Reviews

Luck of the Titanic, by Stacey Lee

linwearcamenel's review

adventurous 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? Yes

3.75

dunnalotofreading's review

adventurous emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

kyliep's review

3.0

3.5–not my favorite by Stacy Lee, but still a good read! It’s probably just the content because you know the whole time that something tragic is coming. Lovely characters and a thought-provoking look at how racism might have played out on the Titanic.

reemareads's review against another edition

4.0

Omg that was so good!!!!! I loved how the idea of the story came about. 6 Chinese men were on the Titanic and their stories were never recorded. They were not given asylum in America and treated as villians. I loved the siblings, (twins!!) and the little romance. It took a LONG time to get to the part where the Titanic hits the iceberg but when it did MY GODDD I cried. I didnt see that end coming aswell, how cruel.

leemoon's review

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

kimberlyjerger's review

4.0

*4.5

juanitamfm's review

4.0

Oh I really liked this book except for the ending! I loved Val’s spunky attitude and the rest of the characters as well. I thought all the sneaking around and being different characters kept me entertained and interested. Overall it was a great spin on the titanic story!

shanaya21's review

adventurous emotional 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent

Spoiler

Valora's selflessness at the end of the book almost made me cry! She sacrificed herself so many times to save her new family

teaandspite's review

I wanted to like this book. It has a great premise and I have a long-time love of Titanic stories that I blame entirely on Leonardo Dicaprio. I just could not get into it. I tried. I pushed through the first quarter of the book and...nothing. The pacing is slow, Valora isn't nearly compelling enough of a character to succeed with a first person narrative, and I had a hard time caring enough to be bothered.

I might have still pushed through after that. It was a Once Upon a Book Club pick and usually surprises are a good enough incentive for me to keep going. I made a mistake though. I skipped to the end because I didn't want to be burned the way I was with another book recently.

Spoiler

Valora dies. This character who we spend the entire book following just...dies. Now look, it's a story set on the Titanic. I expected someone to die. The perspective character though? Even after skimming through the last few chapters, I saw no way that ending could possibly be fitting/earned. She died because apparently that's what we're doing in YA these days.

So I gave in to my first ever DNF and now the book will sit on my shelf until I decide what to do with it.

thg2144's review

4.0

4.25/5

While I had high expectations (mainly as a result of the Titanic-obsession I had as a child), I was extremely surprised by how interesting, and heartbreaking, Luck of the Titanic is. By reading the novel I gained a new understanding of the story. But also a to me, and unfortunately many others, new perspective of the disaster, that has been erased from the history books.

My only complaint is the fast-developed romance that occurs between

Spoiler

Valora and Bo

. I found it unlikely, but maybe it's just my distaste for insta love that is talking.