What do you think?
Rate this book
Luck of the Titanic
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 people 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 on board, as is an influential circus owner. 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, audition 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.
But Val has to get on that ship. Her twin brother, Jamie, who has spent two long years at sea, is on board, as is an influential circus owner. 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, audition 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.
Audiobook
First published May 4, 2021
445 people are currently reading
39484 people want to read
About the author
Stacey Lee
11 books2,447 followersStacey Lee is the New York Times and Indie bestselling author of historical and contemporary young adult fiction, including THE DOWNSTAIRS GIRL, Reese's Book Club Late Summer 2021 YA pick, and her most recent, LUCK OF THE TITANIC which received five starred reviews. A native of southern California and fourth-generation Chinese American, she is a founder of the We Need Diverse Books movement and writes stories for all kids (even the ones who look like adults). Find her
@staceyleeauthor on Instagram and Twitter, and @staceylee.author on Facebook.
@staceyleeauthor on Instagram and Twitter, and @staceylee.author on Facebook.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,007 reviews
Read
May 28, 2021When I was a kid I had a fascination with shipwrecks and literally couldn't tell you why. I just remember learning about the Edmund Fitzgerald and then spending hours googling and on the phone with my friend talking about it in grade 3. I also loved the Magic Tree House Tonight on the Titanic book. This preamble is all to say that I spent a lot of time googling while reading this, and because of my fascination with shipwrecks I was kind of predisposed to like this. But, Stacey Lee did a fantastic job of exposing the untold stories of the Chinese survivors of the Titanic. Obviously it's a fictional account, but it still taught me about the 6 Chinese survivors who weren't given the same respect as their white counterparts. I loved Valora and Jamie, the British-Chinese acrobatic twins. Valora is hoping to gain passage to America as part of the Ringling Brothers circus. I liked that a lot of the book was life on the Titanic, giving you a chance to get attached to these characters even though you know things won't end entirely happy for them. You know it's going to be tragic but it didn't read like a tragedy. It was very easy to forget where the story was actually set. The ending, speaking off, definitely is divisive but I enjoyed it. As heartbreaking as it was, it felt right. This also touches upon the Chinese Exclusion Act and you see how that is a major obstacle for these characters. The prejudice they experience is hard to read, but the story is still brimming with family and love. Those platonic relationships were the focus of the story and I enjoyed that. It was a refreshing change from the Titanic movie which is obviously this epic love story. This had a romance but very much as a side plotline. It was more about family, both biological and found. Overall I think this was such a well done historical fiction. I was so excited for it and I'm glad it didn't disappoint me at all.
April 19, 2025
My interest in this book stemmed not just from its stunning cover but also from the fact that it is penned by a Chinese American author and centers around a British-Chinese protagonist. The majority of literature related to the Titanic tends to be narrated from the viewpoints of white passengers. It seems that the writers of both non-fiction and fictional books about the Titanic have overlooked the ethnic diversity among its passengers, focusing instead on the overused 'rich versus poor' narrative.
Before diving into my critiques, I want to acknowledge that the book is skillfully crafted. The author aimed to honor the eight Chinese passengers aboard the Titanic, and her research is largely commendable. However, she also made some artistic choices that I found problematic.
SPOILERS
I was not fond of the depiction of the captain and the officers in this story. Although the author attempted to present Captain Smith in a favorable light, there was a scene where he made an inconsiderate remark about a Chinese man. I understand that the author intended to highlight the racism that Asians faced and continue to face, but to my knowledge, neither the captain, the officers, nor the crew treated any passengers unkindly.
I am certain that there was tension among various nationalities aboard the Titanic, given the diversity of passengers. The ship carried people from numerous European nations, alongside people from Arab and East Asian countries, as well as North and South America. I've come across stories illustrating that even among third-class passengers, biases existed. Poor white people from the UK often held disdain for other white people from underdeveloped European countries. Consider how much worse passengers from Arab and East Asian countries were likely treated.
I haven't encountered any reports of misconduct involving the captain or the officers. The author retained the captain's actual name in the story but modified or substituted the names of the officers, probably to prevent potential legal issues with their families. Although many mistakes were made that night, I stand firm against anyone who claims the crew failed to give their all or acted in a cowardly fashion. None of the Titanic's top officials, including Captain Smith, Chief Officer Wilde, First Officer Murdoch, and even the ship's designer, Thomas Andrews, sought to save themselves; they all went down with the ship.
The actions of a fictional officer in the book were inspired by the rumors surrounding Fifth Officer Harold Lowe. I may have a personal bias, as Harold Lowe is one of my favorite Titanic officers, alongside Moody and Murdoch. This admiration stems from the fact that his lifeboat, which he commanded, was the only one that returned to rescue survivors. One of the accounts described an incident where he brandished a gun at a sixteen-year-old boy attempting to board a lifeboat, as recounted by Charlotte Collyer. 'For God's sake, be a man! We've got women and children to save. We must stop at the decks lower down and take on women and children.'
The author noted that lifeboat 14 hesitated to rescue a Chinese man from the water because they thought he was 'a Jap.' While some articles reference this incident, they all conveniently omit the fact that only one individual reported this incident, and that person was, once again, Charlotte Collyer.
Both accounts—Lowe threatening a boy with a gun and pondering whether to rescue a Chinese man from the water—originate solely from Charlotte Collyer. Her daughter even claimed that Lowe shot a man, which is false. He was firing his gun into the air to stop men from jumping into the lifeboat and tipping it over, so I believe Charlotte should have shown more gratitude since his actions protected her and the other women on board. (While several officers discharged their weapons into the air to prevent men from forcibly boarding lifeboats, there is no evidence that any officer shot someone.)
Although Lowe, like other officers, maintained order with a firearm, the claim that he refused to help the Chinese man raises doubts. No other witnesses have corroborated that part of the story, and Charlotte is the sole individual who has profited from it by selling it to a magazine. I don't hold that against her, especially considering she lost everything in the sinking and needed to support her young daughter. I don't label her as dishonest, as I wasn't present to witness the events myself.
I can't definitively say what transpired, but it's clear that the media of that era was as sensationalist as it is today. Once the Titanic went down and the survivors reached New York, newspapers began to publish dramatic stories, many of which lacked proper verification. This has led to a plethora of rumors and assertions that remain difficult to confirm or refute even now.
My additional critiques align with those expressed by other reviewers. The protagonist is impulsive, judgmental, immature, and even manipulative. She exhibited controlling behavior and seemed almost obsessed with her twin brother. While I can overlook some immaturity, given that she is a teenager and this is a young adult novel, her numerous questionable decisions were annoying. Perhaps my perspective as an only child limits my understanding of sibling dynamics, but I found it odd that she consistently felt compelled to either shield or control her twin, acting as if she were the older sister despite them being the same age.
Excessive focus was placed on dull storylines, leaving insufficient attention on the actual sinking. The author failed to effectively convey the terror of that night, instead allowing the brother and sister to exchange eye-rolling insults while their lives were at stake. I won't even get into their tedious romantic subplots.
MAJOR SPOILER: In the end, she sacrifices herself for her brother. She had multiple chances to save herself by boarding a lifeboat, yet she turned them down each time. Lifeboat 14 returns to search for survivors, just as it did in reality, and they offer to take her aboard. However, she insists they take her injured brother instead. As noted earlier, a conversation emerges regarding their possible ethnicity as 'Japs' and the question of whether they should be rescued. Ultimately, they can only take one person (ridiculous), leading them to abandon her to perish. This portrayal is deeply disrespectful to Fifth Officer Lowe, who, although not named in the book, was part of lifeboat 14—the only boat that returned to the disaster site. There is no way he or the others on that boat would have allowed a teenage girl to succumb to hypothermia. If you trust the stories about Officer Lowe's determination to rescue women and children, even going as far as to threaten men and boys with a gun, how can you expect me to believe he would have abandoned a girl to perish in the icy water?
Before diving into my critiques, I want to acknowledge that the book is skillfully crafted. The author aimed to honor the eight Chinese passengers aboard the Titanic, and her research is largely commendable. However, she also made some artistic choices that I found problematic.
SPOILERS
I was not fond of the depiction of the captain and the officers in this story. Although the author attempted to present Captain Smith in a favorable light, there was a scene where he made an inconsiderate remark about a Chinese man. I understand that the author intended to highlight the racism that Asians faced and continue to face, but to my knowledge, neither the captain, the officers, nor the crew treated any passengers unkindly.
I am certain that there was tension among various nationalities aboard the Titanic, given the diversity of passengers. The ship carried people from numerous European nations, alongside people from Arab and East Asian countries, as well as North and South America. I've come across stories illustrating that even among third-class passengers, biases existed. Poor white people from the UK often held disdain for other white people from underdeveloped European countries. Consider how much worse passengers from Arab and East Asian countries were likely treated.
