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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
What a glorious, lovely, beautifully written and impeccably researched book.
The steamship Pulaski (the “Titanic of the South”) sank in 1838 following a boiler explosion, and 180 years later the ship’s ruins have just been discovered. Everly Winthrop, Savannah history professor, is asked to help curate a new museum exhibit containing the artifacts recovered from the old ship, and she is thrilled to participate as well as curious to learn more about the night the ship went down. Alternating between the past and present, Callahan brings the story of the real-life sinking of the Pulaski to life while exploring the various ways humans respond when confronting tragedy.
Want to hear more about this book? Listen to my spoiler-free podcast interview with Patti here: https://www.thoughtsfromapage.com/s1e85. For more book reviews and book conversation, check out my Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/thoughtsfromapage/.
Want to hear more about this book? Listen to my spoiler-free podcast interview with Patti here: https://www.thoughtsfromapage.com/s1e85. For more book reviews and book conversation, check out my Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/thoughtsfromapage/.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Patti Callahan's Surviving Savannah introduces readers to the little known story of the Pulaski, a luxury steamship that tragically sank in the middle of the night on June 14, 1838. Known as the Titanic of the South, the Pulaski represents one of the largest maritime disasters the US has ever experienced. Told in alternating viewpoints, Surviving Savannah follows three young women: Lilly and Augusta in 1838 and Everly Winthorp in present day Georgia. All three women are struggling with how to move forward in the aftermath of tragedy, while also finding out who they are as individuals and gaining strength from what feels like impossible circumstances.
I found Callahan's writing prose to be compulsively readable and sophisticated. All three women were brought to life in vivid detail and it was not hard for me to connect with the story. As a huge history buff myself, I particularly enjoyed the back story of the Pulaski and found myself googling the disaster to dig deeper into historical basis for the story. I could tell through the storyline that the author did her due diligence in research so that the reader is provided with a factual foundation to build her story off from. I find historical fiction is always the most successful when it has a strong base to build off from.
There were a few aspects of the novel that I wished were a little bit better. I felt that Lily's story ended a little abruptly. I wish the author had chosen to include one to two more chapters from Lily's viewpoint. I know that she has Augusta wrap up Lily's story in the end, but I feel like it would have been more powerful if Lily's fate had been revealed in her own voice. I also found that Everly's storyline started out really strong but ended up being slightly predictable and a little underwhelming. I would have liked to have seen maybe a little more of a twist with the resolution to her tragedy as it seemed a little too rushed and convenient.
Overall, I found this novel to be a strong piece of historical fiction. I always enjoy when I can learn something new about history and the people who took part in the events. It is a read that I would recommend and have actually recommended it to friends already. If presented in the future with an opportunity to read more work by this author, I would happily accept.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I found Callahan's writing prose to be compulsively readable and sophisticated. All three women were brought to life in vivid detail and it was not hard for me to connect with the story. As a huge history buff myself, I particularly enjoyed the back story of the Pulaski and found myself googling the disaster to dig deeper into historical basis for the story. I could tell through the storyline that the author did her due diligence in research so that the reader is provided with a factual foundation to build her story off from. I find historical fiction is always the most successful when it has a strong base to build off from.
There were a few aspects of the novel that I wished were a little bit better. I felt that Lily's story ended a little abruptly. I wish the author had chosen to include one to two more chapters from Lily's viewpoint. I know that she has Augusta wrap up Lily's story in the end, but I feel like it would have been more powerful if Lily's fate had been revealed in her own voice. I also found that Everly's storyline started out really strong but ended up being slightly predictable and a little underwhelming. I would have liked to have seen maybe a little more of a twist with the resolution to her tragedy as it seemed a little too rushed and convenient.
Overall, I found this novel to be a strong piece of historical fiction. I always enjoy when I can learn something new about history and the people who took part in the events. It is a read that I would recommend and have actually recommended it to friends already. If presented in the future with an opportunity to read more work by this author, I would happily accept.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Domestic abuse
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
an amazing look at several things - the history of Savannah (which I visited a few years ago and loved the reminder references through the story), the well-written imagined story of 1838 with evocative details of the time and language, the strong but flawed women that people both timelines, the seamless meshing of the 2 timelines to keep the story moving forward.
It's a story of loss - in both timelines. Loss of family, of best friends, of children, but it's handled so carefully, so insightfully, that the book doesn't become sad or depressing. There are really some insightful statements about surviving loss and moving on that resonated with me.
It's a story of loss - in both timelines. Loss of family, of best friends, of children, but it's handled so carefully, so insightfully, that the book doesn't become sad or depressing. There are really some insightful statements about surviving loss and moving on that resonated with me.
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review.
This is the story of a long lost steam ship that was recently located. While working to curate a museum exhibit showcasing the story and the remaining pieces of the ship, the stories of the passengers are discovered and told. This book follows three main characters and the people closely involved with them, and switches between the three narrators.
I loved this. I think the story was incredibly compelling. I loved the writing and I never wanted to put it down. I love that it was based on a true story and that, although not all details about the people were historically accurate, we can easily imagine that they were. I very much recommend this to anyone who likes historical fiction and great storytelling.
This is the story of a long lost steam ship that was recently located. While working to curate a museum exhibit showcasing the story and the remaining pieces of the ship, the stories of the passengers are discovered and told. This book follows three main characters and the people closely involved with them, and switches between the three narrators.
I loved this. I think the story was incredibly compelling. I loved the writing and I never wanted to put it down. I love that it was based on a true story and that, although not all details about the people were historically accurate, we can easily imagine that they were. I very much recommend this to anyone who likes historical fiction and great storytelling.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, Car accident
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Slavery
medium-paced
Surviving Savannah was historical fiction about what happened on the steamship Pulaski which has often been coined the Titanic of the South.
The story was interesting and I enjoyed how they came up with doing a similar experience with the Pulaski memorabilia that they did with Titanic's as that was an awesome way to learn and connect with history.
I have followed Patti Callahan since the beginning of the pandemic on Friends and Fiction so I think hearing her talk about how she came to write the story and coincidences that happened along the way enhanced the reading experience.
She also has a limited Podcast available on the history of the Pulaski that was very well done and would recommend to go along with the book for more background information.
The story was interesting and I enjoyed how they came up with doing a similar experience with the Pulaski memorabilia that they did with Titanic's as that was an awesome way to learn and connect with history.
I have followed Patti Callahan since the beginning of the pandemic on Friends and Fiction so I think hearing her talk about how she came to write the story and coincidences that happened along the way enhanced the reading experience.
She also has a limited Podcast available on the history of the Pulaski that was very well done and would recommend to go along with the book for more background information.
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes