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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 traveling 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 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.
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 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.
295 Reviews
3.5
Keradwen Sweeten
Created 25 days agoShare
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“I really enjoyed this audiobook. I do feel like there were a few parts of the story that were tedious but the overall story arc was excellent. The Lucks were amazingly written characters and some of the secondary ones felt a little flat.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.”
Susanna
Created 3 months agoShare
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“Okay, I really wanted to like this, but I have way too many problems with it.
First off, I’m not sure how Valora had never heard about the Chinese Exclusion Act, considering that it was instated in 1882 - approximately twelve years before she was even born. Also, if she was supposed to be travelling as maid/companion for Mrs. Sloan, she would have needed the necessary documentation, so it shouldn’t have been a surprise. I also thought it was funny that, while the author herself said there is a plethora of information about the Titanic, that she still managed to get facts during the sinking wrong.
The whole side plot with Lady Duff Gordon being the villain of the story was simply bizarre. Also, what did the entire fashion side plot have to do with the rest of the story? It felt odd and forced.
Now my biggest problem: Valora herself. She is so annoying and so incredibly stupid. She makes Bella Swan look like a good judge of character - which says something. She had absolutely zero character development and just spent the majority of the book complaining about her brother being a mature and functioning adult. Also, she had about four opportunities to get on a lifeboat and refused each one. Forget about Jack Dawson being the most pointless death - that distinction is now awarded to Valora, the woman who had more chances than anyone else and still died for some reason…
I know that this story was supposed to honour the Chinese on the Titanic, but why not tell their story instead of a half-baked plot about acrobats? It just doesn’t make sense and was disappointing to read.”
Catriona da Silva Grave
Created 3 months agoShare
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Sara Oliveira
Created 3 months agoShare
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“This was my second book from Stacey Lee, and while I did enjoy the last one more, this was a fantastic story.
From my research into her writing process here, the author’s family (on her mother's side) originally came to America in the 1800s, but wasn't permitted to stay due to the Chinese Exclusion Act - which the book touches upon a lot, and something I was not aware of before reading about here.
While I think most of us are familiar with the tragic story of the Titanic, this was a very unique perspective that I appreciate being able to learn about. We start the book already knowing that two of our beloved characters aren't going to make it, we just don't know which two... and I was heartbroken with the result (yes, tears were indeed shed).
I do think I could have done without the romance, I believe the story would have worked equally as well without its inclusion, but I can understand how it plays its part. I enjoyed following our main character through her absolute determination to make a life for herself and keep her family together, it was inspiring, especially given how much was working against them, even if sometimes what we think is best isn't best for everyone.
I think the pacing was just right, those three days felt like an absolute lifetime on board the Titanic, and so much can happen in just a few days, and just like that, from one second to the next, a lifetime can fall victim to a tragedy. While reading this book you can also tell that so much research went into creating it, I could visualize almost everything that was being told, and I loved that we even got a few characters based on real passengers and crew.
Overall, a very succesful retelling!”
Christine Alvarez
Created 3 months agoShare
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“Despite a fascination with the Titanic, this is the first I've read of the Chinese passengers on the Titanic. Stacey Lee's writing is outstanding. This book features a beautiful plot with themes of love, family, and forgiveness, while highlighting the racism and classism of its time. The whole thing was a gorgeous tapestry of hope and growth in the midst of struggle. I highly recommend it.”
About Stacey Lee
Stacey Lee is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels The Downstairs Girl, Luck of the Titanic, Under a Painted Sky and Outrun the Moon, the winner of the PEN Center USA Literary Award for Young Adult Fiction and the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. She is a fourth-generation Chinese American and a founding member of We Need Diverse Books. Born in Southern California, she graduated from UCLA and then got her law degree at UC Davis King Hall. She lives with her family outside San Francisco. You can visit Stacey at staceyhlee.com. Or follow her on Twitter @staceyleeauthor.
Other books by Stacey Lee
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