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Unspeakable
On her first voyage as a stewardess aboard the Empress of Ireland, Ellie is drawn to the solitary fire stoker who stands by the ship’s rail late at night, often writing in a journal.
Jim. Ellie finds it hard to think of his name now. After their wonderful time in Quebec City, that awful night happened. The screams, the bodies, the frigid waters … she tries hard to tell herself that he survived, but it’s hard to believe when so many didn’t. So when Wyatt Steele, journalist at The New York Times asks her for her story, Ellie refuses. But when he shows her Jim’s journal, she jumps at the chance to be able to read it herself, to find some trace of the man she had fallen in love with, or perhaps a clue to what happened to him. There’s only one catch: she will have to tell her story to Steele and he’ll “pay” her by giving her the journal, one page at a time.
Jim. Ellie finds it hard to think of his name now. After their wonderful time in Quebec City, that awful night happened. The screams, the bodies, the frigid waters … she tries hard to tell herself that he survived, but it’s hard to believe when so many didn’t. So when Wyatt Steele, journalist at The New York Times asks her for her story, Ellie refuses. But when he shows her Jim’s journal, she jumps at the chance to be able to read it herself, to find some trace of the man she had fallen in love with, or perhaps a clue to what happened to him. There’s only one catch: she will have to tell her story to Steele and he’ll “pay” her by giving her the journal, one page at a time.
336 pages, Paperback
First published May 6, 2014
9 people are currently reading
591 people want to read
About the author
Caroline Pignat
14 books141 followersCaroline Pignat is the two-time Governor Generalʼs Award winning author of highly acclaimed young adult novels. Her historical fiction, contemporary, and free verse novels use multiple points of view and varied forms to engage readers of all ages.
As a Writer's Craft student, Caroline wrote a short story that years later became Greener Grass, the first of a critically acclaimed series, and went on to win her first Governor General’s Award for Children’s Literature in 2009.
A teacher with the Ottawa Catholic School Board, Caroline has taught elementary, intermediate and high school students. She spends her mornings teaching grade 12 Writer’s Craft and her afternoons working with students in Writing Workshops and Author Visits, or deep in her next work-in-progress.
A confident and inspiring speaker, Caroline has presented to students and educators; to historical societies and library groups; and at writing conferences such as: MASC, CANSCAIP, and SCBWI. In 2012, she was one of 12 Canadian authors chosen to tour with TD Book Week.
Recipient of two Red Maple Honour Book Awards and the Canadian Library Association Young Adult Book of the Year Honour Book, Caroline has been shortlisted for many others including: the CLA Book of the Year, three Geoffrey Bilson Awards for Historical Fiction, and the IODE Violet Downey Book Award.
Born in Ireland, she grew up in Ottawa where she lives with her family.
As a Writer's Craft student, Caroline wrote a short story that years later became Greener Grass, the first of a critically acclaimed series, and went on to win her first Governor General’s Award for Children’s Literature in 2009.
A teacher with the Ottawa Catholic School Board, Caroline has taught elementary, intermediate and high school students. She spends her mornings teaching grade 12 Writer’s Craft and her afternoons working with students in Writing Workshops and Author Visits, or deep in her next work-in-progress.
A confident and inspiring speaker, Caroline has presented to students and educators; to historical societies and library groups; and at writing conferences such as: MASC, CANSCAIP, and SCBWI. In 2012, she was one of 12 Canadian authors chosen to tour with TD Book Week.
Recipient of two Red Maple Honour Book Awards and the Canadian Library Association Young Adult Book of the Year Honour Book, Caroline has been shortlisted for many others including: the CLA Book of the Year, three Geoffrey Bilson Awards for Historical Fiction, and the IODE Violet Downey Book Award.
Born in Ireland, she grew up in Ottawa where she lives with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
January 26, 2015
OH MY GOSH! OH MY GOSH! OH MY GOSH! That is all I have to say after reading this absolutely AMAZING book! I picked up this book because it is one of the Red Maple books for this year. No other reason. At all. But I never knew how much I would enjoy it. Equally heartwarming, thrilling, and totally interesting, I couldn't even put this book down! (No literally, my mom actually had to force me to put it down and feed my guinea pig. I would have read straight through dinner if I could.) The thing about this book is that it covers many different genres of fiction. Romance, thriller, tragedy, etc. I found it so cool! IAnyway, here is what Unspeakable is about. (Oh and by the way, I totally think that title suits the book perfectly. Flawlessly! If there was one thing I would call this book, it would be Unspeakable.)
