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felibravehall's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-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
4.25
arcticfoxlover19's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.5
I loved this book, but the ending is so tragic! ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexism
Moderate: Death of parent
eriniese's review against another edition
3.0
i don’t know how to feel about this book. on one hand, it was written beautifully. on the other hand, i feel like that was what carried the story for most part. the beginning of the book was great and engaging, but then the action slowed down and i didn’t really know if something was supposed to unfold, or if it would be just... nothing happening. and then again, the last 20% were amazing, gripping, and vivid. also, the ending kind-of surprised me. i really liked april, though, so there’s that.
wisteriamoon's review against another edition
5.0
This was a beautiful, beautiful book. It made me think so deeply. I adored the writing style, one of the most unique I've ever read! And the commentary was so important... I adored this so much.
cobaltbookshelf's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
I liked writing and siblings relationship, but it was too slow pacing until sinking.
I liked writing and siblings relationship, but it was too slow pacing until sinking.
readingwithrae's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars.
this just didn't give what i needed it to give. i was bored for 75% of the book and the ending just couldn't save it for me. i'm really sad because i find the titanic such an interesting subject and i was really looking forward to reading about the eight chinese passengers, but the plot just went so slow and it really wasn't working imo. but regardless of that, i will say all of the characters are lovely and the last chapter did have me reeling (plus the epilogue? CRYING ABOUT IT THANKS)
anyway i think this is a more 'it's not you, it's me' thing so take my review with a grain of salt. i think if i was more of a historical fiction girlie i would've liked this better but it's just not my thing tbh
this just didn't give what i needed it to give. i was bored for 75% of the book and the ending just couldn't save it for me. i'm really sad because i find the titanic such an interesting subject and i was really looking forward to reading about the eight chinese passengers, but the plot just went so slow and it really wasn't working imo. but regardless of that, i will say all of the characters are lovely and the last chapter did have me reeling (plus the epilogue? CRYING ABOUT IT THANKS)
anyway i think this is a more 'it's not you, it's me' thing so take my review with a grain of salt. i think if i was more of a historical fiction girlie i would've liked this better but it's just not my thing tbh
worldsunlikeourown's review against another edition
3.0
Find this review and more on my blog at Worlds Unlike Our Own.
3.5 stars
Valora Luck dreams of being a circus performer in New York, and she has a ticket to travel aboard the Titanic that will take her there. However she is turned away at the gangway due to the Chinese Exclusion Act that restricts the entry of Chinese people into America. But not only is Titanic Val’s way to America, but also her chance to reunite with her twin brother Jamie who is somewhere aboard. Determined to find a way on to the ship, Val stows away and tries to keep her head down as she searches for Jamie and figures out a way to audition for a famous circus owner who can get her the papers to enter America. Things certainly don’t go as planned though and as the Titanic goes down, all of Val’s aspirations change to simply surviving the ordeal.
Historical fiction features prominently on my TBR, but this subject was a new one for me. My knowledge of Titanic is limited to the movie and a more technical documentary or two, so I was really excited to learn more when I came across this book, not forgetting the beautiful cover. Luck of the Titanic brings to light the stories of the Chinese passengers aboard the Titanic and the racial discrimination they were subject to in that time period. I thought this book was a wonderful tribute as history has not been very kind to these survivors, their stories all but erased.
The sibling dynamic between Jamie and Valora was wonderful and I liked how their bond was portrayed. I expected this book to be entirely focused on the twins, so it was a pleasant surprise that so many other characters had some significant roles to play. In particular, Valora meets the other Chinese passengers aboard and they all become like family by the end. The slower pace of this book allows the reader to really become attached to these characters (some of them at least) and all the more invested in their fates once the chaos begins.
While the premise was very interesting and the story had all the makings for a great read, the execution was somewhat lacking. I expected a book about the Titanic to be more exciting. I didn’t start becoming really interested in the story until the Titanic started to sink – which was unfortunately only the last handful of chapters. Nothing much happens until then. There was some mild tension due to Val being a stowaway and the consequences if she were to get caught and some acrobatics, but I was pretty bored for most of this book. I also did not enjoy the romance much as it didn’t meld with the story too well and felt like it was there just for the sake of being there.
I do appreciate that the author kept the ending historically accurate, but I’ve never been a fan of killing off characters for dramatic effect, so I didn’t like how things wrapped up. Overall, while this wasn’t the most exciting or fast-paced read, it definitely had the potential to be so much more, so this book is still one I would recommend.
