Merely Dee

by Marian Manseau Cheatham

The 1915 Western Electric Employee Picnic is the social highlight of the year in Cicero, Illinois. Five steamers wait to ferry seven thousand passengers to the picnic grounds in Michigan City, Indiana. As teenager Dee Pageau packs her picnic basket and prepares to board the SS Eastland, she anticipates this will be the best day of her life. Dee hopes to spend time with her best friend, Mae Koznecki-but she also wants to get to know Mae's handsome brother, Karel, a little better. Dee has no idea that in a matter of hours, tragedy will strike.

Despite her mother's dark premonition that death awaits her if she boards the SS Eastland, Dee decides the risk is worth a chance for more time with Karel. Dee's excitement quickly turns to terror, though, when the ship capsizes at the dock, threatening the lives of everyone on board. Rescued from certain death-not once, but twice-by Karel and a mysterious stranger, Dee soon discovers that Mae is nowhere to be found. Dee can only sit back and wait to hear if she is trapped in the flooding bowels of the capsized ship or worse yet, dead.

In this captivating historical tale, Dee takes a coming-of-age journey like no other as she soon realizes that surviving the disaster is only the beginning.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

186 pages, Hardcover

First published January 5, 2012

About the author

Marian Cheatham writes YA fiction and screenplays surrounded by her menagerie of pets. While she dreams of Hollywood, she stays focused on her husband and home in suburban Chicago. She loves to travel and hopes to visit all of the National Parks some day.

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical fiction. True story of the Eastland on the Chicago River. This story takes place in the early 20th century in Chicago. It's about the Western Electric sponsored picnic trip that went tragically wrong. The worst accident regarding the loss of life in one incident, in Chicago, ever! But, you never hear about it. The author paints a vivid and realistic picture of what happened that day, you really feel like you're there. The characters are fictional,and are warm and inviting.

Just a note about the Chicago River. I deliberately, after reading the book, took a Chicago River Cruise. The tour guide talked about the river and all the buildings around. Great tour, by the way. He mentioned how dirty and disgusting the river was. At the time of this story, manufacturers used the river as a dumping station. Chicago was a meat packing city and they threw the parts of the animals that wasn't used into the river. Just FYI: The river was just recently upgraded to Toxic. I can't imagine falling into that river at the time of this story and having to swim out or drown in it. Yuk!

[Cherie Colyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Merely Dee is a wonderful tale of a young girl’s survival of one of the worst disasters in Chicago’s history. Marian Cheatham has done a wonderful job of weaving Dee’s story into the events of that horrific day in 1915. The vivid storytelling and close attention to detail transport the reader back a hundred years, capturing the era beautifully. I could feel Dee’s excitement as she prepared for the big company picnic and then the flood of emotions that followed as the ship capsized and people search for their loved ones. Readers young and old will fall in love with Dee and the two guys who save her life.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent story will lovely local details. The author does a great job of bringing 1915 Chicago to life, especially the businesses, streets and people of Cicero. I recommend this title for all fans of fiction with an eye to historical detail and especially anyone familiar or interested in the history of Chicago.

[Kym Brunner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this historical fiction because it accurately depicts the time period in Chicago, gives a up-front and personal look at an important event largely ignored by novelists. The characters are authentic and I can totally picture what it would have been like to have been a witness to the Eastland disaster. Excellent job!

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was curious about the event that this story is about. A tragedy as big as what they say should have been more prevalent in Illinois history. As someone who grew up in Illinois, I was surprised that I had not heard more about this. Intending to learn what I could, I began the story knowing that at least one of the characters would have to die. It is a sorrowful book because it is about about a true tragedy. In spite of the darkness of the book, it shows that people have to get on with their life and look to the future.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly, this turned out to be a good book. Thoroughly enjoyed.