Unspeakable is about a girl named Ellie Hardy and her challenges in life, mainly when she narrowly escaped from the Empress of Ireland, a ship she was working as a stewardess on. She met a guy there, another worker named Jim. Ellie falls in love with Jim, but it is all torn apart when the boat sinks. Now Ellie doesn't know if Jim is dead or alive, and she is very worried. Then a journalist for the New York Times, Wyatt Steele, wants to write Ellie's story and she refuses. But when he offers her Jim's journal one page at a time, Ellie reluctantly agrees. The rest of my review has a spoiler so stop reading if you haven't read this book and go find yourself a copy.
So here is the part with the spoiler-
I absolutely loved the ending of this book!!!! I really really really really hated Ellie's dad. First he disowned her, then her great aunt died and he took over the house and didn't let her keep Faith, and then he disowned her again when he saw that she brought Faith into the house. He also took away her job because he didn't want her looking poor. But all of that blew up in his face when Ellie bought the estate, kept Faith, and married her true love! The best part is that Mr. Hardy says, "You will never be welcome in my house." and Ellie replies, "You will always be welcome in ours." Overall, this is my new favourite book. Enough said.
Unspeakable is about a girl named Ellie Hardy and her challenges in life, mainly when she narrowly escaped from the Empress of Ireland, a ship she was working as a stewardess on. She met a guy there, another worker named Jim. Ellie falls in love with Jim, but it is all torn apart when the boat sinks. Now Ellie doesn't know if Jim is dead or alive, and she is very worried. Then a journalist for the New York Times, Wyatt Steele, wants to write Ellie's story and she refuses. But when he offers her Jim's journal one page at a time, Ellie reluctantly agrees. The rest of my review has a spoiler so stop reading if you haven't read this book and go find yourself a copy.
So here is the part with the spoiler-
I absolutely loved the ending of this book!!!! I really really really really hated Ellie's dad. First he disowned her, then her great aunt died and he took over the house and didn't let her keep Faith, and then he disowned her again when he saw that she brought Faith into the house. He also took away her job because he didn't want her looking poor. But all of that blew up in his face when Ellie bought the estate, kept Faith, and married her true love! The best part is that Mr. Hardy says, "You will never be welcome in my house." and Ellie replies, "You will always be welcome in ours." Overall, this is my new favourite book. Enough said.
May 26, 2015
My students loved this book about poor Ellen Ryan, exiled by her father, and packed off to a Magdalene home by her aunt. I found the whole story quite overblown. I couldn't believe an Irish "bad boy" with a bad temper (Ellen's main love interest) would be recording his distress in a journal; and young women falling in love with troubled boys has been done to death. I preferred the reporter to whom the central character conveyed her life story, but in the end he was a stick figure who disappeared into the fields of France to write about the unfolding events of the Great War. The central character's reflections (at the end of the book) about "birthing" herself struck me as terribly melodramatic. I really admired Pignat's Egghead, but I haven't much cared for her Irish-themed works--they're a bit too "Oirish".
January 5, 2015
Holy melodrama!!! No heroine ever wallowed in self-pity with more tenacity than our Ellen -- except perhaps the dark and brooding Irish lad she loves. Pignat's story has strong legs to stand on, but it's saturated with the superlatives of suffering. I didn't hate it, but I did howl enough in the reading to have to give it two, not three, stars.
As a side comment, the cover photo is cool, but what is it doing on this book? Yes, a lot of people drown when the Empress of Ireland sinks, but the characters we care about are wearing nightgowns when this happens -- white cotton nightgowns -- and when they are dressed and on the ship, they are wearing stewardess uniforms. Who in heaven's name is wearing the blue evening dress and why is she (I repeat) on the cover of this book?
As a side comment, the cover photo is cool, but what is it doing on this book? Yes, a lot of people drown when the Empress of Ireland sinks, but the characters we care about are wearing nightgowns when this happens -- white cotton nightgowns -- and when they are dressed and on the ship, they are wearing stewardess uniforms. Who in heaven's name is wearing the blue evening dress and why is she (I repeat) on the cover of this book?
March 17, 2014
Absolutely riviting read that will appeal to adults as well as teens. Fascinating history about the Empress of Ireland, beautiful writing and a strong, likable heroine. Well-worth reading.
October 8, 2014
“A love story that rivals Titanic”
pignat-unspeakableBased on the true story of the sinking of the RMS Empress of Ireland in May 1914, Unspeakable is a poignant heart-wrenching tale of love, loss, and survival.
Ellie Ryan, a stewardess aboard the Empress of Ireland, can’t help but be drawn to Jim, the quietly brooding fire-stoker who she finds writing in a journal by the ship’s rail nearly every night. Jim writes often and with an intensity that Ellie can’t fathom and it leaves her wondering, what secrets does Jim have? Well, Ellie has a quite a few of her own, especially the one about why she’s on the Empress in the first place.
