Despite her initial misgivings, forensic artist Madison McClain joins an ambitious effort to exhume and identify the final forty-four unnamed victims of the Titanic disaster.
The project is backed by a splashy new docuseries—and under the all-seeing lens of the camera, long-buried truths begin to surface.
As Madison painstakingly reconstructs faces lost to time, she uncovers the remarkable story of a woman history unjustly forgot—a trailblazer whose courage and resilience echo across the decades. Drawn into her life, Madison finds herself inspired in ways she never expected.
Working alongside a close-knit team—including a certain quietly brilliant scientist—Madison begins to rediscover her own true calling. And as the past and present entwine, she must decide whether she’s brave enough to step into the life she truly wants.
Moving, redemptive, and rich with historical detail, this is a story of second chances, unexpected connection, and the power of women to shape their own destinies—no matter the era.
This is the best book I’ve read this year! I love dual storylines, & both stories were exciting & touching. The females in both timelines were strong & caring. As evident in the title, the Titanic is central to the book. Even though I’ve read books & seen movies about this ill fated ship, here it’s story was a told in a refreshing manner. The author never ceases to amaze & entertain me. I’ve read several of her books, and her style & content always draw me in and leave me a little sad when I reach the end of each book. I wish they could go on & on. I feel like I KNOW her characters & find myself wanting to follow their stories further. Simply said, I suggest you read this book NOW!
I learned so much about the Titanic and the rights of women. Molnar is a wonderful writer and keeps the reader completely involved in the story. Great read’
Raising The Titanic. (Book 3 Light & Life Series) Marta Molnar. Published June 24, 2025, pre ordered iBook 8,99 5/5 ! This series is incredible, highly recommended good reads!
“Raising The Titanic: A powerful novel of resilience, inspired by the true story of one of America’s most fearless women. Despite her initial misgivings, forensic artist Madison McClain joins an ambitious effort to exhume and identify the final forty-four unnamed victims of the Titanic disaster.” True. But this wonderful good read is so much more. The characters all become so real and as in real life, many are searching for some deeper meaning or fulfillment. As with the first two amazing books in this series, I felt that I learned a great deal about many things including art, history and the modern methods of dating and cataloging combined with forensic DNA science. There are some really interesting characters in the past and the present of this dual storyline which is brilliantly interwoven and the history of women’s rights in America, the world are so well written, as is the determination required of those that did so much to bring women to where we are today! Very very good read with so much more depth and side stories, than can be described here. Good character development. I suspect, as with Molnar’s first two books, I will always benefit from what I have learned reading this very well written and researched book. Highly recommended as a very good read.
“”The project is backed by a splashy new docuseries—and under the all-seeing lens of the camera, long-buried truths begin to surface.
As Madison painstakingly reconstructs faces lost to time, she uncovers the remarkable story of a woman history unjustly forgot—a trailblazer whose courage and resilience echo across the decades. Drawn into her life, Madison finds herself inspired in ways she never expected.
Working alongside a close-knit team—including a certain quietly brilliant scientist—Madison begins to rediscover her own true calling. And as the past and present entwine, she must decide whether she’s brave enough to step into the life she truly wants.
Moving, redemptive, and rich with historical detail, this is a story of second chances, unexpected connection, and the power of women to shape their own destinies—no matter the era.””
I’m a sucker for anything about the Titanic, especially a book. I grabbed this one as soon as it was published and spent the next day and a half ignoring my chores. I admit that I have never seen the 1997 film (and have no desire to tune in).
This novel was nothing like I expected! I inferred from the title that it would be about resurrecting the ship itself. But what the title really means is that, thanks to modern technology, the final forty-four victims could possibly be identified and the blank tombstone that sits in a Halifax, Canada, cemetery could finally be completed.
As is typical with author’s Molnar’s novels, there are two timelines. The first takes place from August 2024 to March 2025. Forensic artist Dr. Madison McClain joins a team of forensic specialists to put faces on the exhumed bones. I’ve never really known how a forensic artist works, how they determine facial recognition. It’s quite interesting without getting bogged down in too many details. Madison is also struggling personally outside the lab.