I haven't encountered any reports of misconduct involving the captain or the officers. The author retained the captain's actual name in the story but modified or substituted the names of the officers, probably to prevent potential legal issues with their families. Although many mistakes were made that night, I stand firm against anyone who claims the crew failed to give their all or acted in a cowardly fashion. None of the Titanic's top officials, including Captain Smith, Chief Officer Wilde, First Officer Murdoch, and even the ship's designer, Thomas Andrews, sought to save themselves; they all went down with the ship.
The actions of a fictional officer in the book were inspired by the rumors surrounding Fifth Officer Harold Lowe. I may have a personal bias, as Harold Lowe is one of my favorite Titanic officers, alongside Moody and Murdoch. This admiration stems from the fact that his lifeboat, which he commanded, was the only one that returned to rescue survivors. One of the accounts described an incident where he brandished a gun at a sixteen-year-old boy attempting to board a lifeboat, as recounted by Charlotte Collyer. 'For God's sake, be a man! We've got women and children to save. We must stop at the decks lower down and take on women and children.'
The author noted that lifeboat 14 hesitated to rescue a Chinese man from the water because they thought he was 'a Jap.' While some articles reference this incident, they all conveniently omit the fact that only one individual reported this incident, and that person was, once again, Charlotte Collyer.
Both accounts—Lowe threatening a boy with a gun and pondering whether to rescue a Chinese man from the water—originate solely from Charlotte Collyer. Her daughter even claimed that Lowe shot a man, which is false. He was firing his gun into the air to stop men from jumping into the lifeboat and tipping it over, so I believe Charlotte should have shown more gratitude since his actions protected her and the other women on board. (While several officers discharged their weapons into the air to prevent men from forcibly boarding lifeboats, there is no evidence that any officer shot someone.)
Although Lowe, like other officers, maintained order with a firearm, the claim that he refused to help the Chinese man raises doubts. No other witnesses have corroborated that part of the story, and Charlotte is the sole individual who has profited from it by selling it to a magazine. I don't hold that against her, especially considering she lost everything in the sinking and needed to support her young daughter. I don't label her as dishonest, as I wasn't present to witness the events myself.
I can't definitively say what transpired, but it's clear that the media of that era was as sensationalist as it is today. Once the Titanic went down and the survivors reached New York, newspapers began to publish dramatic stories, many of which lacked proper verification. This has led to a plethora of rumors and assertions that remain difficult to confirm or refute even now.
My additional critiques align with those expressed by other reviewers. The protagonist is impulsive, judgmental, immature, and even manipulative. She exhibited controlling behavior and seemed almost obsessed with her twin brother. While I can overlook some immaturity, given that she is a teenager and this is a young adult novel, her numerous questionable decisions were annoying. Perhaps my perspective as an only child limits my understanding of sibling dynamics, but I found it odd that she consistently felt compelled to either shield or control her twin, acting as if she were the older sister despite them being the same age.
Excessive focus was placed on dull storylines, leaving insufficient attention on the actual sinking. The author failed to effectively convey the terror of that night, instead allowing the brother and sister to exchange eye-rolling insults while their lives were at stake. I won't even get into their tedious romantic subplots.
MAJOR SPOILER: In the end, she sacrifices herself for her brother. She had multiple chances to save herself by boarding a lifeboat, yet she turned them down each time. Lifeboat 14 returns to search for survivors, just as it did in reality, and they offer to take her aboard. However, she insists they take her injured brother instead. As noted earlier, a conversation emerges regarding their possible ethnicity as 'Japs' and the question of whether they should be rescued. Ultimately, they can only take one person (ridiculous), leading them to abandon her to perish. This portrayal is deeply disrespectful to Fifth Officer Lowe, who, although not named in the book, was part of lifeboat 14—the only boat that returned to the disaster site. There is no way he or the others on that boat would have allowed a teenage girl to succumb to hypothermia. If you trust the stories about Officer Lowe's determination to rescue women and children, even going as far as to threaten men and boys with a gun, how can you expect me to believe he would have abandoned a girl to perish in the icy water?
November 1, 2021
So apparently, having common sense is optional.
And I'm referring to myself, by the way.
Rating: 😈😈😈😈😈 4.8
We all know the Titanic. That certain tragedy that was made into a movie which made my eyes puff up to the size of Jupiter and which made me the wonderful perpetually angry human I am today. JACK COULD'VE FIT ON THE DOOR WITH HER. HE COULD'VE. DANG IT. So obviously, I knew what I was getting into. Even anticipated a few tear drops to escape the jail cell of my bucket less soul.
And I was right.
Kind of.
It made me cry. A lot. Mostly internally, but we'll count those as well. And as if my tears weren't painful enough to acknowledge, the author hit me over the head with 'the last chapter'. I see no one laughing, do you think that's funny?? Do you. Think. That's funny? What is up with authors wanting me to into a premature food coma these days? First, the cliffhangers. Now, THIS. Um... where's the license of the one that took the driver's seat of my emotions? I want it back, but I also don't.
See what I mean when I say I confuse myself?
On one hand, I love being absolutely and utterly emotionally obliterated by a book. However, on the other hand, I want to cut off some heads when someone leaves me heartbroken like I previously wished to be. (?????????)
The whole darn storyline, plot, pace, setting; basically everything that was the building block for this novel, was irreproachable. I laughed so many times out of astonishment at how easily I forgot this was on the Titanic and not a cruise in which all dreams would come true. The lightness of the storyline, with the tension of the delicate twists embedded in it, stitched with threads of devastating sorrow, served to prove to me (once again) Stacey Lee is an absolute queen. (Even though I've only read two books of hers, including this one and the rest might turn out horribly; yes, I still see the sense in this). I treasured the fast chain of events that unfolded and admired all the historical tidbits that didn't make me hit the SNOOZE button, instead making me all the more enthralled with Luck of the Titanic. Everything was explained wonderfully (me thinking back to the fact that I was lost on the ship for about thirteen chapters because I had no idea where the heck I was located), the way certain things evolved and changed left me gasping in delight. In other, simpler words, I fangirled a little too much. I felt like I was literally ON the Titanic. I smelled the sea (perhaps my sweat), felt the soft breeze (most likely my fan) and squealed with the crew (yeah nope, definitely in my head). Now, I just have to add every Stacey Lee book to my TBR-
An excerpt of my interview with The Writing:
Me: Hello, I have come to ask a few questions.
Writing: Yes, child?
Me: HOW COME YOU ARE SO GOOD AND ENCOMPASS DRENCHED FEELINGS, PERFORMIND ACROBATICS WITH MY EMOTIONS.
Writing: I...
Me: Yes? My question was indeed not rhetorical, I need an answer.
Writing: Dear one, have I ever told you the story of the dancing prince-
Me: NO. Do not begin with that, you'll break me more. Just stop. Answer the question, please.
Writing: Alright... I crave for you to suffer and have a stuffy nose for days. I love seeing you metaphorically crawl across the carcasses of your sanity. I adore the smell of your anxiety and agony at my words.
Me: O-oh. Okay. Okay, great answer. Yep. Super cool.
This was basically my thinking all throughout the book. Every time I read a chapter, I felt as if my soul transcended to the third plane of Olympus. The way it flowed, the way it caressed my hair with it's perfectly described scenes. How it left me aghast and awaiting Death's carriage, because holy smokes. How can anyone every top this? Yes, I loved it. Yes, I admired it. Yes to everything. (unless you say the writing is bad. If so, Hahah, no.)
The characters owe me a huge, mega, humongous, drowning in praise, heartfelt apology. Uh huh, that's it.
Actually no, some of them killed me beyond measure, I'll describe those because I hate them. But I love them as well.
The MC was a goddess. This girrrrrrl. She was strong, fierce, human (it's a thing), relatable, poetic, had the ability to argue so beautifully and was simply a breathe of fresh air amidst every other YA character I've read about this past week. And yes, I did just pull a 'not like other YA characters'. Wait till I finish my Lovely Vicious review (which I've been working on for the past month), ahahaha, that's going to be epically disastrous. The woman was unapologetically cool and frankly, can I get her as a BFF? Hm?? Can you REPAY ME FOR WHAT I WENT THROUGH ON THE LAST PAGES? *dry chuckle* I will choke you. I applaud how her ability to be her and her only, without trying to change unless there was a role to fit into, and adored her way of expressing her opinions. And the banter, y'all. THE BANTER. *sigh* I'm tearing up again, DANG IT. Okay, I'm alright. I'm safe. These feelings cannot get you anymore, Booksy. You finished the book a while ago. Breathhheeee. Yeah nope, not working.