But Ellie and Jim never get a chance to tell each other their secrets when the Empress is suddenly hit by another ship. As the Empress slowly descends into the frigid waters of the St. Lawrence, Ellie becomes one of the few that survive. Unfortunately not all are as lucky and while Ellie hopes against all hope that Jim survived that awful night, she finds it hard to believe it herself.
When journalist Wyatt Steele shows up at her door with Jim’s journal in hand, Ellie realizes that this is her chance to finally read it and learn more about Jim. But there’s a catch, Steele is willing to give Ellie the journal in return for her story. As Ellie relives her past, she receives pieces of Jim’s memories one page at a time.
Why you’ll love it:
Too often we find stories that end as the characters are rescued and few stories take us beyond that. Sometimes surviving after a tragedy is when the real story begins and in Unspeakable, we learn about Ellie’s traumatic past, the guilt she has to live with on a daily basis, and the hope she has for the future. Alternating between the past and the present, we relive Ellie’s memories and how she copes with them. Ellie has a quiet resilience about her and as her story is revealed, you will grieve, hope, and forgive alongside her.
Fans of Titanic and history buffs will definitely enjoy this book but so will anyone who’s looking for a good story with a likeable heroine and a realistic romance. The writing is superb and will have you feeling all types of emotions. The mystery and tension that builds as Ellie reveals parts of her story alongside Jim’s will keep your attention riveted to the page. Based on one of Canada’s worst maritime tragedies, this story is one which will stay with you long after the book is finished.
Choice Quote: “Every character learns his true strengths by facing those things that might kill him and if he doesn’t die at the hands of those dragons, he emerges stronger.”
pignat-unspeakableBased on the true story of the sinking of the RMS Empress of Ireland in May 1914, Unspeakable is a poignant heart-wrenching tale of love, loss, and survival.
Ellie Ryan, a stewardess aboard the Empress of Ireland, can’t help but be drawn to Jim, the quietly brooding fire-stoker who she finds writing in a journal by the ship’s rail nearly every night. Jim writes often and with an intensity that Ellie can’t fathom and it leaves her wondering, what secrets does Jim have? Well, Ellie has a quite a few of her own, especially the one about why she’s on the Empress in the first place.
But Ellie and Jim never get a chance to tell each other their secrets when the Empress is suddenly hit by another ship. As the Empress slowly descends into the frigid waters of the St. Lawrence, Ellie becomes one of the few that survive. Unfortunately not all are as lucky and while Ellie hopes against all hope that Jim survived that awful night, she finds it hard to believe it herself.
When journalist Wyatt Steele shows up at her door with Jim’s journal in hand, Ellie realizes that this is her chance to finally read it and learn more about Jim. But there’s a catch, Steele is willing to give Ellie the journal in return for her story. As Ellie relives her past, she receives pieces of Jim’s memories one page at a time.
Why you’ll love it:
Too often we find stories that end as the characters are rescued and few stories take us beyond that. Sometimes surviving after a tragedy is when the real story begins and in Unspeakable, we learn about Ellie’s traumatic past, the guilt she has to live with on a daily basis, and the hope she has for the future. Alternating between the past and the present, we relive Ellie’s memories and how she copes with them. Ellie has a quiet resilience about her and as her story is revealed, you will grieve, hope, and forgive alongside her.
Fans of Titanic and history buffs will definitely enjoy this book but so will anyone who’s looking for a good story with a likeable heroine and a realistic romance. The writing is superb and will have you feeling all types of emotions. The mystery and tension that builds as Ellie reveals parts of her story alongside Jim’s will keep your attention riveted to the page. Based on one of Canada’s worst maritime tragedies, this story is one which will stay with you long after the book is finished.
Choice Quote: “Every character learns his true strengths by facing those things that might kill him and if he doesn’t die at the hands of those dragons, he emerges stronger.”
May 23, 2015
I'd never heard of the RMS Empress of Ireland nor her foundering in the St Lawrence River in May 1914 that took with it 1012 souls, so this was not only an entertaining read it was also informative. Ellie Hardy was a good heroine to follow. She's young, fallen and shamed and enrolled in employment as a stewardess on the Empress by her maiden author aunt Geraldine. She's the window into what life was like on the ship and also what the horror the night it sank was. There's also the not small matter of her search for a man she fell in love with who also worked on the ship, Jim. I admit that I didn't really feel much for the romance with Jim though I liked him well enough. By the end of the story I was pulling a little more for Wyatt the journalist who was set to the task of getting Ellie's story.
