of the South”. But quite an amazing story of the horror of a sinking ship and what one will do to survive. So many lives lost. The modern day story that goes along with the historical story is interesting as well as a historian tries to put the pieces together of the survivors of the Pulaski.
On June 14, 1838, the steamship Pulaski sank thirty miles off the coast of North Carolina and two-thirds of her passengers and crew perished. Such is the backdrop of author Patti Callahan’s historical novel, Surviving Savannah. When the wreckage is discovered 180 years later, Savannah history professor Everly Winthrop is asked to guest-curate a new museum collection of artifacts. Everly can't resist the opportunity to solve some mysteries and myths surrounding the devastating night of its sinking. Her research leads her to the astounding history of a family of eleven who boarded the Pulaski together, and the extraordinary stories of two women from this family.
Wow… doesn’t that synopsis make you want to snatch up a copy of the book? When I received an advance reader copy of Surviving Savannah, I was excited. It sounded like a great departure from typical WWII historical fare, and besides, my small Minnesota community is home to Lake Pulaski. How could I not love it? First the good points. I’d never heard of the Pulaski disaster and I loved delving into the history of the sinking. The dual timeline alternating between the past and the present was an effective way to structure the novel. On the downside, I just couldn’t take off my editor’s hat. I wanted to restructure the sentences, put a red pen through oft-repeated words and phrases, and change the voice from passive to active. In my humble opinion, the ending was too predictable and the commentary on slavery didn’t seem to fit the narrative. 3.5 stars
Wow… doesn’t that synopsis make you want to snatch up a copy of the book? When I received an advance reader copy of Surviving Savannah, I was excited. It sounded like a great departure from typical WWII historical fare, and besides, my small Minnesota community is home to Lake Pulaski. How could I not love it? First the good points. I’d never heard of the Pulaski disaster and I loved delving into the history of the sinking. The dual timeline alternating between the past and the present was an effective way to structure the novel. On the downside, I just couldn’t take off my editor’s hat. I wanted to restructure the sentences, put a red pen through oft-repeated words and phrases, and change the voice from passive to active. In my humble opinion, the ending was too predictable and the commentary on slavery didn’t seem to fit the narrative. 3.5 stars
Absolutely fantastic. Patti Callahan did such an exquisite job weaving the history of the Pulaski with a modern day treasure hunt. She had my attention from the very start. Now I just need to find the time to visit Savannah and find some of the archives she referenced.
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
emotional
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I’m a sucker for a shipwreck story and while the historical flashbacks to the true story of the Pulaski were enough to make me want to finish, the modern day story interwoven throughout was enough to make me want to stop. There’s a lot of potential to Surviving Savannah, but it was slower than it needed to be. A bit lack luster compared to Patti Callahan’s other stories.
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
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:
No
I enjoy two story lines.
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