Every single secondary/ background person in this story were so easily recognizable, it confuzzled me as to how I remembered their roles. I almost always have to highlight the crap out of pages so as to properly recall who does what and what happens after that what was done. I liked how each of them had different opinions and did not fit into just one level of craziness. The lot of them were crazy, but in varying degrees. *snort* As the story progressed, I got to connect with them more deeply than I expected myself to. Sue me, I love historical books, never really feel anything for the characters, until now. And then they took that happiness away from me. Just read the book already and cry with me, porfavor. I need that venting session. Also, tissues. All of the characters were interesting beyond measure and held a sort of bittersweet remembrance atop of my emotionally drained meter. I hate you but like you at the same time. Stop making me conflicted.
I must mention that the fact that the romance wasn't the focus of the story (TWIST!) Left a gaping hole in my chest because wow, how did they know what I was looking for???? All the 'I love you' nonsense was not present, all the 'I would die for you' stupid crap was not to be seen. So yes, I liked it a lot. One thing I must mention though, is that I wish there would've been more chemistry between them? Don't get me wrong, they almost kissed approximately 56789 times, and I was holding my breath for every single one of them, but didn't really want to ship them? Okay, scratch that, I actually did. But still? Something was missing? I really have no idea, and right now I want to finish this review, so I can curl up in a traumatized ball of cheese puffs.
Oh- OH!! I almost forgot Jamie. The brother, you know? I just want to say a few words to him.
*wrenches the guy from the depths of the book*
Jamie: Wh- what is happening-?
Me: I gave you one chance. One. To make me hate you. ONE. And you made me fall for you. You deserve all the best in life, you stupid mongrel.
Jamie: Okay, I'm a bit confuse-
*shoves him into the book again*
The brother/ sister interactions were so relatable I felt them deep within my soul. 5 STARS FOR THAT. 5. STARS.
*cue me sniffing their convo obsessively to see if some wittiness would get absorbed through my respiratory system*
On a closing note, this was amazing. I would re-read it again and again and again... after 45 years have passed. Until I'm ready to face the heart break for the 567 time in the last three days. I would give this, 5 stars as a whole, but there are some things (such as the chemistry) that could've had a bit of a boost and some interactions got glossed over a bit, AND because I'm petty like that. You don't get to do that to me and then expect me to give you 5 stars.
(I have indeed realized that my past three books have destroyed me in varying measures, so maybe that's why I always sound super extra angry. Either that, or I have a problem-)
Continue Reading
Disclaimer: Any and all opinions said up there are my own, and please feel free to call me out for any errors or any offensive comments, so I can get right on it and get it fixed!
..................................................
I am sobbing and it's barely 9 am.
I still have class.
So um... I can't see through my tears. So that's just GREAT.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING MY DAY.
CAN YOU FEEL THE SARCASM OOOOOOZING OUT OF ME????
P.S: I am writhing in agony. Drenched in pain.
I don't think I can breathe anymore.
*whispering* Why would YOU DO THAT-
NOW I HAVE TO STUDY WITH A FREAKING BROKEN HEART.
ARE YOU HAPPY-
ARE YOU CACKLING WITH HADES-
....................................
Are you telling me, that this is about a girl. On the Titanic, striving to survive. BECAUSE IT'S THE TITANIC?! AND THE BOOK HAS THAT COVER?! Excuse you, why isn't this in my hands yet, huh? Why?
P.S: I am this close to crying. I don't have this book with me. I cannot cuddle with it, cannot stroke its pages. Ughhhhhh
And I'm referring to myself, by the way.
Rating: 😈😈😈😈😈 4.8
We all know the Titanic. That certain tragedy that was made into a movie which made my eyes puff up to the size of Jupiter and which made me the wonderful perpetually angry human I am today. JACK COULD'VE FIT ON THE DOOR WITH HER. HE COULD'VE. DANG IT. So obviously, I knew what I was getting into. Even anticipated a few tear drops to escape the jail cell of my bucket less soul.
And I was right.
Kind of.
It made me cry. A lot. Mostly internally, but we'll count those as well. And as if my tears weren't painful enough to acknowledge, the author hit me over the head with 'the last chapter'. I see no one laughing, do you think that's funny?? Do you. Think. That's funny? What is up with authors wanting me to into a premature food coma these days? First, the cliffhangers. Now, THIS. Um... where's the license of the one that took the driver's seat of my emotions? I want it back, but I also don't.
See what I mean when I say I confuse myself?
On one hand, I love being absolutely and utterly emotionally obliterated by a book. However, on the other hand, I want to cut off some heads when someone leaves me heartbroken like I previously wished to be. (?????????)
The whole darn storyline, plot, pace, setting; basically everything that was the building block for this novel, was irreproachable. I laughed so many times out of astonishment at how easily I forgot this was on the Titanic and not a cruise in which all dreams would come true. The lightness of the storyline, with the tension of the delicate twists embedded in it, stitched with threads of devastating sorrow, served to prove to me (once again) Stacey Lee is an absolute queen. (Even though I've only read two books of hers, including this one and the rest might turn out horribly; yes, I still see the sense in this). I treasured the fast chain of events that unfolded and admired all the historical tidbits that didn't make me hit the SNOOZE button, instead making me all the more enthralled with Luck of the Titanic. Everything was explained wonderfully (me thinking back to the fact that I was lost on the ship for about thirteen chapters because I had no idea where the heck I was located), the way certain things evolved and changed left me gasping in delight. In other, simpler words, I fangirled a little too much. I felt like I was literally ON the Titanic. I smelled the sea (perhaps my sweat), felt the soft breeze (most likely my fan) and squealed with the crew (yeah nope, definitely in my head). Now, I just have to add every Stacey Lee book to my TBR-
An excerpt of my interview with The Writing:
Me: Hello, I have come to ask a few questions.
Writing: Yes, child?
Me: HOW COME YOU ARE SO GOOD AND ENCOMPASS DRENCHED FEELINGS, PERFORMIND ACROBATICS WITH MY EMOTIONS.
Writing: I...
Me: Yes? My question was indeed not rhetorical, I need an answer.
Writing: Dear one, have I ever told you the story of the dancing prince-
Me: NO. Do not begin with that, you'll break me more. Just stop. Answer the question, please.
Writing: Alright... I crave for you to suffer and have a stuffy nose for days. I love seeing you metaphorically crawl across the carcasses of your sanity. I adore the smell of your anxiety and agony at my words.
Me: O-oh. Okay. Okay, great answer. Yep. Super cool.
This was basically my thinking all throughout the book. Every time I read a chapter, I felt as if my soul transcended to the third plane of Olympus. The way it flowed, the way it caressed my hair with it's perfectly described scenes. How it left me aghast and awaiting Death's carriage, because holy smokes. How can anyone every top this? Yes, I loved it. Yes, I admired it. Yes to everything. (unless you say the writing is bad. If so, Hahah, no.)
The characters owe me a huge, mega, humongous, drowning in praise, heartfelt apology. Uh huh, that's it.
Actually no, some of them killed me beyond measure, I'll describe those because I hate them. But I love them as well.
The MC was a goddess. This girrrrrrl. She was strong, fierce, human (it's a thing), relatable, poetic, had the ability to argue so beautifully and was simply a breathe of fresh air amidst every other YA character I've read about this past week. And yes, I did just pull a 'not like other YA characters'. Wait till I finish my Lovely Vicious review (which I've been working on for the past month), ahahaha, that's going to be epically disastrous. The woman was unapologetically cool and frankly, can I get her as a BFF? Hm?? Can you REPAY ME FOR WHAT I WENT THROUGH ON THE LAST PAGES? *dry chuckle* I will choke you. I applaud how her ability to be her and her only, without trying to change unless there was a role to fit into, and adored her way of expressing her opinions. And the banter, y'all. THE BANTER. *sigh* I'm tearing up again, DANG IT. Okay, I'm alright. I'm safe. These feelings cannot get you anymore, Booksy. You finished the book a while ago. Breathhheeee. Yeah nope, not working.
Every single secondary/ background person in this story were so easily recognizable, it confuzzled me as to how I remembered their roles. I almost always have to highlight the crap out of pages so as to properly recall who does what and what happens after that what was done. I liked how each of them had different opinions and did not fit into just one level of craziness. The lot of them were crazy, but in varying degrees. *snort* As the story progressed, I got to connect with them more deeply than I expected myself to. Sue me, I love historical books, never really feel anything for the characters, until now. And then they took that happiness away from me. Just read the book already and cry with me, porfavor. I need that venting session. Also, tissues. All of the characters were interesting beyond measure and held a sort of bittersweet remembrance atop of my emotionally drained meter. I hate you but like you at the same time. Stop making me conflicted.