Ellie's life had a dash of rich girl ship love angst of Rose from Titanic, a dollop of Tess of the D'ubervilles (perhaps her last name was Hardy as a nod. ;) ) and a sprinkling of Downton Abbey. It was all just enough to remind but none of these reminders were so heavy handed as to take over the story. One thing that did take me out of the story, on more than one occasion, were some phrase usages that felt far too modern day coming out of the mouths of the characters. It was a bit glaring at times but I read enough historical fiction that this isn't my first instance of that so it didn't ruin the entire story for me. Overall, I enjoyed the story & it was a very fast read that I would recommend. I fully intend on reading more about the Empress of Ireland story to learn more. If there's to be a book 2 of Ellie's adventures, I'll likely seek it out to read. 3.5 stars
Ellie's life had a dash of rich girl ship love angst of Rose from Titanic, a dollop of Tess of the D'ubervilles (perhaps her last name was Hardy as a nod. ;) ) and a sprinkling of Downton Abbey. It was all just enough to remind but none of these reminders were so heavy handed as to take over the story. One thing that did take me out of the story, on more than one occasion, were some phrase usages that felt far too modern day coming out of the mouths of the characters. It was a bit glaring at times but I read enough historical fiction that this isn't my first instance of that so it didn't ruin the entire story for me. Overall, I enjoyed the story & it was a very fast read that I would recommend. I fully intend on reading more about the Empress of Ireland story to learn more. If there's to be a book 2 of Ellie's adventures, I'll likely seek it out to read. 3.5 stars
February 22, 2017
Ellie has had difficulties in her life, and when her wealth great aunt sets her up as a stewardess on the Empress of Ireland, an ocean liner crossing between Liverpool and Quebec, she thinks her life has bottomed out. When the Ship sinks in the St. Lawrence River, Ellie is one of the few survivors. When an American journalist tries to get her story out of her she refuses. When this journalist offers her the journal of the man she loves, Ellie relents and is forced to confront all the memories that have been burdening her for so long.
I picked this book up as it is one of this Year's Red Maple nominees. I like historical fiction, and as this one is centered around an event about which I knew nothing, I was intrigued.
I finished the book so that I could discover the secrets that Ellie had been trying to bury.
I would recommend this to Victoria, and Alexa. I think they would like the historical aspects, but also the relationships that Ellie builds with people.
I picked this book up as it is one of this Year's Red Maple nominees. I like historical fiction, and as this one is centered around an event about which I knew nothing, I was intrigued.
I finished the book so that I could discover the secrets that Ellie had been trying to bury.
I would recommend this to Victoria, and Alexa. I think they would like the historical aspects, but also the relationships that Ellie builds with people.
July 29, 2019
I was excited to read a story half set in Canada and half in the UK and on top of that it was written by a Canadian author, what was not to like?
How about the fact that it was one step short of completely plagiarizing the story of Titanic?
Or the inclusion of every Victorian literary cliché ever to exist?
Or its complete and utter predictability?
Well, I was so disappointed that I got angry.
Angry that I spent time reading this story; a complete knockoff from a very popular movie that came out in 1997, which by the way I saw in the theatre.
As a writer, one should come up with their own ideas.
I guess, I should talk about the characters, although I would much rather move on.
The characters are all very typical of the role they are supposed to play: the female lead, emo, entitled and ungrateful; the friend, always happy and better than the protagonist; the main squeeze, a typical McDreamy type, brooding and really never a good choice, but always the one to get the girl; and of course a whole bunch of other characters nobody really cares about.
The plot is, as I said, straight from the Titanic screenplay and just when the reader thinks the writer has gone too far in “borrowing” from the movie, she puts her own little spin on it to avoid full on plagiarism.
The writing is boring, tedious and empty.
Most chapters contained more fluff that added nothing to the progression of the story and only round about and repeated insight into the protagonist’s feelings.
Overall, I was just glad I got this book from the library and didn’t spend any money on it. My time wasted on it, I will never get back, but I can advise against reading this book.
ElliotScribbles
How about the fact that it was one step short of completely plagiarizing the story of Titanic?
Or the inclusion of every Victorian literary cliché ever to exist?
Or its complete and utter predictability?
Well, I was so disappointed that I got angry.
Angry that I spent time reading this story; a complete knockoff from a very popular movie that came out in 1997, which by the way I saw in the theatre.
As a writer, one should come up with their own ideas.
I guess, I should talk about the characters, although I would much rather move on.
The characters are all very typical of the role they are supposed to play: the female lead, emo, entitled and ungrateful; the friend, always happy and better than the protagonist; the main squeeze, a typical McDreamy type, brooding and really never a good choice, but always the one to get the girl; and of course a whole bunch of other characters nobody really cares about.
The plot is, as I said, straight from the Titanic screenplay and just when the reader thinks the writer has gone too far in “borrowing” from the movie, she puts her own little spin on it to avoid full on plagiarism.