3.5 stars
Valora Luck dreams of being a circus performer in New York, and she has a ticket to travel aboard the Titanic that will take her there. However she is turned away at the gangway due to the Chinese Exclusion Act that restricts the entry of Chinese people into America. But not only is Titanic Val’s way to America, but also her chance to reunite with her twin brother Jamie who is somewhere aboard. Determined to find a way on to the ship, Val stows away and tries to keep her head down as she searches for Jamie and figures out a way to audition for a famous circus owner who can get her the papers to enter America. Things certainly don’t go as planned though and as the Titanic goes down, all of Val’s aspirations change to simply surviving the ordeal.
Historical fiction features prominently on my TBR, but this subject was a new one for me. My knowledge of Titanic is limited to the movie and a more technical documentary or two, so I was really excited to learn more when I came across this book, not forgetting the beautiful cover. Luck of the Titanic brings to light the stories of the Chinese passengers aboard the Titanic and the racial discrimination they were subject to in that time period. I thought this book was a wonderful tribute as history has not been very kind to these survivors, their stories all but erased.
The sibling dynamic between Jamie and Valora was wonderful and I liked how their bond was portrayed. I expected this book to be entirely focused on the twins, so it was a pleasant surprise that so many other characters had some significant roles to play. In particular, Valora meets the other Chinese passengers aboard and they all become like family by the end. The slower pace of this book allows the reader to really become attached to these characters (some of them at least) and all the more invested in their fates once the chaos begins.
While the premise was very interesting and the story had all the makings for a great read, the execution was somewhat lacking. I expected a book about the Titanic to be more exciting. I didn’t start becoming really interested in the story until the Titanic started to sink – which was unfortunately only the last handful of chapters. Nothing much happens until then. There was some mild tension due to Val being a stowaway and the consequences if she were to get caught and some acrobatics, but I was pretty bored for most of this book. I also did not enjoy the romance much as it didn’t meld with the story too well and felt like it was there just for the sake of being there.
I do appreciate that the author kept the ending historically accurate, but I’ve never been a fan of killing off characters for dramatic effect, so I didn’t like how things wrapped up. Overall, while this wasn’t the most exciting or fast-paced read, it definitely had the potential to be so much more, so this book is still one I would recommend.
sarahp85's review against another edition
3.0
I don't know, maybe the fact that I finished this but kept forgetting to review says it all.
I liked it, as I'm a sucker for anything Titanic related and this was a whole different story than anything I've read before.
But for some reason I found it quite slow at the start, couldn't really get into it for a while and found the leading lady a bit... annoying
I liked it, as I'm a sucker for anything Titanic related and this was a whole different story than anything I've read before.
But for some reason I found it quite slow at the start, couldn't really get into it for a while and found the leading lady a bit... annoying
narteest's review against another edition
4.0
Ugh no no noooooo. That ending!!!
Do you know how conflicted I am about the ending?
First off, I am not a fan of the movie Titanic. It's about as exciting as a cup of milk (and I don't like the aftertaste of milk AT ALL). Sure the movie has it's highlights. Leo. Fun stuff. Probably the music. But essentially, the story isn't at all that fascinating. (But this is just my personal opinion on the movie, I know many love it! But I could never really relate...)
With Luck of the Titanic, I found myself really enjoying it! Sure, I had my moments of what are you doing, you risky girl! But my overall feeling is that if I have to go back to any kind of Titanic fiction, if I had a choice between the movie or this book, I'd choose this book. Valora while stubborn, had a lot more to her than the main character in the movie.
Luck of the Titanic is fast paced and the plot is wound in the complexities of life. Things such as being with family, neglect in the family, meeting new people, and dealing with one's role in society, and how to make a future for oneself. And most of all, how easily lives can end.
The writing is good, metaphoric and emotive. Lee does excellently in blending in Cantonese culture into the language though I'm still undecided if I prefer "Uncle" in English or Cantonese. Lee used English, but well. There was also that scene of Bo being corrected by Valora on his English, which is familiar and it DOES happen, but at least Bo is nice enough to accept the corrections....when I know some who would find it annoying and pretentious.
The relationships are great. I love the sibling relationship between Val and Jamie. Where the movie Titanic focuses on a romantic relationship, this novel puts the sibling relationship in focus, and the romances on the side. Both Val and Jamie are fantastically crafted. I loved the Johnnies. I loved the Val and Bo moments. And I loved the moments of interaction between Val and the other ladies, like April and Charlotte.