I must mention that the fact that the romance wasn't the focus of the story (TWIST!) Left a gaping hole in my chest because wow, how did they know what I was looking for???? All the 'I love you' nonsense was not present, all the 'I would die for you' stupid crap was not to be seen. So yes, I liked it a lot. One thing I must mention though, is that I wish there would've been more chemistry between them? Don't get me wrong, they almost kissed approximately 56789 times, and I was holding my breath for every single one of them, but didn't really want to ship them? Okay, scratch that, I actually did. But still? Something was missing? I really have no idea, and right now I want to finish this review, so I can curl up in a traumatized ball of cheese puffs.
Oh- OH!! I almost forgot Jamie. The brother, you know? I just want to say a few words to him.
*wrenches the guy from the depths of the book*
Jamie: Wh- what is happening-?
Me: I gave you one chance. One. To make me hate you. ONE. And you made me fall for you. You deserve all the best in life, you stupid mongrel.
Jamie: Okay, I'm a bit confuse-
*shoves him into the book again*
The brother/ sister interactions were so relatable I felt them deep within my soul. 5 STARS FOR THAT. 5. STARS.
*cue me sniffing their convo obsessively to see if some wittiness would get absorbed through my respiratory system*
On a closing note, this was amazing. I would re-read it again and again and again... after 45 years have passed. Until I'm ready to face the heart break for the 567 time in the last three days. I would give this, 5 stars as a whole, but there are some things (such as the chemistry) that could've had a bit of a boost and some interactions got glossed over a bit, AND because I'm petty like that. You don't get to do that to me and then expect me to give you 5 stars.
(I have indeed realized that my past three books have destroyed me in varying measures, so maybe that's why I always sound super extra angry. Either that, or I have a problem-)
Continue Reading
Disclaimer: Any and all opinions said up there are my own, and please feel free to call me out for any errors or any offensive comments, so I can get right on it and get it fixed!
..................................................
I am sobbing and it's barely 9 am.
I still have class.
So um... I can't see through my tears. So that's just GREAT.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING MY DAY.
CAN YOU FEEL THE SARCASM OOOOOOZING OUT OF ME????
P.S: I am writhing in agony. Drenched in pain.
I don't think I can breathe anymore.
*whispering* Why would YOU DO THAT-
NOW I HAVE TO STUDY WITH A FREAKING BROKEN HEART.
ARE YOU HAPPY-
ARE YOU CACKLING WITH HADES-
....................................
Are you telling me, that this is about a girl. On the Titanic, striving to survive. BECAUSE IT'S THE TITANIC?! AND THE BOOK HAS THAT COVER?! Excuse you, why isn't this in my hands yet, huh? Why?
P.S: I am this close to crying. I don't have this book with me. I cannot cuddle with it, cannot stroke its pages. Ughhhhhh
May 27, 2021
A whole lot of nothing happens, and then the Titanic sinks.
This book's premise sounded fascinating, and I have enjoyed Stacey Lee's work in the past, but this book was a huge disappointment. There is very little meaningful character development, and what little plot there is gets dragged out way too long, with far too many inconsequential details. Sometimes, I felt like we were just shadowing the main character's every step on the ship, from her veiled disguise in First Class to her mingling in steerage, without much of anything actually happening.
I was interested in the sibling dynamic suggested in the premise, but it ended up being very frustrating. Valora, the main character, originally gets on the Titanic because she wants to reconnect with her twin brother. Only, he is rather reticent during their reunion, is settled with his job and new friends with the shipping company, and doesn't want to abandon his new life to join with her incredibly dubious plan of convincing an American circus manager to take them on as acrobats and circumvent the Chinese Exclusion Act for them. I sympathized with Valora's feelings at first, but I sympathized with her brother's situation much more, and I disliked how she kept demanding that he get in line with her plan.
Also, far too much of the book involves every single circuitous step involved in her winning over her brother and getting the circus manager to give them a hearing. I never felt persuaded of why it was important to Valora to go to America, and this all seemed like an unnecessarily convoluted way for Stacey Lee to honor the real-life Chinese people on the Titanic. There were so many holes in the story, and so many flaws in Valora's plans, that I didn't find the narrative convincing. If she'd had emotionally compelling and powerful reasons to want to go to America, I would have bought her desperate scheme, but she just wanted a promising future and decided on an unnecessarily harebrained and complicated way of pursuing it. Why couldn't she just convince her brother to go somewhere else with her, and establish themselves there?
The story also takes regular jaunts off into backstory, sharing details about the characters' childhoods, mixed-race family dynamic, and alcoholic Chinese father. Backstory can be a great way to build suspense and resolve mysteries about the past, but the backstory here was repetitive and similar, making the same points in the same ways without adding anything significant. There's some historical color, and we learn more about the characters' lives, but not in a way that adds momentum to the narrative.
There's also a completely unnecessary subplot about Valora agreeing to help raise a fashion designer's profile by wearing her dress designs on the ship. The other woman is vaguely implied to be queer, and helps support Valora for plot reasons, but the storyline goes nowhere. It's either a total plot contrivance or an attempt to have a queer character, but it falls completely flat either way. It added nothing of substance to the story, and was just a waste of pages. I also feel similarly about the extremely underdeveloped romantic subplot between Valora and one of her brother's friends. It never went anywhere, was utterly nonessential to the story, and just involved hormonal feelings of attraction, with no real character development.
The Titanic elements are well-researched, but there are lots of random anachronisms. The sprinkling of historical slang can't save the dialogue from sounding way too modern almost the whole time, and Valora and her brother apply CPR fifty years before it was invented. These issues won't be deal-breakers for the average historical fiction YA reader, but they really bothered me. Also, the ending is frustrating, because Valora . It's a Titanic novel, so I knew that people were going to die, but the way that it happened was frustrating and unnecessary, just like this entire book.
I truly wanted to like this novel, but it doesn't live up to the beautiful cover, much less to the author's previous standards. The story is long, protracted, and overly convoluted, without accomplishing much at all, with unnecessary backstory and subplots that don't do anything to flesh out the already very weak story. This could have been a fantastic, unique, diverse look into a familiar historical tragedy, and could have had tremendous pathos and power, but by the time the ship started going down, I had already lost interest and was just ready for the book to be over.
This book's premise sounded fascinating, and I have enjoyed Stacey Lee's work in the past, but this book was a huge disappointment. There is very little meaningful character development, and what little plot there is gets dragged out way too long, with far too many inconsequential details. Sometimes, I felt like we were just shadowing the main character's every step on the ship, from her veiled disguise in First Class to her mingling in steerage, without much of anything actually happening.
I was interested in the sibling dynamic suggested in the premise, but it ended up being very frustrating. Valora, the main character, originally gets on the Titanic because she wants to reconnect with her twin brother. Only, he is rather reticent during their reunion, is settled with his job and new friends with the shipping company, and doesn't want to abandon his new life to join with her incredibly dubious plan of convincing an American circus manager to take them on as acrobats and circumvent the Chinese Exclusion Act for them. I sympathized with Valora's feelings at first, but I sympathized with her brother's situation much more, and I disliked how she kept demanding that he get in line with her plan.
Also, far too much of the book involves every single circuitous step involved in her winning over her brother and getting the circus manager to give them a hearing. I never felt persuaded of why it was important to Valora to go to America, and this all seemed like an unnecessarily convoluted way for Stacey Lee to honor the real-life Chinese people on the Titanic. There were so many holes in the story, and so many flaws in Valora's plans, that I didn't find the narrative convincing. If she'd had emotionally compelling and powerful reasons to want to go to America, I would have bought her desperate scheme, but she just wanted a promising future and decided on an unnecessarily harebrained and complicated way of pursuing it. Why couldn't she just convince her brother to go somewhere else with her, and establish themselves there?
The story also takes regular jaunts off into backstory, sharing details about the characters' childhoods, mixed-race family dynamic, and alcoholic Chinese father. Backstory can be a great way to build suspense and resolve mysteries about the past, but the backstory here was repetitive and similar, making the same points in the same ways without adding anything significant. There's some historical color, and we learn more about the characters' lives, but not in a way that adds momentum to the narrative.
There's also a completely unnecessary subplot about Valora agreeing to help raise a fashion designer's profile by wearing her dress designs on the ship. The other woman is vaguely implied to be queer, and helps support Valora for plot reasons, but the storyline goes nowhere. It's either a total plot contrivance or an attempt to have a queer character, but it falls completely flat either way. It added nothing of substance to the story, and was just a waste of pages. I also feel similarly about the extremely underdeveloped romantic subplot between Valora and one of her brother's friends. It never went anywhere, was utterly nonessential to the story, and just involved hormonal feelings of attraction, with no real character development.