The writing is boring, tedious and empty.
Most chapters contained more fluff that added nothing to the progression of the story and only round about and repeated insight into the protagonist’s feelings.
Overall, I was just glad I got this book from the library and didn’t spend any money on it. My time wasted on it, I will never get back, but I can advise against reading this book.
ElliotScribbles
January 19, 2018
This is a strong 3-Star rating in my book. This is saying a lot considering the fact that I nearly DNF’d this book on page 35. I just wasn’t feeling the romance at all and there were some truly melodramatic moments between Ellie and Jim that felt very forced. However, I’m really glad I finished this book, if not simply for the fact that it is based on a real historical event.
What I liked:
1. Fictional story set during a real event. Ruta Sepetys does this really well in Salt to the Sea and Between Shades of Grey. I don’t think it’s as effective here, but I still feel like I learned about an event of which I was previously unaware. It’s obvious not only in the text but in the notes from the author that she did a lot of research about the sinking of the Empress of Ireland, as well as a couple of other things I won’t mention because it reveals plot points/twists.
I liked the chapters that talked about Ellie’s life aboard the ship as a stewardess. And the passages describing the boat sinking are done pretty well.
What I didn’t like:
1. Characters. Other than Ellie I don’t think any other the characters is particularly developed. We do learn a bit about Jim through his journal entries, but most of that is seen through Ellie’s eyes and she misinterprets pretty much everything. Steele is a more interesting character to me, but even then, we still don’t know much about him. None of the other side characters had any depth either.
2. Subplots. I like subplots in books, but none of these were very well-developed. There isn’t much description or complexity. Weeks and months pass in the course of one sentence, and I never felt any real emotion while reading these really heavy things. It just seems very surface level.
3. Romance. The tag line on this book is, “Can love survive the greatest tragedy?” That would imply to me that this is an epic love story. However, Ellie and Jim spend hardly any time together on the page. They meet when she helps treat a burn he got. Then they meet a couple of times on the decks at night. Then it cuts to four months later, two days before the shipwreck. We don’t really get to see any of the foundation of their relationship. It just felt very lukewarm to me. Plus, this book suffers from the ‘miscommunication as a plot device’ trope. If one of them (really, him, but she’s got her secrets too) would just TALK to the other one, it would solve a whole lot of heartache. But that can’t happen, because then we wouldn’t have a story. I didn’t feel any chemistry between them whatsoever.
Funny enough, I really enjoyed her interactions with Steele. There was much more of a textual foundation for a relationship between the two of them. Plus, he helps her recover something she never thought she’d find again. I won’t say what because spoilers. I thought it was funny because the author felt the need for Ellie to denounce any hint of romance between them, and it felt like she was trying to convince herself and the reader that it really was Jim she loved.
4. Predictable.
Absolutely nothing about the book surprised me. There are several reveals that were obvious to anyone paying attention. I knew what Jim’s secret was from the beginning. Same with Ellie’s. As soon as I realized that her Aunt also had a secret I knew what that was too...the fact that I saw the entire book unfolding from a mile away just made it fall flat for me on several occasions.
5. Anachronistic language: There are phrases throughout this book that sound strange to hear in a book set in 1914. Below are two examples.
Pg. 167 “How dare you play me like that.” I don’t know the history of the term ‘play’ as it refers to deceit, but this sentence sounds very modern.
Pg. 176 “...I was drowning, still, in survivor’s guilt.” Survivor’s guilt is a relatively recent term. It was coined in the 1960’s, about 50 years after the time period of this novel. Again, it just felt out of place here.
Despite the fact that I have a lot of things under the ‘didn’t like’ category, I did enjoy some of the historical parts of this quite a bit, and am happy overall that I finished this book.
What I liked:
1. Fictional story set during a real event. Ruta Sepetys does this really well in Salt to the Sea and Between Shades of Grey. I don’t think it’s as effective here, but I still feel like I learned about an event of which I was previously unaware. It’s obvious not only in the text but in the notes from the author that she did a lot of research about the sinking of the Empress of Ireland, as well as a couple of other things I won’t mention because it reveals plot points/twists.
I liked the chapters that talked about Ellie’s life aboard the ship as a stewardess. And the passages describing the boat sinking are done pretty well.
What I didn’t like:
1. Characters. Other than Ellie I don’t think any other the characters is particularly developed. We do learn a bit about Jim through his journal entries, but most of that is seen through Ellie’s eyes and she misinterprets pretty much everything. Steele is a more interesting character to me, but even then, we still don’t know much about him. None of the other side characters had any depth either.
2. Subplots. I like subplots in books, but none of these were very well-developed. There isn’t much description or complexity. Weeks and months pass in the course of one sentence, and I never felt any real emotion while reading these really heavy things. It just seems very surface level.