Now, my gripes, and a few reasons why this isn't a full 5 stars:
1) The ending!!!! It's not the loss of life that occurs - this is expected - but do I actually believe that one would go and one would be left behind?! Yes, racism can be ugly but something has got to make a person wonder if the person floating in the middle of the ocean is not just the ordinary 'Jap' - especially if she can speak with an English accent. I found this end frustrating because it didn't fully make sense. Anyway, it was a fitting end, I'm still unsure if I find this ending or Titanic's ending to be more frustrating. There's a less diplomatic word I want to use here, but truthfully, I did really enjoy this book, so I won't use it.
2) Val and Jamie's parents. You know, I love stories that go into depth about relationships. It gives them shape, it gives them volume, and it makes the motives of the main characters more real. I did love reading the parts of Val's and Jamie's contrasting perspectives on their parents' relationship, one that was fraught with difficulty because their father was Chinese while their mother was white. And thus, this caused a lot of friction. But what bothered me most was that I never got see what made their parents fall in love and get together in the first place. Marriage in the way of their parents had to mean something, especially a time period in which society is unfriendly to poc.
Overall, I'm glad I decided to pick up this book. It was a good read (despite a few frustrations!)
Do you know how conflicted I am about the ending?
First off, I am not a fan of the movie Titanic. It's about as exciting as a cup of milk (and I don't like the aftertaste of milk AT ALL). Sure the movie has it's highlights. Leo. Fun stuff. Probably the music. But essentially, the story isn't at all that fascinating. (But this is just my personal opinion on the movie, I know many love it! But I could never really relate...)
With Luck of the Titanic, I found myself really enjoying it! Sure, I had my moments of what are you doing, you risky girl! But my overall feeling is that if I have to go back to any kind of Titanic fiction, if I had a choice between the movie or this book, I'd choose this book. Valora while stubborn, had a lot more to her than the main character in the movie.
Luck of the Titanic is fast paced and the plot is wound in the complexities of life. Things such as being with family, neglect in the family, meeting new people, and dealing with one's role in society, and how to make a future for oneself. And most of all, how easily lives can end.
The writing is good, metaphoric and emotive. Lee does excellently in blending in Cantonese culture into the language though I'm still undecided if I prefer "Uncle" in English or Cantonese. Lee used English, but well. There was also that scene of Bo being corrected by Valora on his English, which is familiar and it DOES happen, but at least Bo is nice enough to accept the corrections....when I know some who would find it annoying and pretentious.
The relationships are great. I love the sibling relationship between Val and Jamie. Where the movie Titanic focuses on a romantic relationship, this novel puts the sibling relationship in focus, and the romances on the side. Both Val and Jamie are fantastically crafted. I loved the Johnnies. I loved the Val and Bo moments. And I loved the moments of interaction between Val and the other ladies, like April and Charlotte.
Now, my gripes, and a few reasons why this isn't a full 5 stars:
1) The ending!!!! It's not the loss of life that occurs - this is expected - but do I actually believe that one would go and one would be left behind?! Yes, racism can be ugly but something has got to make a person wonder if the person floating in the middle of the ocean is not just the ordinary 'Jap' - especially if she can speak with an English accent. I found this end frustrating because it didn't fully make sense.
Spoiler
I get why Valora did it, but there just didn't seem to be enough heavy emotion in that moment to actually give the girl who was fighting to get to America for a better life to give up everything. In saying that, I get that she did it for her brother, who is her twin and who matters more to her than even her own life. But despite how well the scene flows, it's abrupt and for me, I was left kind of wondering, that doesn't quite make sense. I was expecting a different kind of punch to the gut which would end in Val's death. I think it didn't help that in those final pages, rather than Val wondering if the Johnnies made it out alive, her thoughts seemed like facts that they were?2) Val and Jamie's parents. You know, I love stories that go into depth about relationships. It gives them shape, it gives them volume, and it makes the motives of the main characters more real. I did love reading the parts of Val's and Jamie's contrasting perspectives on their parents' relationship, one that was fraught with difficulty because their father was Chinese while their mother was white. And thus, this caused a lot of friction. But what bothered me most was that I never got see what made their parents fall in love and get together in the first place. Marriage in the way of their parents had to mean something, especially a time period in which society is unfriendly to poc.
Overall, I'm glad I decided to pick up this book. It was a good read (despite a few frustrations!)