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A review by ginaparrish
Surviving Savannah by Patti Callahan
2.0
The history behind this book is fascinating. It’s fun learning about the Pulaski shipwreck, as well as the expedition uncovering it, and the history of Savannah.
That said, I wasn’t a fan of the writing. The chapters set in the past, written in third person, were far better than the chapters in present day, written in first person. And there was altogether too much telling and not enough showing. I consider myself to be of reasonable intelligence and can gather things for myself without having them explained to me.
Not to mention, some of the language in the present day chapters is too sentimental and ethereal for my taste. For example:
“What really mattered? Minutes or years passed as I searched for the answer. Finally my heart called out: everything. Everything matters. … There existed a great life force, a presence that could only be called love. Alongside me, inside me, around me, I sensed the waves of something larger than the ocean itself. Love, where I would eventually go. … It was unseen and it held everything together. I was in it and I was of it.”
I prefer more straight-forward writing and I think prose and moralizing need to be earned. So overall the novel was only okay for me. I did enjoy reading the author’s note and learning about the history though.
That said, I wasn’t a fan of the writing. The chapters set in the past, written in third person, were far better than the chapters in present day, written in first person. And there was altogether too much telling and not enough showing. I consider myself to be of reasonable intelligence and can gather things for myself without having them explained to me.
Not to mention, some of the language in the present day chapters is too sentimental and ethereal for my taste. For example:
“What really mattered? Minutes or years passed as I searched for the answer. Finally my heart called out: everything. Everything matters. … There existed a great life force, a presence that could only be called love. Alongside me, inside me, around me, I sensed the waves of something larger than the ocean itself. Love, where I would eventually go. … It was unseen and it held everything together. I was in it and I was of it.”
I prefer more straight-forward writing and I think prose and moralizing need to be earned. So overall the novel was only okay for me. I did enjoy reading the author’s note and learning about the history though.