3. Romance. The tag line on this book is, “Can love survive the greatest tragedy?” That would imply to me that this is an epic love story. However, Ellie and Jim spend hardly any time together on the page. They meet when she helps treat a burn he got. Then they meet a couple of times on the decks at night. Then it cuts to four months later, two days before the shipwreck. We don’t really get to see any of the foundation of their relationship. It just felt very lukewarm to me. Plus, this book suffers from the ‘miscommunication as a plot device’ trope. If one of them (really, him, but she’s got her secrets too) would just TALK to the other one, it would solve a whole lot of heartache. But that can’t happen, because then we wouldn’t have a story. I didn’t feel any chemistry between them whatsoever.
Funny enough, I really enjoyed her interactions with Steele. There was much more of a textual foundation for a relationship between the two of them. Plus, he helps her recover something she never thought she’d find again. I won’t say what because spoilers. I thought it was funny because the author felt the need for Ellie to denounce any hint of romance between them, and it felt like she was trying to convince herself and the reader that it really was Jim she loved.
4. Predictable.
Absolutely nothing about the book surprised me. There are several reveals that were obvious to anyone paying attention. I knew what Jim’s secret was from the beginning. Same with Ellie’s. As soon as I realized that her Aunt also had a secret I knew what that was too...the fact that I saw the entire book unfolding from a mile away just made it fall flat for me on several occasions.
5. Anachronistic language: There are phrases throughout this book that sound strange to hear in a book set in 1914. Below are two examples.
Pg. 167 “How dare you play me like that.” I don’t know the history of the term ‘play’ as it refers to deceit, but this sentence sounds very modern.
Pg. 176 “...I was drowning, still, in survivor’s guilt.” Survivor’s guilt is a relatively recent term. It was coined in the 1960’s, about 50 years after the time period of this novel. Again, it just felt out of place here.
Despite the fact that I have a lot of things under the ‘didn’t like’ category, I did enjoy some of the historical parts of this quite a bit, and am happy overall that I finished this book.
November 21, 2024
Wow - make sure to get out the tissues for this one. Hits all the feels - suspenseful, scary, and raw emotion. Historical fiction with insight into how tragedy affects one so heavily and continuously, but that life is worth continuing living with faith, hope and love. ♥️ powerful and heroine-esque ending.
SPOILER AHEAD! Didn’t hit the five star mark for me as I wish she didn’t end up with Jim after he was so hot and cold and treated her poorly in that sense. The romance part was a bit unrealistic (how could you possibly be in love with this rando…) and I wish she ended up with Steele as she spent a considerable more amount of time with him and he brought out the best in her by journeying alongside and encouraging her path to healing.
Extra points for a writer from Ottawa!
SPOILER AHEAD! Didn’t hit the five star mark for me as I wish she didn’t end up with Jim after he was so hot and cold and treated her poorly in that sense. The romance part was a bit unrealistic (how could you possibly be in love with this rando…) and I wish she ended up with Steele as she spent a considerable more amount of time with him and he brought out the best in her by journeying alongside and encouraging her path to healing.
Extra points for a writer from Ottawa!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2019
This was a nice, quick read.
I liked this it. I thought it was really sweet.
I don't think I had ever heard of the Empress of Ireland tragedy...but this book makes me want to learn more about it.
I liked this it. I thought it was really sweet.
I don't think I had ever heard of the Empress of Ireland tragedy...but this book makes me want to learn more about it.
May 19, 2014
I was fortunate enough to dine with Caroline in March for our Ottawa Blogger Meetup. While there, she spoke with us about her upcoming book Unspeakable. It is an historical fiction novel about a shipwreck of the Empress of Ireland. This shipwreck actually happened after the Titanic and had many more casualties. It is one of the worst Canadian Maritime disasters in history but it often gets overlooked.
It was amazing to hear about all the research and details that went into this book. It is told in the narrative of Ellie, who is a stewardess on the boat. It goes back and forth between present day and the past (pre-boat disaster). In present day, Ellie is recounting her experience to Steele, a journalist. She is trying to find more information about the man she fell in love with.
I have to say that I quite enjoyed this story. I was a history minor and I really like reading historical fiction. I had never heard of this shipwreck so it's always nice learning something new. I also quite enjoy reading about Canada. It's fun to read about places you have been to. Some of the story takes place in Quebec City which is where I honeymooned. It's great being able to perfectly picture where the characters are walking around and exploring.
I also really liked Ellie. She was down on her luck and while she didn't exactly welcome her new role on the Empress, she did what she could with it. She is tenacious and she goes for what she wants. All this in a time when women were not exactly equal. She is not afraid of a little hard work if she really wants something.