The second timeline belongs to Helen and follows her life from 1879 to 1913. Helen is a strong person who is not content to be a simpering woman. When she is a young woman, she tells her parents that she would rather go to college instead of getting married. Helen’s tie to the Titanic? She is a survivor; one of the lucky ones who made it into Lifeboat 6. Molnar does a fabulous job of re-creating that cold April night.
Helen is much, much more than a survivor. I enjoyed watching her build her life on her terms, never taking no for an answer.
Molnar has become my new favorite author. She writes about women who are courageous and resilient. I haven’t gotten far in her second book, Girl Braiding Her Hair, but the first chapter has me hooked. Molnar’s first novel, The Secret Life of Sunflowers, is almost as amazing as Titanic. I look forward to reading much more from Molnar.
First, a big thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Marta Molnar’s novel “Raising the Titanic" – “Despite her initial misgivings, forensic artist Madison McClain joins an ambitious effort to exhume and identify the final forty-four unnamed victims of the Titanic disaster.”
This novel was nothing like I expected! Using modern technology the final forty-four victims could be identified and the blank tombstone that sits in a Halifax, Canada, cemetery could be completed.
As is typical with Molnar’s novels, there are two timelines. The first takes place from August 2024 to March 2025. Forensic artist Dr. Madison McClain joins a team of specialists to put faces on the exhumed bones.
The second timeline belongs to Helen and follows her life from 1879 to 1913. Helen is a strong person who is not content to be a simpering woman. When she is a young woman, she tells her parents that she would rather go to college instead of getting married. Helen’s tie to the Titanic? She is a survivor; one of the lucky ones who made it into Lifeboat 6. Molnar does a fabulous job of re-creating that cold April night.
Like the first two books in this series, I felt that I learned a great deal about many things including art, history and the modern methods of dating and cataloging combined with forensic DNA science. There are some interesting characters in the past and the present of this dual storyline which is brilliantly interwoven and the history of women’s rights in America.
Moving, redemptive, and rich with historical detail, this is a story of second chances, unexpected connection, and the power of women to shape their own destinies—no matter the era.
I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
As someone who has been obsessed with the Titanic since I was a little girl (yes, I was THAT weird kid), I was super excited to read and love this book. The premise sounded right up my alley with mystery, history, and emotional connection to the most famous shipwreck of all time. Sadly, it just didn't live up to my expectations.
The story runs on a dual timeline, which can be incredible when done right, but it's a tricky concept to pull off, and I think this one missed the mark for me.
We follow Forensic artist Madison, who is working to identify the 44 unidentified victims of the Titanic. I had a hard time with the humour sprinkled into Madison's chapters. The author clearly wanted to make her relatable and witty but sometimes it came off as awkward or tone deaf when dealing with something as heavy as Titanic. (I think this is a classic, "it's not you, it's me" situation)
However, there were definitely moments that hit me emotionally (especially near the end, I won't give spoilers but it really saved the book for me). Raising the Titanic had SUCH a great concept and some great historical detail but it didn't quite capture the emotional connection I was hoping for.
I want to thank Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC for an honest review.
This book is not just another Titanic tale, or a feminist chronicle. It is perfect for new readers, but we older ones who have been exposed to both themes will surely find it exciting, sad, and relatable to life’s struggles. The description of the ship’s sinking was vivid and fresh as was the historical truth of women’s lack of rights. And if young women today think all is ok, and the problems were from over a century old, that just is not true. In 1974 was fired from my job for being pregnant! In the 1980s I volunteered on a grassroots level to help get the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) passed, unsuccessfully, and in this century we sadly see that rights are never guaranteed and we must be alert to any infringements. The book has touched me on a personal level, but no experience necessary. Like her previous two books, Molnar has created wonderful characters as she moves through three centuries in her historic yet timely novel and I eagerly await her next book.
