The Girl Who Came Home: A Novel of the Titanic
"Life is fragile, Grace-it is no more than a petal of cherry blossom: thriving and in full bloom one minute and blown to the ground by a sudden gust of wind the next."
Oh the emotions that this book made me feel. I knew that this was going to be an emotional book, I mean it is about the Titanic of all things, but this was just such a beautiful book. This book was inspired by the Addergoole Fourteen who left Ireland on the Titanic, eleven of which perished in the disaster.
This book mainly switches point-of-view between Maggie and her great-granddaughter Grace. It also does switch point-of-view between other characters that were on the Titanic and some of their relatives. I loved reading about Maggie and her voyage to America when she was only 17. It is absolutely heartbreaking to think that the things she experienced in this book many in real life experienced as well. To go from the only place she knows at home and to end up in a foreign land having just lost friends, family, and familiar faces was an unimaginable blow. Not only that but leaving the man that she loves behind.
I wasn't really as interested in Grace's story as Maggie. After all that Maggie has gone through it kind of felt like Grace's experiences paled in comparison. I did really enjoy getting to see Grace and Maggie bond over Maggie's story.
I loved reading from the point-of-view from others on the ship (especially Harry) and the other characters besides Grace and Maggie. It really enhanced the story to see these events from the other character's point-of-views.
The ending just left me in chills and sobbing. It was just so beautiful and it was a twist that I have to say I didn't see coming. I felt stupid for not seeing it coming but I absolutely loved the twist and the ending.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking to read a great historical fiction book about the Titanic from the perspective of someone who was in the 3rd class on the ship.
[I received this book from a Librarything Early Reviewers giveaway. The content of my review is in no way affected by that.]