Book Review

TITLE: Unsinkable

AUTHOR: Jenni L. Walsh

PUBLISHER: Harper Muse

RELEASE DATE: January 9, 2024

GENRE: Historical Fiction, Fiction

BUY LINKS: AMAZON | B&N

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Titanic was only the beginning. What she survived has become legend. What she survived has become legend. Inspired by true stories of survival and resilience, Unsinkable entwines the lives of two women, one from World War 1 and another from World War 2, as they face adversity and take hold of the second chances given to them.

Violet Jessop is Miss Unsinkable.

After her mother becomes too ill to work, the responsibility to provide for the family falls to Violet as the oldest of nine. When the world enters the Great War, she serves as a nurse, helping men who could very well be her brothers. Working as a stewardess and wartime nurse, Violet not only survives a shipwreck but also two sinkings, one on the infamous Titanic. No one can understand why she would return to sea, but something keeps drawing Violet back to the tumultuous waters, where she struggles to put the tragedies of her past behind her and pursue a life and love all her own.

Daphne has survived calamity of her own.

Daphne Chaundanson grows up as an unwanted child after her mother died in a tragedy. She throws herself into education, collecting languages like candy in a desperate attempt to finally earn her father’s approval. When the Special Operations Executive invites her to be an agent in France in World War II, her childhood of anonymity and her love of languages make her the perfect fit. She sees it as an opportunity to help the country she loves and live up to her father’s expectations. But the dangers of war challenge Daphne in ways she never could have expected, and the secrets from her own past must be faced for her to truly have a future beyond the conflict–if she can survive it.

Inspired by true stories of Violet Jessop and the thirty-nine women of the Special Operations Executive. Two unsinkable women. Two stories of survival, family, and finding one’s own happiness. One connection that reshapes both their lives forever. (Description from Goodreads.com)

MY THOUGHTS

(***Please note that this review may contain spoilers***)

The book follows two different women in two different timelines. Violet in the early 1900s, including World War I, and her survival of the Titanic sinking. Then Daphne’s story takes place during World War II and her experiences being a Special Operations agent.

The historical fiction aspect of the book is what drew me to wanting to read/listen to it. It was the second book in my audiobook journey and the narrators were great. I was engaged the whole time while listening to it on my drive to and from work.

Both the World War II and Titanic aspects is what specifically caught my interest. I’m very interested in these two historical events, so I was curious how the author would combine them into a seamless story. I also enjoy books focused on strong female characters and their contributions to historical events so this book delivered on both of those fronts.

While I believe it was a great book and would recommend reading it, I was left wanting the focus to be 100% on Violet’s or Daphne’s journey instead. The connection between the two timelines and women didn’t really happen until towards the end of the book, so it felt like I was reading two different books for much of it.

I really liked have the author’s note at the end describing how Violet Jessop was a real person and her story is what inspired this book. I always love books inspired by real people.

Overall, I would recommend this book for those that like historical fiction and books focused on females in history.

OVERALL RATING

ABOUT JENNI WALSH

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS | INSTAGRAM

Jenni L. Walsh is the USA Today bestselling author of over a dozen books for adults and children, spending her days knee deep in words in Philadelphia’s suburbia. Beyond words, Jenni is a mama (of a soulful twelve-year-old, a soccer-loving ten-year-old, and six needy furbabies), a wife, a Philly and ‘Nova sports fan.