The Titanic elements are well-researched, but there are lots of random anachronisms. The sprinkling of historical slang can't save the dialogue from sounding way too modern almost the whole time, and Valora and her brother apply CPR fifty years before it was invented. These issues won't be deal-breakers for the average historical fiction YA reader, but they really bothered me. Also, the ending is frustrating, because Valora . It's a Titanic novel, so I knew that people were going to die, but the way that it happened was frustrating and unnecessary, just like this entire book.
I truly wanted to like this novel, but it doesn't live up to the beautiful cover, much less to the author's previous standards. The story is long, protracted, and overly convoluted, without accomplishing much at all, with unnecessary backstory and subplots that don't do anything to flesh out the already very weak story. This could have been a fantastic, unique, diverse look into a familiar historical tragedy, and could have had tremendous pathos and power, but by the time the ship started going down, I had already lost interest and was just ready for the book to be over.
May 15, 2021
I'M DEAD. Dead. THIS FREAKING COVER, THE TITANIC, DIVERSE CHARACERS, STACEY LEE...
Ahhhhh THAT COVER! IT. IS. SOOOO GORGEOUS & ALL ELEGANCE & ART DECO!
Ahhhhh THAT COVER! IT. IS. SOOOO GORGEOUS & ALL ELEGANCE & ART DECO!
December 28, 2021
This is sad because I was really excited about reading this book and it turned out to be one of my most disappointing reads this year. Basically a bunch of nothing really happens and then at the last minute, the Titanic sinks.
The plot, which started out really strong, fell flat about 150 pages in and never picked back up. Lots of characters that were never really developed (despite having lots of potential for being interesting) and after another 150 boring pages, the boat sinks abruptly and I hated the ending. Overly complicated and convoluted, I’m sad to say I really didn’t enjoy this book.
The plot, which started out really strong, fell flat about 150 pages in and never picked back up. Lots of characters that were never really developed (despite having lots of potential for being interesting) and after another 150 boring pages, the boat sinks abruptly and I hated the ending. Overly complicated and convoluted, I’m sad to say I really didn’t enjoy this book.
October 29, 2021
for the first 76% of this book, i thought pacing was its issue. the titanic doesn't hit the iceberg until the book is at 76%, which is far too late! titanic's history is interesting on many levels, and i was excited to read about a chinese-british acrobat seeking to perform with her twin brother in america. but why such slow buildup to such a dramatic event?
anyway, once i reached the part of the book where the ship starts sinking, i realized that pacing isn't the only issue. the writing is terribly dry. even during sequences of terrifying shipwreck trauma and heartbreak, the book remains downright boring.
the dryness of the writing is at odds with something that i adored about the book: chinese culture is subtly woven into the writing style. val's narration is brimming with lovely little metaphors:
&
i love this element of the narrative, and i also love that the book includes a taste of the political history of the chinese. val and the eight other chinese-british folks on the titanic face many levels of discrimination. lee's author's note talks about the eight chinese people who were really on the titanic, six of whom survived. it's so important for a version of their stories to be told, and i appreciate this book for doing that!
i also appreciate that this book doesn't lean much on the 1997 film, unlike my other recent titanic read, the breath between waves. that is, except in the end (SPOILERS)
anyway. i wish the dry writing style hadn't kept me from connecting with the book. i love the deep family bonds, val's slow realization that she has to allow jamie to live his own life, and the subtle lgbt+ rep in fashionista april, who says she has no interest in men! and of course i love reading a largely untold part of titanic's history.
anyway, once i reached the part of the book where the ship starts sinking, i realized that pacing isn't the only issue. the writing is terribly dry. even during sequences of terrifying shipwreck trauma and heartbreak, the book remains downright boring.
the dryness of the writing is at odds with something that i adored about the book: chinese culture is subtly woven into the writing style. val's narration is brimming with lovely little metaphors:
Strange feelings press on my heart like cat paws on a windowpane.
&
It's true that I may have hung a big fish on a slender hook. Even if we get past the Chinese Exclusion Act, for all I know, a nest of hungry alligators lies on the other side.
i love this element of the narrative, and i also love that the book includes a taste of the political history of the chinese. val and the eight other chinese-british folks on the titanic face many levels of discrimination. lee's author's note talks about the eight chinese people who were really on the titanic, six of whom survived. it's so important for a version of their stories to be told, and i appreciate this book for doing that!
i also appreciate that this book doesn't lean much on the 1997 film, unlike my other recent titanic read, the breath between waves. that is, except in the end (SPOILERS)
anyway. i wish the dry writing style hadn't kept me from connecting with the book. i love the deep family bonds, val's slow realization that she has to allow jamie to live his own life, and the subtle lgbt+ rep in fashionista april, who says she has no interest in men! and of course i love reading a largely untold part of titanic's history.
November 15, 2021
I will never forget seeing the movie "Titanic" in the theaters on a date night with my husband in the late 90's. The opulence of the ocean liner was in my mind as I read this book about Valora and Jamie Luck. They were once working on a twin acrobat act, but after the death of both parents their future is not so certain. Now that they are both on the Titanic, can they make that dream come true in America? What about Jamie's revised plans to stay with his new ship family? And what about the Chinese Exclusion Act? What we all know is that even if those two obstacles are overcome, there will be the sinking of the ship yet to come. Val uses her skills to get on board and then tries to maintain a double life impersonating her former employer (who passed away just before the trip) and spend time with her brother convincing him to join in her plan. She is walking a tightrope literally and figuratively and there is no safety net. Shedding light on the discrimination against people from China on both sides of the pond, this latest book from Stacey Lee will remind you of the beauty of loyalty between siblings. Not quite as good as The Downstairs Girl for me, but an entertaining and enlightening read. And my husband is still reminding me that he would be looking for floatables. . .
July 24, 2021
TW: confinement, death, death of a parent, grief, racism, racial slurs, sexual assault, xenophobia.
July 7, 2021
i'm kind of disappointed??? oh well.
August 10, 2021
**4.5 stars
I really thought I had this book figured out, but boy was I wrong. When I was younger, I was super interested in the Titanic. Because of this, I had to pick this book up and omg I’m so glad I did.
Everything about this book was incredible and I absolutely adore it.
I really thought I had this book figured out, but boy was I wrong. When I was younger, I was super interested in the Titanic. Because of this, I had to pick this book up and omg I’m so glad I did.
Everything about this book was incredible and I absolutely adore it.
Want to read
November 5, 2020hmm, maybe it's something about the titani-
OH MY GOD COVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
OH MY GOD COVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
June 1, 2021
Never in my life did I ever imagine seeing people who look like me in historical fiction, let alone a story like the Titanic. Honestly this is something I didn't know I needed. Check out my full review here! :)
Here's a preview:
Fun, real, heartwarming, thought provoking, witty, and charming.
Luck of the Titanic is the Titanic story I wish we all knew. Move over Rose and Jack, make way for Val and Jamie. Never once did I ever imagine to be able to see someone who looked like me in a historical fiction about the Titanic. I didn’t even realize that people who looked like me were aboard in the first place! It was a whole new experience to see people like me exist at all before modern day. Historical fiction so often, especially about events we hear about often like the Titanic, has never felt relatable in the least to me. Until this. This book brought me that. It told me that even in historical fiction, we can see diversity. People who look like me.
Quick summary: Luck of the Titanic is a historical fiction that works to tell the story of the six Titanic survivors of Chinese descent. It follows twin siblings, Valora and Jamie Luck, two twin British-Chinese acrobats traveling aboard the Titanic’s maiden voyage, which was the same time of the Chinese Exclusion Act. Determined to make it to America, Valora brews a plan that will allow them to get into America before the ship makes it across the Atlantic.
I can absolutely say right off the bat that my favorite part was that this book kept me guessing. I read this with Saima, and we both kept guessing what would happen wrong. I say that this is my favorite part because it was very impressive that a book about a major historical event, one that is so famous we all know the story, ends up being surprising at all. I was very impressed with that alone that made my experience of the book go up a ton! Continue reading...
Bookish Brews | Twitter | Pinterest | Tumblr
Here's a preview:
Fun, real, heartwarming, thought provoking, witty, and charming.
Luck of the Titanic is the Titanic story I wish we all knew. Move over Rose and Jack, make way for Val and Jamie. Never once did I ever imagine to be able to see someone who looked like me in a historical fiction about the Titanic. I didn’t even realize that people who looked like me were aboard in the first place! It was a whole new experience to see people like me exist at all before modern day. Historical fiction so often, especially about events we hear about often like the Titanic, has never felt relatable in the least to me. Until this. This book brought me that. It told me that even in historical fiction, we can see diversity. People who look like me.
Quick summary: Luck of the Titanic is a historical fiction that works to tell the story of the six Titanic survivors of Chinese descent. It follows twin siblings, Valora and Jamie Luck, two twin British-Chinese acrobats traveling aboard the Titanic’s maiden voyage, which was the same time of the Chinese Exclusion Act. Determined to make it to America, Valora brews a plan that will allow them to get into America before the ship makes it across the Atlantic.
