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bluebell4's review against another edition
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This book tree me for a loop. Wow what a story!
At first the book started out a little slow, and I had a hard time wanting to pick it back up, but I continued and once the ship was out of port, things started picking up. First of all, I absolutely adored the characters in this book, there was a cast of about 15 or so people that were important to the story and they were all wonderfully written with differentiated and realistic personalities. Even side characters and people who were mentioned in passing were given personalities and not just stereotypes. I LOVED the main character! Valora was so interesting! How she thought and how she acted, wanting to be selfish but really being so selfless down to her core. The love interest was amazing and their romance was beautifully written. I’m a romance lover and can hardly read a book without a good romance, this book however, did it perfectly. It wasn’t a main focus of the story but it was there and it was real and sweet. Her brother was a wonderful character that didn’t always get along with Valora, but was always there for her. All in the characters were stunning!
The plot of this book was clear and well done. It was interesting and had me forgetting what happened to the Titanic. And when I finally did remember I was hoping and praying so hard for a happy ending.
The reason I didn’t end up giving this book 5 stars is because at times the internal dialogue was unnecessary and there were several times that Chinese idioms were used that the author would explain, and it felt like it brought the story to a halt. I didn’t mind the idioms it was just the constant explaining what they meant that made it frustrating. The beginning was also pretty slow and didn’t set a great pace for the story, it wasn’t until the Titanic was at full sail that things got more interesting. Also there were some things I didn’t agree with that were just kinda randomly thrown into the story and I found it unnecessary for the plot of the book.
Overall, the book was a good one, wonderful characters, great writing,and a extremely tragic yet beautiful ending
At first the book started out a little slow, and I had a hard time wanting to pick it back up, but I continued and once the ship was out of port, things started picking up. First of all, I absolutely adored the characters in this book, there was a cast of about 15 or so people that were important to the story and they were all wonderfully written with differentiated and realistic personalities. Even side characters and people who were mentioned in passing were given personalities and not just stereotypes. I LOVED the main character! Valora was so interesting! How she thought and how she acted, wanting to be selfish but really being so selfless down to her core. The love interest was amazing and their romance was beautifully written. I’m a romance lover and can hardly read a book without a good romance, this book however, did it perfectly. It wasn’t a main focus of the story but it was there and it was real and sweet. Her brother was a wonderful character that didn’t always get along with Valora, but was always there for her. All in the characters were stunning!
The plot of this book was clear and well done. It was interesting and had me forgetting what happened to the Titanic. And when I finally did remember I was hoping and praying so hard for a happy ending.
The reason I didn’t end up giving this book 5 stars is because at times the internal dialogue was unnecessary and there were several times that Chinese idioms were used that the author would explain, and it felt like it brought the story to a halt. I didn’t mind the idioms it was just the constant explaining what they meant that made it frustrating. The beginning was also pretty slow and didn’t set a great pace for the story, it wasn’t until the Titanic was at full sail that things got more interesting. Also there were some things I didn’t agree with that were just kinda randomly thrown into the story and I found it unnecessary for the plot of the book.
Overall, the book was a good one, wonderful characters, great writing,
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Racism
Moderate: Sexual assault
courtneyclouts's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Grief, Death of parent, and Classism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation
scrubsandbooks's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Confinement and Sexual assault
tak_everlasting's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Alcoholism, Racism, Death of parent, and Classism
Minor: Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Abandonment
mandkips's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Confinement, Sexual assault, and Death of parent
rhm04's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Racism, Xenophobia, and Grief
Moderate: Sexual assault
thenovelmaura's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you to Penguin Teen for the eARC of this book! I enjoyed this one and I see why Stacey Lee has such an enthusiastic fanbase. It was fascinating to get a glimpse into what could have been the lives of the eight Chinese passengers who were on the Titanic. It was definitely more of a character-driven novel than a plot-heavy one (I understand why people thought the beginning was slow, and I too grew weary of Valora's many costume changes), with most of the tension coming from the inevitable sinking of the ship. The book's setting is a microcosm of society in the 1910's, with racial and class disparities on full display in the different cabins, treatment from the crew, and seating arrangements at mealtimes.
The relationship between Valora and Jamie was complex and is really what drew me into the story. As twins, they had a deep bond that could be both comforting and painful. They each matured a lot as they struggled to reconcile the sibling they had known growing up with the one that boarded the Titanic. I admired the way Lee chose to end the book, as well as her graceful and informative author's note. While I don't read a lot of YA historical fiction, this author is added to my list of ones to watch!
The relationship between Valora and Jamie was complex and is really what drew me into the story. As twins, they had a deep bond that could be both comforting and painful. They each matured a lot as they struggled to reconcile the sibling they had known growing up with the one that boarded the Titanic. I admired the way Lee chose to end the book, as well as her graceful and informative author's note. While I don't read a lot of YA historical fiction, this author is added to my list of ones to watch!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Grief and Death of parent
Minor: Confinement and Sexual assault
maidmarianlib's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Love to see diverse characters represented, strong characterization and the plot flows well even though you know the end.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Racism, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual assault
elderflower's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
My second Stacey Lee book and it did not disappoint!
Likes:
Likes:
- TITANIC!!!! I love Titanic books but there are so few… :(
- I love Stacey Lee’s metaphors and similes. They always make me pause and think because they’re so fresh and clever.
- Got emotionally attached to the characters
- I just love Stacey Lee’s romances. They’re very innocent and simple, but so sweet 🥰
- Such a gorgeous cover. It makes me even more in love with Valora.
Dislikes:
- I honestly can’t think of any 🤷
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Racism
Moderate: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, and Violence
Minor: Homophobia, Death of parent, and Murder
bookcrushin's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexism, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Confinement, Sexual assault, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death, Grief, Death of parent, and Cultural appropriation