Having seen the Movie (Titanic), I was a bit iffy about reading a novel with this event front and centre as a theme for the characters' becoming acquainted. However, Alcott wrote an exemplary re-telling of this disaster and brought forward some of the factual background that was based on original transcripts of the sinking.

Tess Collins, the main character, and her hiring by the Designer (Lucile, based on Lucy Duff-Gordon) added the fashion dress-making, along with the two men who became acquainted on board with Tess. These passages were less engaging, appeared contrived, especially the continued employment of Tess in Lucile's fashion workshop. There was less fashion and sewing than I expected, but the story revolving around the investigation into the sinking more than made up for that. Ultimately the romance aspects seemed artificial and all too swiftly developed. The novel could have appealed more strongly had these relationships been couched in more realistic terms. ( )

Impressive and historically true story about Titanic survivors and how the sinking of the mighty ship shaped their lives and decisions. The account of the actual sinking is haunting and left an impression on me. The titular character is a strong young woman, and her self confidence is impressive. Great period piece with lots of details about New York in the early 1900's. ( )

A fairly enjoyable book, although I found the hiring and then keeping on of Tess a bit implausible ( )

I'll be honest, I'm not the biggest historical fiction fan. I often get caught up in wondering what is true and what has been dramatized for the book, especially with novels about big important events like the Titanic. I do think this book does a good job of examining the "why" only one boat went back to look for survivors, and it captures the complex feelings surrounding such a tragedy incredibly well. ( )

Despite knowing a bit about the Titanic (beyond what they showed in the movie), I never gave much, if any, thought to what occurred after the ship sank and the survivors were rescued by the Carpathia. And this is the first time I'd ever been exposed to anything that even talked about it. Of course, I should have realized that there would be hearings. Of course there would be survivors guilt, and second-guessing and triple-guessing of what had happened that night. The sinking takes place very early on the book, and the main character, Tess, is fortunate enough to get a seat on a lifeboat - the same one as Margaret Brown (who is compelling enough that she seems to feature prominently in almost every story about the Titanic). Her employers, the famous Lord and Lady Duff Gordons also survive, having found seats in the infamous Lifeboat One, the center of scandal and rumor for 1) being the most empty lifeboat, and 2) Lord Duff Gordon offering the sailors in the boat money.

The Titanic sinking took place during a time when society was changing, which Alcott shows well. The Duff Gordons represent the old ways, where wealth and privilege commanded almost serf-life fealty. But Tess lands in America, where there is no nobility, and she has options available to her she didn't have in England. She befriends a woman reporter, witnesses the suffragette movement, and realizes that she has choices. The underlying theme that threads throughout the book was one of equality, in which stripped of the outer marking of rank, everyone was the same and that there are good, bad, and everything in between in every class, every rank, and gender.

The least compelling part of the story is the love triangle among Tess, Jim the sailor, and Jack the American millionaire. But at the same time, it helped illustrate the different world Tess finds herself in after the Titanic. Ultimately, it is not about wealth and power, but about forging ahead and making a life for herself in which she is her own person.

Review copy courtesy of the publisher via Goodread's First Reads program. ( )