The Author Marta Molnar always seems to find a story about a woman that should be known and somehow isn’t given the accolades she deserved in history. Helen Churchill Candee survived the Titanic and yet she was much more then that historical footnote. Based on a true story, the author sets it in two time periods by making the fictional main character, Madison, a forensic artist who is working with a scientific team to identify some of the lost passengers that were brought ashore and buried without knowing their identities. Moving between the two time periods we get to see who Helen was as Madison reads through pages of her journal. In the process, Madison is also discovering things about herself with a little help from Oliver who is another member of the team and sort of a Renaissance man. On a personal note, the way the story is told inspired me enough to make a piece of art.
This was book 3 of Ms. Molnar’s series of real women that have been overlooked in history. Helen Churchill Candee was a woman ahead of her time. She filed for divorce when women of the late 1800’s were ostracized, she was a survivor on the Titantic, a suffragette that marched on a horse up the steps to the Capitol seeking voting rights for women, traveled to Southeast Asia in her 80’s, wrote for the National Geographic, wrote acclaimed books about her adventures and left a journal of her experiences in surviving the Titantic. There was a dual timeline that was about a modern young woman named Madison who was a forensic artist who joined a project to exhume the bones and identify the 44 unmarked graves using DNA in Halifax, Nova Scotia but this was fiction but the story line was interesting. Both Helen and Madison found their identity and place in their world. I enjoyed the author’s first two books.
Raising The Titanic by Marta Molnar is another historical fiction masterpiece. A present day forensic artist Madison McClain joins a group to identify the final 44 unnamed victims from the tragic Titanic and its victims but also one survivor. Helen is one of the survivors who has such an interesting story with the Titanic being a small part of it. Madison learns as well as the rest of us the power of women sticking together through the hard times building a better tomorrow. Like the previous two books there are dual timelines. That does not hinder the readability of the story but enhances it. How life has changed for women but how so much is the same still. A powerful story. Five stars plus for this brilliant book.
Thank you to Marta Molnar for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
A story with heart, but not quite the depth I hoped for.
I loved the premise—Madison’s forensic artistry and the Titanic connection had so much potential. The historical mystery was moving, especially the woman she uncovers, whose courage deserved to be remembered. That part stayed with me.
But I struggled to fully connect with Madison’s present-day arc. Some emotional moments felt rushed, and I wanted more nuance in her rediscovery. Still, the themes of second chances and quiet resilience resonated, and I appreciated the reminder that even forgotten lives can leave a lasting legacy.
I read Molnar's "The Secret Life of Sunflowers", which I loved, and "Raising the Titanic" followed a similar method: half of the book being historical nonfiction, and half of the book being modern day fiction. Despite liking it in the previous read by Molnar, I grew very bored of the modern day fiction portion of this one, and it felt very unnecessary and acted as filler pages. About halfway through the read, I just started skipping those chapters to get to the historical part, which on the contrary, was extremely well done and hit its stride well to make you truly feel like you were there with Helen in the late 1800's and early 1900's.
Molnar should stick to just the historical research and writing!!
I am not a fan of the dual timeline in many recent fiction books. It seems to be a gimmick pushed by editors or publishers. I enjoyed both the historical fiction chapters of the book along with the contemporary narrative chapters in Molnar’s Raising the Titanic so much more than the dual timeline stories in her previous book, The Secret Life of Sunflowers. Molnar develops the historic female protagonists as strong, determined and resilient while her contemporary female characters are weak self-doubters looking for male approval. I would have been happy just reading about the indomitable character Helen Candee and her life at the turn of the century leading to the sinking of the Titanic.
Wow! Again Marta writes an entertaining, yet educational book that is hard to put down. She writes with humor and wit that just entertains throughout the book. Each of her characters seem so real that their personalities are someone you feel you know or want to know. She is able to intertwine historical person's with her fictional one's with ease seamlessly. I love the way she writes and would read her grocery list if I could. All three of her books are worth it with a theme that still resonates with today's world. That women are intelligent equal to men but still not equal in rights!
I love to read novels about the Titanic if they include little-known facts and have real characters that are not well-known. This book incorporates research about the voyage, the remarkable life of one of the passengers and the deaths of previously unidentified passengers.