I can absolutely say right off the bat that my favorite part was that this book kept me guessing. I read this with Saima, and we both kept guessing what would happen wrong. I say that this is my favorite part because it was very impressive that a book about a major historical event, one that is so famous we all know the story, ends up being surprising at all. I was very impressed with that alone that made my experience of the book go up a ton! Continue reading...
Bookish Brews | Twitter | Pinterest | Tumblr
April 25, 2025
i am a puddle of tears no one talk to me this book has ruined me
May 1, 2021
4.5 stars
read on my blog
rep: biracial (Chinese, white) protagonist and main character, ownvoices Chinese side characters, lesbian side character
cw: racism, use of slurs
**I received an ARC from the publisher through Netgalley (thank you, Penguin Teen!). These are my honest opinions, and in no way was I compensated for this review.**
Historical fiction has never been my genre, and I also have no real interest in the Titanic honestly. However, Stacey Lee’s books have always been an exception to the former, so I knew I had to give this book a try! I’m so glad I did because I loved it. Luck of the Titanic explores the infamous Titanic voyage from the perspective of a girl who shouldn’t be on the ship at all as she sets out to reunite with her twin brother.
Using the tickets her employer had bought, Valora Luck attempts to board the Titanic. When that doesn’t work, she stows away on the ship, in search of her twin brother Jamie, whom she hasn’t seen in two years. She finally locates him with other Chinese seamen, including Bo. Despite the Chinese Exclusion Act in place, Val dreams of going to America and performing as an acrobat in the Ringling Brothers Circus, and she tries to convince Jamie to join her. Their time is limited to convince the lead investor into seeing their performance, not only because of the voyage and Val’s flimsy scam but also by the tragic event that awaits them.
Again, I’ve never much cared for Titanic stories; I know other people are, but it’s just never been something that interested me. That being said, I really liked how Lee approached this book. Her historical books always follow a Chinese protagonist in a Western society that shuns them, and it was really fascinating to read about this event from someone who is looked down upon. I’ve never known about the eight Chinese men aboard the Titanic, and I thought it was interesting how Lee built her story up from there.
I really liked the characters! Both Val and Jamie are stubborn yet immensely loyal and caring towards the ones they care about, although Val is probably a bit more stubborn than him, something she acknowledges. Jamie’s friends also play prominent roles in the book, including his best friend Bo, who disagrees with Val’s scheme.
The writing was great, as well. I think what usually irritates me about historical fiction is the language of it, but Lee’s books always take you back in time without reading so stilted. There was also a lot of foreshadowing that you, as the reader, can definitely pick up on, especially since you know how the Titanic ends. I also liked the concept of “luck” in this book; Val and Jamie’s surname is Luck (changed from their father’s original Chinese surname), and Val often gives thought to whether or not luck is something required or if she herself can carve her place in the world on her own.
There’s a bit of a romance between Val and Bo, which I liked because I just really liked his character. However, this book, at its heart, is about Val and Jamie’s relationship as twins. They were so close as children, but Val doesn’t understand Jamie’s more cynical attitude towards their childhood and memories of their alcoholic father. They haven’t seen each other in two years; Val seeks to heal the rift between them and to convince him to go with her in America. I’m always a sucker for a good sibling relationship, and I loved seeing the two of them in this book as they stubbornly protect each other.
Again, we all know how the Titanic story ends, but I spent so much of this book in denial of it because I just wanted more moments with these characters. I don’t want to spoil the fates of these characters though, so I’ll just say that the last 15% put me through the wringer and left me in tears.
Luck of the Titanic takes an infamous event and makes it its own. I loved the characters and the strong twin bond between Val and Jamie! If you’re looking for a historical fiction book and/or one with an amazing sibling relationship, I definitely recommend Luck of the Titanic!
original review:
me, knowing how the titanic ends but being in full denial the entire book...I'm crying rn
read on my blog
rep: biracial (Chinese, white) protagonist and main character, ownvoices Chinese side characters, lesbian side character
cw: racism, use of slurs
**I received an ARC from the publisher through Netgalley (thank you, Penguin Teen!). These are my honest opinions, and in no way was I compensated for this review.**
Luck wears many faces . . . As far as I’m concerned, the best way to counter bad luck is to make some luck of your own.
Historical fiction has never been my genre, and I also have no real interest in the Titanic honestly. However, Stacey Lee’s books have always been an exception to the former, so I knew I had to give this book a try! I’m so glad I did because I loved it. Luck of the Titanic explores the infamous Titanic voyage from the perspective of a girl who shouldn’t be on the ship at all as she sets out to reunite with her twin brother.
Using the tickets her employer had bought, Valora Luck attempts to board the Titanic. When that doesn’t work, she stows away on the ship, in search of her twin brother Jamie, whom she hasn’t seen in two years. She finally locates him with other Chinese seamen, including Bo. Despite the Chinese Exclusion Act in place, Val dreams of going to America and performing as an acrobat in the Ringling Brothers Circus, and she tries to convince Jamie to join her. Their time is limited to convince the lead investor into seeing their performance, not only because of the voyage and Val’s flimsy scam but also by the tragic event that awaits them.
Again, I’ve never much cared for Titanic stories; I know other people are, but it’s just never been something that interested me. That being said, I really liked how Lee approached this book. Her historical books always follow a Chinese protagonist in a Western society that shuns them, and it was really fascinating to read about this event from someone who is looked down upon. I’ve never known about the eight Chinese men aboard the Titanic, and I thought it was interesting how Lee built her story up from there.
I really liked the characters! Both Val and Jamie are stubborn yet immensely loyal and caring towards the ones they care about, although Val is probably a bit more stubborn than him, something she acknowledges. Jamie’s friends also play prominent roles in the book, including his best friend Bo, who disagrees with Val’s scheme.
The writing was great, as well. I think what usually irritates me about historical fiction is the language of it, but Lee’s books always take you back in time without reading so stilted. There was also a lot of foreshadowing that you, as the reader, can definitely pick up on, especially since you know how the Titanic ends. I also liked the concept of “luck” in this book; Val and Jamie’s surname is Luck (changed from their father’s original Chinese surname), and Val often gives thought to whether or not luck is something required or if she herself can carve her place in the world on her own.
There’s a bit of a romance between Val and Bo, which I liked because I just really liked his character. However, this book, at its heart, is about Val and Jamie’s relationship as twins. They were so close as children, but Val doesn’t understand Jamie’s more cynical attitude towards their childhood and memories of their alcoholic father. They haven’t seen each other in two years; Val seeks to heal the rift between them and to convince him to go with her in America. I’m always a sucker for a good sibling relationship, and I loved seeing the two of them in this book as they stubbornly protect each other.
Again, we all know how the Titanic story ends, but I spent so much of this book in denial of it because I just wanted more moments with these characters. I don’t want to spoil the fates of these characters though, so I’ll just say that the last 15% put me through the wringer and left me in tears.
Luck of the Titanic takes an infamous event and makes it its own. I loved the characters and the strong twin bond between Val and Jamie! If you’re looking for a historical fiction book and/or one with an amazing sibling relationship, I definitely recommend Luck of the Titanic!
original review:
me, knowing how the titanic ends but being in full denial the entire book...I'm crying rn
May 3, 2021
This book had absolutely stunning story telling! I truly feel in love with Valora’s narration and definitely recommend this book to any historical fiction fans. I really enjoyed the point of view this book provided given how white washed so much of the historical fiction genre is.
May 15, 2021
I knew this would be devastating and yet I was still shocked at how devastating this was. I spent the last 20% just... crying.
Stacey Lee retells a well-known tragedy through the perspective of the people who have usually been ignored when talking about it: the Chinese passengers. What begins as an adventurous story of a girl doing whatever she can to get reunited with her brother, ends up having a huge emotional impact in multiple ways. This is definitely a book that will stay with me for a long time.
I've been wanting to read Stacey Lee's books for a long time, but somehow I never got around to it. I'm glad this was my first one, because it was so good. I'll definitely pick up the author's backlist as well!
Stacey Lee retells a well-known tragedy through the perspective of the people who have usually been ignored when talking about it: the Chinese passengers. What begins as an adventurous story of a girl doing whatever she can to get reunited with her brother, ends up having a huge emotional impact in multiple ways. This is definitely a book that will stay with me for a long time.
I've been wanting to read Stacey Lee's books for a long time, but somehow I never got around to it. I'm glad this was my first one, because it was so good. I'll definitely pick up the author's backlist as well!
June 7, 2023
I honestly have no idea what to say
Rtc
Rtc
![Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1645808644i%2F7494844._UX200_CR0%2C6%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
June 9, 2021
Five soggy, crying, messy and utterly devastated tears.
