Stacey Lee

"After smuggling herself onto the RMS Titanic, British-Chinese teenager Valora Luck reunites with her twin brother and tries to convince him that their acrobatic training could be their ticket to a better life."

Luck of the Titanic

I don’t know why but I just love how poetic this line is.

Selina 

His voice cracks, chipping off a piece of my heart.

Trailing us, a lone seagull bobs and ducks invisible blows. I shall be like that bird. Whatever current life blows in my face, I will plow on to the next piece of sky.

Holly 

I loved this book from start to finish! The writing was beautiful and the plot was great. I was worried that this book would be so slow and mostly filler until the end, but I was very wrong. It may have been a while until the end scenes but there was a great storyline that I was instantly hooked on. DON’T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THAT ENDING! It was crushing. Would definitely recommend this. Only slight complaint I have is that some of the characters didn’t need to be in this book. They were involved and introduced as friends to Valora (main protagonist) but didn’t have any real personality or development. But smashing book otherwise.

Lacy W

Title: Luck of the Titanic
Author: Stacy Lee
Genre: Historical Young Adult
Format: hardback library book
Star Rating: 2.5 stars

tw: parental death, alcoholism, racism, sexism, death, drowning, drug use

I feel so bad that I didn’t like this book. I’m also disappointed that I didn’t like this book. I have been kind of obsessed with all things relating to the Titanic. I’m not sure why. Sometimes, I get on these kicks. Like right now, it’s Pokemon. So I thought that I would like this book considering what it was about. 

I had a pretty hard time relating to Val, the main character. She’s British Chinese, which I think is awesome. She just really grated on my nerves. I felt she was more of a child than 18 years old. Val very much wanted it to be her way or no way. I understood that she wanted to be with her twin, Jake, but at the same time, she has to realize that Jake wants to do his own thing. He’s allowed to have friends. That part really irritated me. She got upset that he had made friends while he was away on ships. Val just needed to grow up. 

The plot also moved incredibly slowly. There were a lot of day-to-day activities and a lot of Val’s thoughts that took up a lot of page time. The main event, which you all know what it is, doesn’t happen until there are about 100 pages left. It felt super rushed and I was a little confused about what was going on for most of it. Plus the ending made me so mad. I won’t say what it is because of spoilers but let’s just say it’s not a great ending for me anyway. 

Overall, this book left me frustrated. There were a couple of positives, though, that I’ll share. There was a map and diagrams of the Titanic along with a complete character list. This book was also dedicated to the six Chinese men that survived the sinking, so I thought that was nice. But overall, I wasn’t impressed.

look i know this is about the titanic but it was way sadder than i was expecting 😭 really good though. i liked that the majority of the book was getting to know the characters rather than it just being about the sinking 

Lindsey Davis Blanchard 

Megan Lowe

6 stars.

Oh my stars! This book is just... incredible.
So rich in history, and culture, and characters.
Val and Jamie are my heart.
Bo is life.
Wink and Olly and April and Charlotte are just perfect.
But this book? It is devastating in the best way.
You know what happens, and it is foreshadowed, perhaps a little too much at times, but you still hope that they see that iceberg and turn!
There are also massive shades of titanic the movie here, but it’s still different enough.
I love this book. This book breaks my heart, and not just because of the story, but for the real life stories that were never told.
But please, read this book.

Alissa Delgado

Fantastic. A new viewpoint from the Titanic I've never seen. I had a bit of a lag in the middle but that could also be because I knew what was coming and wanted to put it off for as long as possible. It's not often you know what will happen in a book and still get emotional. The ending, sinking ship aside, was great and wrapped up the book nicely.

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Downstairs Girl comes the richly imagined story of Valora and Jamie Luck, twin British-Chinese acrobats travelling aboard the Titanic on its ill-fated maiden voyage. Valora Luck has two things: a ticket for the biggest and most luxurious ocean liner in the world, and a dream of leaving England behind and making a life for herself as a circus performer in New York. Much to her surprise though, she's turned away at the gangway; apparently, Chinese people aren't allowed into America. But Val has to get on that ship. Her twin brother Jamie, who has spent two long years at sea, is there, as is an influential circus owner, whom Val hopes to audition for. Thankfully, there's not much a trained acrobat like Val can't overcome when she puts her mind to it. As a stowaway, Val should keep her head down and stay out of sight. But the clock is ticking and she has just seven days as the ship makes its way across the Atlantic to find Jamie, perform for the circus owner, and convince him to help get them both into America. Then one night the unthinkable happens, and suddenly Val's dreams of a new life are crushed under the weight of the only thing that matters: survival.

Paige Green

Disclaimer: I received this book from the Once Upon A Book Box Club May box and I purchased  the box. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Luck of the Titanic

Author: Stacey Lee

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 4.5/5

Diversity: Chinese/British protagonist, Chinese/British side character, Chinese side characters, Lesbian side character

Recommended For...: young adult readers, historical fiction, Titanic

Publication Date: May 4, 2021

Genre: YA Historical Fiction

Recommended Age: 15+ (racism, alcoholism, parent death, attempted sexual assault, violence, death)

Explanation of CWs: There is racism in this book towards Chinese people. Alcoholism is mentioned. There is parent death mentioned frequently and death shown in the book. There is an attempted sexual assault shown. There is some violence.

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

Pages: 361

Synopsis: Valora Luck has two things: a ticket for the biggest and most luxurious ocean liner in the world, and a dream of leaving England behind and making a life for herself as a circus performer in New York. Much to her surprise, though, she's turned away at the gangway; apparently, Chinese people aren't allowed into America.