There is also a subplot that ties through both main female characters. It's the abuse women have endured and the suffrage movement.
This was a fascinating book that will stay with me for quite a while.
This is #3 in the Light & Life Series Book comprising Girl Braiding her Hair and The Secret Life of Sunflowers. It's the story of forensic artist Madison McClain, who tried to give names to the final 44 passengers lost on Titanic by having them exhumed. Backed by a docuseries which is aiming for shock/publicity more than the truth and horror of what happened, Madison fights to give dignity and recognition to the dead and, along the way, she learns a lot about life, her abilities and what her future might be. This is as rivetting a story as The Girl....... and The Secret..... were.
This was a wonderfully written book based on a fascinating woman who not only survived the Titanic but other perilous times while strengthening the women's suffrage movement during her lifetime. The author, Marta Molnar, vividly brought to life the historical character, Helen Candee's, courage and strength along with her never ending resilience to advocate for women's rights. I was engrossed in the dual time line stories of both Helen and Madison, the modern day scientist with an artistic passion. I miss Helen and Madison but am thankful to have met both of them in this highly engaging book.
The story of a Titanic survivor who lived her life on her terms; not as the patriarchy dictates. This trilogy is brilliant for delving into how fiercely women had to crawl out of their second class citizen status in a patrirarchal world. It is also quite depressing, as some of the issues show how we are once again ignoring history and digressing quickly as a gender back into "chattel" status.
I love the way Marta Molnar weaves in history in her novels. I particularly enjoyed this one about the Titanic. I have visited Halifax Nova Scotia and enjoyed the connection. She weaves the two times and the people into one story so well. And she makes you care about the characters. I selected Secret Life of Sunflowers to introduce Molnar to my bookclub. They are going to love it! I am a fan and can hardly wait for her next book!
I didn't know whether I would like this book because of the stigma of Unearthing The bones to put faces with the people that Had no names But I love the way that Marta Has a story within a story She always brings the past to the present and makes it work And I wpas Thrilled to hear That Ms Candee Made such a great life for herself I think she was a real person I don't know. I also love the reference to her other books and characters that were in this one.
Brilliant look at the intersection of women's history, Art and science.
I have enjoy Marta's other books, but this one hit me hard. There are so many questions that I struggle with as a woman of a certain age that are examined in this story. Helen and Madison are both women worthy of emulation. I will think about their trajectories for a long time. Thank you.
This title was selected for IngramSpark's Indie Title Discovery Spotlight 2025!
The compelling third installment of Molnar's Light & Life Series is powerful, emotional, and rich with history. A must-read for fans of dual timelines, character-driven historical fiction, and courageous women protagonists!
A nicely researched book highlighting the life of an amazing, little known woman: Helen Churchill Candee. While it's historical fiction, Ms. Candee's life was not. It's a good read, and it led me to some of Candee's books, such as "How Women May Earn a Living", with advice that is still relevant today.
I devoured this book! It has a dual timeline; a woman living in present time, and a woman who lived 100 years ago. The characters were interesting, the subject matter was interesting, and the situations both women faced, was interesting as well. This is great author, and I'm definitely reading her other books. as one reviewer said, "This is the best book I've read this year!
This is the best book. So enjoyable to read about a person who survived the sinking of the titanic and what she did with her life. The present day story and how reading about Helen caused Madison to look to her life and what she wanted to do. This is so well written and it was special to see how Helen changed her life!!
Combining of the two stories was very illuminating. It made for a great mix and added too the allure of the story. I like Marta Milner' s writing style and always enjoy her books!
The true story was enough on it,s own but the fiction really works to enhance the story. It's time women ( and men) are reminded that women' s history is everyone's history and should be known and celebrated too!
This book really brought home how hard women have had to work to be seen and respected. I looked up the historical information about Helen and was amazed by her life. I loved watching Madison grow and become who she needed to be. This is my first book by this author and I will read her first two.
I loved loved this book! It’s as good as - possibly even better than The Secret Life of Sunflowers. I didn’t want this book to end. On to Helen Churchill Candee’s biography! Amazing woman!