Reviews

Yorick was meant to go down with the Titanic. Days before taking up his post as the ship's library steward, he was fired for filling the library with banned books as well as the appearance of his disability. When Yorick receives an invitation to the Titanic Survivors Book Club, he assumes he will be the odd man out, having not actually been aboard. What he comes to find out is the whole group-just like him-missed their boarding of the ship, and consequently their deaths, by a twist of fate. Candy fortune heiress Zinnia decides a book club where Yorick provides banned books will be an excellent avenue for them to excise their unique brand of grief. And thus, a complex love affair ensues, and as it does after tragedy, life goes on.

LET ME YELL FOR A MOMENT about how it is wildly unfair to review a book you didn't finish. Do not trust the reviews of this book, as many are DNFs, which means these readers did not fully experience this book. It is lyrical. It is gorgeous. It is an excellent study of a man having to live with a disability while also having to hide who he truly is because of who he loves.

If you actually read the synopsis, this book is not about the Titanic!! It is about how huge grief seems initially, and how our lives, though permanently altered, grow around that grief to turn us into different people. The prose is elevated and beautifully descriptive. There are many references to the classics and their authors, which I enjoyed. Yorick gives off so much Nick Carraway energy, and Gatsby is my favorite classic.

The love between characters in this book is complex, devastating, and true to life.

The plot is a slow-burn focused heavily on character development. For those who say, "Well why did it end that way?" I say, no one's life truly goes on after tragedy-aplenty with a big bang. We ache, search for comfort, and in finding that comfort, embrace our grief as it transforms us. I loved this book and can't wait to read more from this author.

lakristaw's review

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emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.5

rdyourbookcase's review against another edition

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reflective slow-paced

4.0

I think the title is deceptive. Far less time is spent on the survivors and book club. Rather, that's the catalyst for the three main characters meeting. The narrator feels a bit out of place in life, and that's a big part of the plot. It was slow but contemplative, and Paris is a strong character in the story as well. I enjoyed it, even though it wasn't so much about the book club as a whole. I think if you enjoyed Rules of Civility by Amor Towles, you might like this one.

comealongphil's review against another edition

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emotional reflective slow-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

ae_mayer's review

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emotional slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

3.75

This book was definitely not what I was expecting at all, but I still enjoyed it. Not much Titanic or book club but there is a love triangle. I think it’s sweet

cmb44's review

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emotional hopeful informative sad medium-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

4.0

wolfinthewild's review

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Didn't really enjoy it

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