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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
Surviving Savannah is a historical fiction about a sunken ship The Pulaski. Based on true events, the novel weaves between 1838 and present day. Narrated by three women, you are immersed in the sinking and discovery of The Pulaski.
I love historical fiction, and lately I have been trying to branch out. Surviving Savannah helped me do just that, before reading this book I had never heard of the Pulaski. The themes of guilt, grief and transformation were well done.
Overall I thought the writing was fantastic, making the book hard to put down. The amount of research that went into this novel really helped the story of the Pulaski come to life. I will be watching for more books by Patti Callahan!
I love historical fiction, and lately I have been trying to branch out. Surviving Savannah helped me do just that, before reading this book I had never heard of the Pulaski. The themes of guilt, grief and transformation were well done.
Overall I thought the writing was fantastic, making the book hard to put down. The amount of research that went into this novel really helped the story of the Pulaski come to life. I will be watching for more books by Patti Callahan!
I go back and forth between 3.5 stars and a full 4 stars. This story goes back and forth from the 1800’s to the present day. I probably would have given this a 5 star rating if the whole book was in the 1800’ era. Something about the modern day character’s storyline didn’t live up to the older characters experiences and emotions. I appreciated the author’s note at the end explaining which parts of the story were true and which were fictional. No profanity that I can recall. No sexual content.
Thank you Berkley Publishing for gifting me a copy of Surviving Savannah by Patti Callahan to read and review!
Give me a historical fiction novel about a historical event that I have never heard of and I will be one happy girl. One of my favorite things about being an avid reader, especially of this particular genre, is that I often have the opportunity to learn about a history that we don’t hear too much about. Along the east coast of the United States, there are hundreds of shipwrecks. I was fortunate enough to be able to scuba dive down to one in the Florida Keys and the image of the wreck still sits in my mind.
I found the concept of this story to be fascinating and loved how the author offered us glimpses of three different characters. Everly, 180 years after the wreck of the Pulaski and then Augusta and Lilly who were both survivors of the wreck.
I think that often when we read books told from the points of view of multiple characters, that we find ourselves drifting towards one more so than the others. That is how I felt about Lilly's character. I loved her kindness, devotion, tenacity and felt that she was a force to be reckoned with. I could have read an entire book just about her life.
Unfortunately, I didn’t love Everly’s character but I do find the chapters detailing what happens once shipwrecks are discovered, how the artifacts are cleaned and preserved, and where they are sent off to until it is their time to be displayed in a museum to be fascinating.
Overall, it was an enjoyable novel and I highly recommend adding it to your reading list. Be prepared to want to deep dive into the world of shipwrecks and learn all about the ones that have been discovered.
Surviving Savannah was published on March 9 and is available to purchase now!
Give me a historical fiction novel about a historical event that I have never heard of and I will be one happy girl. One of my favorite things about being an avid reader, especially of this particular genre, is that I often have the opportunity to learn about a history that we don’t hear too much about. Along the east coast of the United States, there are hundreds of shipwrecks. I was fortunate enough to be able to scuba dive down to one in the Florida Keys and the image of the wreck still sits in my mind.
I found the concept of this story to be fascinating and loved how the author offered us glimpses of three different characters. Everly, 180 years after the wreck of the Pulaski and then Augusta and Lilly who were both survivors of the wreck.
I think that often when we read books told from the points of view of multiple characters, that we find ourselves drifting towards one more so than the others. That is how I felt about Lilly's character. I loved her kindness, devotion, tenacity and felt that she was a force to be reckoned with. I could have read an entire book just about her life.
Unfortunately, I didn’t love Everly’s character but I do find the chapters detailing what happens once shipwrecks are discovered, how the artifacts are cleaned and preserved, and where they are sent off to until it is their time to be displayed in a museum to be fascinating.
Overall, it was an enjoyable novel and I highly recommend adding it to your reading list. Be prepared to want to deep dive into the world of shipwrecks and learn all about the ones that have been discovered.
Surviving Savannah was published on March 9 and is available to purchase now!
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The plot was interesting enough, but I didn’t find myself hooked on this book. There just wasn’t enough to really hold my interest and it seemed to drag. A lot. But I enjoyed reading historical fiction that was based in the the U.S.