I also like that the story is not solely focused on tragedy. It is about rebuilding after horrible tragedy. She has an inner strength that many would not possess.
The secondary characters are also interesting. While we don't get to see much of Aunt Geraldine, what we do know about her is great. She is a woman living on her own in a man's world. I can see how some wouldn't like her but I did. She did what she thought she had to make it. I think that Ellie gets a lot of her qualities from her aunt.
Overall, this book was well written and fun to read. I would definitely recommend picking it up.
It was amazing to hear about all the research and details that went into this book. It is told in the narrative of Ellie, who is a stewardess on the boat. It goes back and forth between present day and the past (pre-boat disaster). In present day, Ellie is recounting her experience to Steele, a journalist. She is trying to find more information about the man she fell in love with.
I have to say that I quite enjoyed this story. I was a history minor and I really like reading historical fiction. I had never heard of this shipwreck so it's always nice learning something new. I also quite enjoy reading about Canada. It's fun to read about places you have been to. Some of the story takes place in Quebec City which is where I honeymooned. It's great being able to perfectly picture where the characters are walking around and exploring.
I also really liked Ellie. She was down on her luck and while she didn't exactly welcome her new role on the Empress, she did what she could with it. She is tenacious and she goes for what she wants. All this in a time when women were not exactly equal. She is not afraid of a little hard work if she really wants something.
I also like that the story is not solely focused on tragedy. It is about rebuilding after horrible tragedy. She has an inner strength that many would not possess.
The secondary characters are also interesting. While we don't get to see much of Aunt Geraldine, what we do know about her is great. She is a woman living on her own in a man's world. I can see how some wouldn't like her but I did. She did what she thought she had to make it. I think that Ellie gets a lot of her qualities from her aunt.
Overall, this book was well written and fun to read. I would definitely recommend picking it up.
January 11, 2015
This book pretty much hits you hard in the feels. :'( It really is the perfect blend of sadness and heartache but there is enough suspense to keep you through it. I literally did not put this book down one day when I was only halfway through and finished it in a couple hours. I have to say I honestly did not have high expectations going into this novel, but it was so wonderful to read. I also did not know anything about the Empress too so I did actually did some research because I was pretty lost at the start. But please, let's talk about Jim here. I don't know if it was just me but I shipped Jim and Ellie pretty hard in this book like sorry Steele, I don't care who you are, but he seemed to be getting too close to Ellie. I overall actually enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would have to be honest. It was nice to read and didn't make you feel like you wanted to launch yourself out a window and it's good to read a simple book every once in a while.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2015
I'm am not a fan of romance books, but I actually really liked this one! One of the reason's I liked this book was because the whole story wasn't about loving someone. It had some romance but it had other things in it like friendship, kindness, sadness. The beginning of the book started off a little bit slow and it seemed like all the main character, Ellen, would do is complain and cry. I understand that she just survived a horrific event, but in the book her grieving dragged on and on. Another thing I didn't like was how the setting switched back and forth from when she was on the ship to when the ship sank. It got a little confusing a first and you had to really pay attention when you were reading but as I read on I got used to it and really enjoyed the story. This book was amazing and I recommend it to someone who is looking for a good book with a little bit of romance.
April 16, 2015
Ellie Ryan is a survivor of the Empress of Ireland. Bearing with the guilt within her, she always seems to ask herself why is she still alive? Ellie has faced many problems before boarding onto the ship and after as well. The question is, will she solve all her problems?
I picked up this book because it was a Red Maple Nominee for this year. Also, many of my friends have read this book and said it was really interesting. So I decided to give it a try.
I finished this book because it kept me going. There were plot twists and problems always coming into contact that I couldn't put this book down. In the end, this book was really good.
I would recommend this book to Zi Ying because I think she will like the fantasy in this book, even though it is a little cliche.
I picked up this book because it was a Red Maple Nominee for this year. Also, many of my friends have read this book and said it was really interesting. So I decided to give it a try.
I finished this book because it kept me going. There were plot twists and problems always coming into contact that I couldn't put this book down. In the end, this book was really good.
I would recommend this book to Zi Ying because I think she will like the fantasy in this book, even though it is a little cliche.
May 13, 2016
This book had me turning the pages to see what was going to happen next. The interest level was high for me because I live near the city of Rimouski, Quebec, Canada and I have actually visited the Empress of Ireland site. I would certainly recommend this to other Canadian high school teachers as the book is easy reading and deals with a few interesting details in history. I felt like there was going to be a sequel and my student that read the book before me did too.
January 9, 2019
This is truly one of my all time favourite books. I really enjoyed learning about the Empress of Ireland. I enjoyed watching Ellie's story unfold. I also love the mix of drama and romance. This was the first book I read by Caroline Pignat and now she is one of my favourite authors.
