asquared92 's review for:

Surviving Savannah by Patti Callahan

5.0

adventurous challenging emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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: No

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This was a dual timeline historical fiction set in Savannah, Georgia. It followed 3 extraordinary women and centered on the sinking of the Pulaski a steamboat that sunk in 1838. This book absolutely captivated me from the very beginning! Everly, Augusta, and Lily were such compelling characters. They each had a tragedy to overcome and to find a way to live in the face of it. I laughed and cried with these strong, brave, brilliant women. I loved how the story flipped between the past and the present. Everly’s drive to figure out what happened to the people who survived the sinking of the Pulaski was well written and kept me turning pages to find out what she discovered. The chapters with Augusta and Lilly’s first hand accounts were heartbreaking and brought the story to life for me. The themes of loss, grief, morality, slavery, tragedy and living in the face of it were interwoven seamlessly with the plot. I found the question of how to survive the surviving especially poignant! The ending was fitting and I did enjoy knowing what happened in the lives of those who survived the shipwreck. If you enjoy historical fiction with strong FMCs then I definitely recommend you read this one!