Each time I think I know what I'm getting into with a Stacey Lee book, she does something new and shatters my soul.
Full review to maybe come.
Each time I think I know what I'm getting into with a Stacey Lee book, she does something new and shatters my soul.
Full review to maybe come.
Want to read
November 5, 2020YES. SO MUCH Y E S
May 10, 2021
stacey lee did one amazing hell job here!
August 1, 2021
"There are moments to be strong, but there are also moment to be weak. And in those moments of rest, we find strength anew and challenge ourselves to grow bigger than we ever thought possible.”
My rating: 4.5 stars (rounded up)
So I just finished this book and I should probably give myself some space before writing the review but then again, will I ever be ready? cue some sad but dreamy music as I stare out the window and contemplate this question.
Ok well, I decided I'll review it now instead of later but
can I just have a moment please
AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
ok now I'm done, but just a warning this review is going to have a lot of exclamation points!! And also some capital letters cause I just felt the need to have them.
The Characters
Oh the characters...I just loved them all! (except for Skeleton!!)
Valora is fierce and determined and I loved how she was brave enough to go after her brother and pretend to be Mrs.Sloane and do so many other difficult and scary things! During the last chapters, she was brave to the very end...{okay enough about the ending, or I may cry.} She's AMAZING at acrobatics and her dialogue was soo good!
I liked Jamie too, but I especially liked the two of them together. There were so clearly twins, from the way they argued to their banter to their connected memories. Just from a few scenes, I could see how they were so comfortable with each other and also know each other really well.
ahhhhhhhhh
and the thing with them blowing on air as if there's dandelion there!!! Just sooo....beautiful!!
Yeah, I reread this and sounds kinda crazy but it makes a lot more sense if you read it.
I also really liked how they were like a dragon(Valora) and a phoenix(Jamie) that I searched up and I found really beautiful art
The crew was great too and I liked how each of the characters had their own personality and just how well they fit together. Speaking for the crew, I also like the chemistry between Valora and Bo, mostly because it didn't take up much of the plot and it wasn't overly dramatic!! yayyy!
Olly and Wink were soo cuteee and I just wanted to be safe. They were eager to help in any way they could and at times I could see they were children, while at other times they seemed to more grown-up.
April and Charlotte were great side characters and I liked both of them for their own reasons, but I don't want to spoil anything so I'll leave it at that.
The Plot
The plot was more suspenseful than I thought it would be, not because of what I knew would happen at the end, but because I was worried that Valora would get caught! I also really wanted to know what would happen with her acrobatic dreams and how she would convince her brother, and all the other stuff going on.
What I thought was surprising about this book is how it had the ability to make me COMPLETELY forget what was going to happen in the end. It was so fun and entertaining that I forget about how I'm reading about the TITANIC and the ending isn't going to be a happily ever after for everyone.
The Writing
The writing is sooo beautiful!! It's definitely one of the things(other than the characters!) that I loved most. The descriptions were so well-done that I almost felt like was actually on the Titanic with them. The memories from the character's past were woven in perfectly and there so many good quotes throughout!
My Final Thoughts
The Titanic is so widely known, and yet I've somehow never heard about the Chinese passengers on board and what they went through. There were many instances throughout the book like with the burnt bread heels and how the passengers were separated, that showed just how differently they were treated. During the last few scenes, the rich people were boarded onto lifeboats first, because they were considered more worthy and it just made me so mad!! Even when there was space on the lifeboats, they didn't let the Chinese passengers in. This book was not only a good book, but it also told an important story that should be heard.
✨ You can find this review and others on my blog! ✨
My rating: 4.5 stars (rounded up)
So I just finished this book and I should probably give myself some space before writing the review but then again, will I ever be ready? cue some sad but dreamy music as I stare out the window and contemplate this question.
Ok well, I decided I'll review it now instead of later but
can I just have a moment please
AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
ok now I'm done, but just a warning this review is going to have a lot of exclamation points!! And also some capital letters cause I just felt the need to have them.
The Characters
Oh the characters...I just loved them all! (except for Skeleton!!)
Valora is fierce and determined and I loved how she was brave enough to go after her brother and pretend to be Mrs.Sloane and do so many other difficult and scary things! During the last chapters, she was brave to the very end...{okay enough about the ending, or I may cry.} She's AMAZING at acrobatics and her dialogue was soo good!
I liked Jamie too, but I especially liked the two of them together. There were so clearly twins, from the way they argued to their banter to their connected memories. Just from a few scenes, I could see how they were so comfortable with each other and also know each other really well.
ahhhhhhhhh
and the thing with them blowing on air as if there's dandelion there!!! Just sooo....beautiful!!
Yeah, I reread this and sounds kinda crazy but it makes a lot more sense if you read it.
I also really liked how they were like a dragon(Valora) and a phoenix(Jamie) that I searched up and I found really beautiful art
The crew was great too and I liked how each of the characters had their own personality and just how well they fit together. Speaking for the crew, I also like the chemistry between Valora and Bo, mostly because it didn't take up much of the plot and it wasn't overly dramatic!! yayyy!
Olly and Wink were soo cuteee and I just wanted to be safe. They were eager to help in any way they could and at times I could see they were children, while at other times they seemed to more grown-up.
April and Charlotte were great side characters and I liked both of them for their own reasons, but I don't want to spoil anything so I'll leave it at that.
The Plot
The plot was more suspenseful than I thought it would be, not because of what I knew would happen at the end, but because I was worried that Valora would get caught! I also really wanted to know what would happen with her acrobatic dreams and how she would convince her brother, and all the other stuff going on.
What I thought was surprising about this book is how it had the ability to make me COMPLETELY forget what was going to happen in the end. It was so fun and entertaining that I forget about how I'm reading about the TITANIC and the ending isn't going to be a happily ever after for everyone.
The Writing
The writing is sooo beautiful!! It's definitely one of the things(other than the characters!) that I loved most. The descriptions were so well-done that I almost felt like was actually on the Titanic with them. The memories from the character's past were woven in perfectly and there so many good quotes throughout!
My Final Thoughts
The Titanic is so widely known, and yet I've somehow never heard about the Chinese passengers on board and what they went through. There were many instances throughout the book like with the burnt bread heels and how the passengers were separated, that showed just how differently they were treated. During the last few scenes, the rich people were boarded onto lifeboats first, because they were considered more worthy and it just made me so mad!! Even when there was space on the lifeboats, they didn't let the Chinese passengers in. This book was not only a good book, but it also told an important story that should be heard.
✨ You can find this review and others on my blog! ✨
May 22, 2021
I know what happened to the Titanic. I’ve seen the movies, read the books, visited the museum. And yet somehow I let myself get attached to the characters in this book, but in my defense they were so well written. Valora Luck is a spectacular young lady who manages to stowaway on the Titanic. And she manages to find some allies and fool her way into a first class cabin that should have belonged to her recently departed mistress. She’s doing everything she can to find her brother and help him realize that their destiny is to go to New York and join the circus. Her brother, Jamie, has other plans and is enjoying working on ships and tries to persuade Valora to go back to England. Valora and Jamie are from Chinese descent, but they are from England. The racism that they face aboard the Titanic was hard to read, but I am sure it was not as graphic as it was then. I devoured this book and really enjoyed the story (even if I spent the last fifth or so of the book crying).
Read
April 27, 2021My ability to write thoughtful reviews will be hampered for a while, but I loved this. Stacey Lee writes incredible YA historical fiction and this story of biracial Valora seeking out her twin brother on the Titanic as a stowaway -- with the goal to get into America and join the Ringling Brothers Circus in order to evade the Chinese Exclusion Act -- is complex, compelling, and utterly immersive. Val is such a clever character, and though the ending is pretty obvious early on, it didn't make it less enjoyable the entire way through.
Pair this with Malinda Lo's Last Night at the Telegraph Club for some necessary and fantastic historical fiction with female leads of color.
Pair this with Malinda Lo's Last Night at the Telegraph Club for some necessary and fantastic historical fiction with female leads of color.
February 15, 2021
Thanks to Edelweiss and G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Luck of the Titanic is loosely based on the events that transpired on the infamous Titanic and more specifically, the eight Chinese people that boarded the ill-fated ship. Valora Luck smuggles herself aboard to find her brother Jamie as well as to join the circus that can bring her to America under the Chinese Exclusion Act.
What I really like is the historical fiction part of this book. History has not been kind about the Chinese survivors of the Titanic, often describing them as cowards and vilifying them. While all the other survivors were welcomed into America, the Chinese survivors were shipped off under the Chinese Exclusion Act, which is also part of the reason we know nothing about them.
