Name: Luck of the Titanic
Rating: 3.809523809523809 (42 reviews)
ISBN: 9781524740986

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

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.

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

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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