On June 14, 1838, the steamship Pulaski exploded and sank off the coast of North Carolina. Traveling from Savannah, GA to Baltimore, MD, 3/4 of the passengers were lost. Referred to as the “Titanic of Its Time,” the tragedy faded from memory until 2018 when divers discovered the wreckage and several artifacts of the Pulaski.
This is the background of this historical fiction novel. In dual timelines, the book follows the story of Pulaski passengers Lily Forsyth, her baby and nursemaid Priscilla and of Augusta Longstreet, an unmarried woman traveling with her brother and his family.
In present time, Everly Winthrop, a college professor and Savannah native, is asked to curate an exhibition of newly discovered Pulaski artifacts. At first, she is reluctant to take on the assignment, partly because she is still grieving the death of her best friend but is unable to resist solving the mysteries behind the passenger stories and how they impacted Savannah history.
The survival story, alternating between Lily and Augusta, is compelling as it unfolds the confusion, fear, and panic as well-heeled, class-conscious Savannah citizens, stripped of all decorum and comfort, struggle for survival side-by-side with the ship’s crew, other passengers, and slaves (unnamed on the ship’s passenger list).
It is when the book shifts to the present day that I struggled with it. I felt that Everly’s story becomes bogged down and repetitive as she struggles to reconcile with her past and find meaning in the present. As she searches for clues, she starts to understand the challenges and meaning of “surviving the surviving” and how it applies to her own life and her beloved city’s history.
This is the background of this historical fiction novel. In dual timelines, the book follows the story of Pulaski passengers Lily Forsyth, her baby and nursemaid Priscilla and of Augusta Longstreet, an unmarried woman traveling with her brother and his family.
In present time, Everly Winthrop, a college professor and Savannah native, is asked to curate an exhibition of newly discovered Pulaski artifacts. At first, she is reluctant to take on the assignment, partly because she is still grieving the death of her best friend but is unable to resist solving the mysteries behind the passenger stories and how they impacted Savannah history.
The survival story, alternating between Lily and Augusta, is compelling as it unfolds the confusion, fear, and panic as well-heeled, class-conscious Savannah citizens, stripped of all decorum and comfort, struggle for survival side-by-side with the ship’s crew, other passengers, and slaves (unnamed on the ship’s passenger list).
It is when the book shifts to the present day that I struggled with it. I felt that Everly’s story becomes bogged down and repetitive as she struggles to reconcile with her past and find meaning in the present. As she searches for clues, she starts to understand the challenges and meaning of “surviving the surviving” and how it applies to her own life and her beloved city’s history.
Surviving Savanah is a novel filled with happiness and sadness. What happened that caused the Pulaski to sink back in the 1800s? Everly is determined to find the answers while dealing with her own grief.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
I'd fairly give this book 4 stars overall, even my own preferences set aside. It's written in a captivating way, as well as deeply researched. All the characters wove together beautifully and it was not difficult to follow at all.
Pros: I loved learning about historical events, like the Pulaski shipwreck, in this book. I also adore Savannah, GA, so hearing the history and recognizing the locations was interesting and fun. Also, Callahan is a brilliant writer and has a way with words that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Cons: I understand from the author's note that this book is meant to understand how tragedy shapes and helps us to move forward if we let it, but I found myself frustrated with the MC quite a bit. This is not because she's not well written, but more so because as a tragedy survivor myself, I know what feeling like I'm being haunted is like. I'm also the type to run headfirst into those things that broke me, unlike the MC. Again, she is well developed, she just wasn't my personal cup of tea.
Pros: I loved learning about historical events, like the Pulaski shipwreck, in this book. I also adore Savannah, GA, so hearing the history and recognizing the locations was interesting and fun. Also, Callahan is a brilliant writer and has a way with words that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Cons: I understand from the author's note that this book is meant to understand how tragedy shapes and helps us to move forward if we let it, but I found myself frustrated with the MC quite a bit. This is not because she's not well written, but more so because as a tragedy survivor myself, I know what feeling like I'm being haunted is like. I'm also the type to run headfirst into those things that broke me, unlike the MC. Again, she is well developed, she just wasn't my personal cup of tea.
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No