The premise of the story is very interesting as Valora disguises herself as a first-class passenger, while at the same time dressing as a boy to perform as an acrobat together with her brother. However, I felt that the story was somewhat dragged out, especially in the middle, while the ending was very abrupt. I think that if the ending elaborated more on how everyone ended up it would have rounded the story off better.
In conclusion, I think Lee does a very good job with this story as a tribute to the actual Chinese passengers whose stories were erased from history. However, the story itself was not very exciting and felt rather two-dimensional which was a shame because it did have a lot of potential for more.
Luck of the Titanic is loosely based on the events that transpired on the infamous Titanic and more specifically, the eight Chinese people that boarded the ill-fated ship. Valora Luck smuggles herself aboard to find her brother Jamie as well as to join the circus that can bring her to America under the Chinese Exclusion Act.
What I really like is the historical fiction part of this book. History has not been kind about the Chinese survivors of the Titanic, often describing them as cowards and vilifying them. While all the other survivors were welcomed into America, the Chinese survivors were shipped off under the Chinese Exclusion Act, which is also part of the reason we know nothing about them.
The premise of the story is very interesting as Valora disguises herself as a first-class passenger, while at the same time dressing as a boy to perform as an acrobat together with her brother. However, I felt that the story was somewhat dragged out, especially in the middle, while the ending was very abrupt. I think that if the ending elaborated more on how everyone ended up it would have rounded the story off better.
In conclusion, I think Lee does a very good job with this story as a tribute to the actual Chinese passengers whose stories were erased from history. However, the story itself was not very exciting and felt rather two-dimensional which was a shame because it did have a lot of potential for more.
December 6, 2021
Exemplary!
May 24, 2023
4.5 ⭐️
Screaming crying throwing up-
Frtc…
Screaming crying throwing up-
Frtc…
April 30, 2021
This was a slow burning story about young Valora Luck; a Chinese British person who's trying to get to America and become an acrobat in the Ringling Bros Circus. While it was slow burning, I also remembered this story takes place on the Titanic and perhaps it was more the anticipation of what happens to the ship that made it feel slow. But it was definitely entertaining. Watching Valora pull off being a boy to hang out with her brother and his friends in third class to pretending to be Mrs. Sloane in first class, I loved seeing her dynamically navigate through those different worlds. It was also quite fun especially when she's fooling the rich folks that she's also rich and white.
It was interesting to see the dichotomy between first class and third class. Naturally, we've seen these class wars in movies like Titanic, but what Titanic failed to recognize was the level of discrimination people of color from third class were faced. It wasn't only Valora, Jamie, and the boys who are discriminated against and it made sense with the story. And although they were faced with a lot of discrimination, there were also people on board who looked beyond their ethnicity and befriended them. It made me happy to see a few allies in the mix.
I also loved that this story was loosely based off the six Titanic survivors who are of Chinese descent. It blew my mind reading the author's note at the end and seeing the inspiration for the story. Personally, as a Korean American, I never imagined someone who looked like me on board the Titanic. I think the biggest depiction of life then was that big blockbuster movie we all know and love. And in many ways, I was worried with the direction this story went. I was worried she would fall in love with some rich white guy and abandon her plans to be independent, but it didn't turn out that way! It actually made me so happy that she was so stubborn!
This book also deals a bit in grief/loss. When Valora boards the ship, there's a lot of recall to her mother and father who both tragically passed away. It fueled her determination to follow her dream especially since it was her parents that got her and Jamie into acrobatics in the first place.
The ending was definitely where all the action was. I mean, this is the Titanic and I don't think it's a spoiler with what happens to that ship at the end. But it was interesting to see this represented. I appreciate so much what Stacey Lee was able to do with this book. I loved the story and imagining myself in such a historical moment. Although, I am glad I wasn't on that boat in real life.
It was interesting to see the dichotomy between first class and third class. Naturally, we've seen these class wars in movies like Titanic, but what Titanic failed to recognize was the level of discrimination people of color from third class were faced. It wasn't only Valora, Jamie, and the boys who are discriminated against and it made sense with the story. And although they were faced with a lot of discrimination, there were also people on board who looked beyond their ethnicity and befriended them. It made me happy to see a few allies in the mix.
I also loved that this story was loosely based off the six Titanic survivors who are of Chinese descent. It blew my mind reading the author's note at the end and seeing the inspiration for the story. Personally, as a Korean American, I never imagined someone who looked like me on board the Titanic. I think the biggest depiction of life then was that big blockbuster movie we all know and love. And in many ways, I was worried with the direction this story went. I was worried she would fall in love with some rich white guy and abandon her plans to be independent, but it didn't turn out that way! It actually made me so happy that she was so stubborn!
This book also deals a bit in grief/loss. When Valora boards the ship, there's a lot of recall to her mother and father who both tragically passed away. It fueled her determination to follow her dream especially since it was her parents that got her and Jamie into acrobatics in the first place.
The ending was definitely where all the action was. I mean, this is the Titanic and I don't think it's a spoiler with what happens to that ship at the end. But it was interesting to see this represented. I appreciate so much what Stacey Lee was able to do with this book. I loved the story and imagining myself in such a historical moment. Although, I am glad I wasn't on that boat in real life.
May 25, 2023
blinks slowly
full rtc... 😭🤍
⋆˚✿˖°
Life is a balancing act, and the better you get at juggling, the better you get at living.
⋆˚✿˖°
Who likes reading about historical tragedies?
raises hand
I don’t really know why, but something about them is so ✨captivating✨!!! It’s especially cool how this was about the Chinese’s experience on the Titanic… did you know 6/8 of them survived when it sank way back when??? 😮😮😮
Stacey Lee is such a masterful writer! I loved The Downstairs Girl so I just had to read more of hers. 🤭🤭🤭 and this was so good I loved it! I laughed out loud multiple times lol. Then cried my eyes out at the ending….
One thing I could’ve done without was the brother vs sister trope. I honestly don’t really like it 😅😅😅 Valora was awesome thoughhhh in fact I loved all the characters! I just rewatched The Greatest Showman so I was overly excited when it said Val and Jamie were acrobatics. 😂🩷 also Bo was so freakin cute and sweet 🥹🥹🥹
Okay now I’m trying to think of things to say bc I don’t have much ahahahaha.
If you’re looking for a sweet read with a touch of tragedy, I totally recommend! 👋🏻🥰
Content: 2/5
Age recc: 13+
Content warnings: obviously, there’s upsetting content hence the Titanic, but it wasn’t bad/one female character briefly mentions ‘she has no interest in men’ though it is not dwelled upon or mentioned again/the main character gets attacked by a man but not in a sexual way
full rtc... 😭🤍
⋆˚✿˖°
Life is a balancing act, and the better you get at juggling, the better you get at living.
⋆˚✿˖°
Who likes reading about historical tragedies?
raises hand
I don’t really know why, but something about them is so ✨captivating✨!!! It’s especially cool how this was about the Chinese’s experience on the Titanic… did you know 6/8 of them survived when it sank way back when??? 😮😮😮
Stacey Lee is such a masterful writer! I loved The Downstairs Girl so I just had to read more of hers. 🤭🤭🤭 and this was so good I loved it! I laughed out loud multiple times lol. Then cried my eyes out at the ending….
One thing I could’ve done without was the brother vs sister trope. I honestly don’t really like it 😅😅😅 Valora was awesome thoughhhh in fact I loved all the characters! I just rewatched The Greatest Showman so I was overly excited when it said Val and Jamie were acrobatics. 😂🩷 also Bo was so freakin cute and sweet 🥹🥹🥹
Okay now I’m trying to think of things to say bc I don’t have much ahahahaha.
If you’re looking for a sweet read with a touch of tragedy, I totally recommend! 👋🏻🥰
Content: 2/5
Age recc: 13+
Content warnings: obviously, there’s upsetting content hence the Titanic, but it wasn’t bad/one female character briefly mentions ‘she has no interest in men’ though it is not dwelled upon or mentioned again/the main character gets attacked by a man but not in a sexual way
December 26, 2020
I'm a sucker for anything Titanic, but it has to be done right. Luck of the Titanic is done RIGHT. The story is told through the viewpoint of Valora Luck, a Chinese girl who is attempting to make her way to the United States via the Titanic so that she and her twin brother Jamie can make their way in a land seemingly filled with opportunity. There's one problem though: Jamie doesn't have his heart set on the United States, and Valora has tasked herself with convincing her twin that their old life of acrobatics is their ticket into a new world of possibility. Luck of the Titanic is told from a character's perspective lost in time, and deviates from the most oft seen stories of rich, white protagonists. Lee pays homage to the Chinese passengers on the Titanic, whose own experiences on the ship were buried in history. A gorgeous novel with rich prose, Luck of the Titanic is sure to intrigue historical fiction fans of all ages.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,007 reviews