But Val has to get on that ship. Her twin brother, Jamie, who has spent two long years at sea, is on board, as is an influential circus owner. Thankfully, there's not much a trained acrobat like Val can't overcome when she puts her mind to it.

As a stowaway, Val should keep her head down and stay out of sight. But the clock is ticking and she has just seven days as the ship makes its way across the Atlantic to find Jamie, audition for the circus owner, and convince him to help get them both into America.

Then one night, the unthinkable happens, and suddenly Val's dreams of a new life are crushed under the weight of the only thing that matters: survival.

Review: For the most part I really liked this book. I love anything involving the Titanic, it was a special interest of mine when I was younger, and I loved how this book was written. The book showed what the Titanic life must have been like for 3rd class passengers and 1st class. It was also unapologetic in showing some of the worse parts of the Titanic for the Chinese passengers. A lot of people idolize how the trip on the Titanic must have been, but it wasn’t all roses for most people. I loved how well developed the characters were and I loved how well the world building was developed. The book was also well plotted and the pacing was even.

The only issue I really had with the book is that the ending was kind of sudden and I would have liked the book more if the sinking was expanded out some more and if it wasn’t so chaotic (however, the chaotic nature of the sinking fits well with… well the sinking).

Verdict: It was great! Highly recommend!


Caitlyn DeRouin

cossette

i am a puddle of tears no one talk to me this book has ruined me

Samantha King

4.5 stars.
This book taught me so much, I hadn't heard about how the Chinese people were treated before I picked up this book. (And oh boy how it shocked me). This book is so important for people to read to learn the harsh truth of what it was like being Chinese aboard the Titanic.
The pace of this book was done so well, the build up to what we know is coming left chills running through my body. When that moment comes I felt my heart beating in my chest knowing what our characters and the other passengers are about to go through.
I'm really glad I decided to read this book, it not only educated me but it made me laugh, it made me angry and it made me cry. (Full on ugly cry). 😭
I loved all of the characters except Skelton. They all had depth and personality each one different from one another.
Valora our main character is a fierce strong female character. Who is determined to not give up no matter what. She strong and king but most of all she is brave, until the end.
The plot wasn't what I thought it would be, I don't know what I was expecting really. However I really did enjoy it. I binged this book in three days, having been pulled in from the first page.
The writing was beautiful and done really well. 
The characters are what made me love this book.

Heather Harrington

Seventeen-year-old Valora Luck has two goals: to reunite with her twin brother Jamie, who works on the newly built ship the Titanic, and for them to go to New York to become acrobats in the circus. Thanks to her quick thinking, Val manages to stow away on the ship and talks herself into first-class accommodations, and sets off to find her brother. When the twins are reunited, Val soon learns that Jamie isn't as keen on the life she's purposing. Not only are her plans thrown for a loop and her ruse starting to crumble around her, but a disastrous accident causes the unsinkable ship to start plunging into the cold North Atlantic waters, and Val and her companions find themselves fighting to survive.

Lee has this beautiful way of writing historical fiction that fully transports you to whatever period that I admire. Everyone knows about the events of the Titanic, so it's hard to find a fresh take on it, but somehow Lee delivers. I also enjoyed how Lee weaved together accounts from actual Chinese passengers of the Titanic because it made it more emotional. My favorite part of this was the characters. Val was interesting to follow. She was so headstrong, and a little stubborn, in her desire to reunite with her brother and start a new life in America. I also liked her relationship between Jamie and the other laborers. The only issue I had with this was the pacing. Some bits felt dragged out, especially around the middle, and I found myself losing interest until we finally got to the sinking. While I wasn't fully invested, this was still a beautifully written story and worth the read if you're a historical fiction or Titanic fan.

Haleigh Buchanan

** spoiler alert **
           WHAT WAS THAT ENDING?! WHAT??????? 

Overall, this was not my favorite book. Its good, but its not what I was hoping for. 3/5

Personally, I thought the first 280 pages of this book were really really slow. I almost DNF'd it but I had made it so far already, I pushed myself through it. I was sad I did. I knew to expect SOMEONE to die, and I was fully prepared for to be Jamie. I was NOT ready to lose Val. She had grown so much in such a short amount of time. 

She was honestly super selfish at the beginning but so strong and determined, and by the end she had grown to be honestly such a selfless person, in the end sacrificing herself for her brother. So he could live. 

I was prepared for someone to die. I knew that the entire crew were not going to make it... I knew it, I was ready and I spent (honestly) the whole book expecting that it was going to be Jamie... and it almost was and my heart broke, but I had already accepted it. When I tell you that it destroyed me when Val was left behind.... it did, but it was honestly more REAL. 

And I mean Bo and Val, they took the whole entire book to kiss, then she dies 15 mins later. I swear, this book, like the real world, is cruel. 

Overall, this is a good book. Not for everyone, and I'm sure more hearts then just mine. Can't say this will be a book that I read again, but I'm glad I read it at least once.

Joleen

4 stars

Going into The Luck of the Titanic was bittersweet. Knowing a lot of the history of Titanic, I know going into this that the chance of a happy ending was slim to none. But Rachael over at  @rqdreads  raved about it so much that I knew I had to read it. And I am really happy I did, even if I did cry a lot.

Valora Luck was impossible not to love. Right from the start, she smuggled herself onto the Titanic so she could have a better shot at achieving her dreams. She has the kind of courage I wish I had. Jamie was the sweetest and I loved him so much.

You know with a story like The Luck of the Titanic, I was not expecting it to be so funny. The laughs I had while reading this were amazing. The interactions with Val, Jamie, Bo, and the other characters were my favorite parts. It was just refreshing to see a wonderful group of individuals deeply care for each other.

10/10 would recommend!

Luck of the Titanic

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