December 21, 2014
Well written, but found the ending predictable. Scenes around the disastrous sinking of the ship were captivating. The characters didn't capture my heart.
July 29, 2016
Amazing!
December 19, 2018
Unspeakable is a beautifully written story of love, loss, survival and triumph set against the tragic sinking of the Empress of Ireland. A truly captivating tale from start to finish!
September 20, 2019
The idea of this book is interesting however the execution is lacking.
The premise of the book is the disaster of the Impress of Ireland that left over thousand people dead. So many possibilities for a book. Author barely explores any.
Te main character, Ellie, is lacking... well, everything. She's not memorable, self-pitying girl that has no inner strength. It's quite pathetic to read. She is a very weak character that doesn't really evolve.
And Jim isn't better. He isn't believable male character. He whines and does as much self pity as Ellie. It was extremely weird and unpleasant to read. Wish Caroline Pignat at least tried to make the characters alive and making sense. They are made of cupboard and self pity and that's it.
The disaster could have been explored better too. It sounds very monotonic and dull, the way author described it. It's like she was reciting things to do, without any passion or emotions in it. So disappointing.
Overall, the story was written very poorly. The words and the sentsnses didn't flow together. The logic was lacking. The "secret" that Ellie kept was quite obvious from the first pages too. It's a very naive book overall and it doesn't actually goes as deep as it could have.
I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
The premise of the book is the disaster of the Impress of Ireland that left over thousand people dead. So many possibilities for a book. Author barely explores any.
Te main character, Ellie, is lacking... well, everything. She's not memorable, self-pitying girl that has no inner strength. It's quite pathetic to read. She is a very weak character that doesn't really evolve.
And Jim isn't better. He isn't believable male character. He whines and does as much self pity as Ellie. It was extremely weird and unpleasant to read. Wish Caroline Pignat at least tried to make the characters alive and making sense. They are made of cupboard and self pity and that's it.
The disaster could have been explored better too. It sounds very monotonic and dull, the way author described it. It's like she was reciting things to do, without any passion or emotions in it. So disappointing.
Overall, the story was written very poorly. The words and the sentsnses didn't flow together. The logic was lacking. The "secret" that Ellie kept was quite obvious from the first pages too. It's a very naive book overall and it doesn't actually goes as deep as it could have.
I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
August 6, 2021
This book took me on a journey. The journey of thinking this was a random romance novel in the back of my shelf to realizing this was a “coming of life” story. The romance is a backdrop for this fantastical yet historical story that feels as real as it could be happening right now. I felt the pain and sadness with Ellie and her grief, loss and desires.
The summary on the back of the novel did not do it justice and I took just two days to read through this book. At super speed I was desperate to find out what happened to her. Elegantly written, I am so glad I took the time to read this. So much more than a love story and so much more than the story of a sinking ship.
The summary on the back of the novel did not do it justice and I took just two days to read through this book. At super speed I was desperate to find out what happened to her. Elegantly written, I am so glad I took the time to read this. So much more than a love story and so much more than the story of a sinking ship.
July 19, 2017
Good YA read which brings to light a little known Canadian tragedy—the sinking of the Empress of Ireland in Quebec. A little bit love story, a little bit coming of age, but I love that it doesn't try to tie it up into a nice and pretty bow at the end.
January 2, 2018
The story of the Empress of Ireland is one worth telling, but the writing/editing in this book was a mess. I caught consistency and historical accuracy issues, and in general, the writing seemed wooden and overwrought.
March 25, 2018
It was a great book! As I’m from Rimouski, I found that the author really respected the historic facts about this maritime disaster that not a lot of people know about it. It was really well done! If you like the movie Titanic, you’ll love this book!
March 26, 2019
LOVED LOVED LOVED THIS BOOK!!!! Ugh it was sooo good. There were moments when I literally had to put the book down and think because of what just happened. I was so mind-blown. This is definitely a book to go onto my shelf.
April 18, 2022
Best, Most Amazing Novel. This story captured me from the beginning and held on. I love this book, I cannot rave enough about it. I have lent it to everyone I know and everyone adores it. Simply Amazing.
June 7, 2022
An interesting plot recounts the sinking of the Empress of Ireland which sank on its voyage from Quebec to Ireland, shortly after the sinking of the Titanic. A story of love ties the historical events together.
August 7, 2017
Mystery, suspense, and a touch of romance bring to the surface events from the past in this delightful story that unfolds through the life of Ellie who deals some very difficult circumstances.
November 21, 2017
This books had potential but at times it seemed repetitive and whiny. The "twist" felt really out of place.
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