Member Reviews
I thought the history behind this story was fascinating, since it is based on a true story of a young woman who survived not only the sinking of the Titanic, but also several other ships sinking. I love how the author wove it together with the fictional story of Daphne, who is part of a ring of spies in France during WWII.
While the history is interesting, parts of the story were dry, but I still enjoyed the book.
I was drawn to this immediately due to both the author and the synopsis. One woman survived multiple shipwrecks/sinking at sea and another became a member of the Special Operations Executive in France during WWII. The timeline focused on the actual life of Violet Jessop was much stronger than that inspired by the women of the SOE. Violet was uncompromising in her dedication to providing security for her family. A woman who made every sacrifice to survive and find happiness.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this title.
I love reading stories about strong women. I enjoyed this historical novel and appreciate the opportunity to review it.
Two powerhouse women based off of true stories - real people! Their stories are told in alternate views. These two women are so stinking strong, mentally and emotionally!! This is a must read!
I understand the growth in this book and the strong independent FMC is awesome but I had a hard time with this book. The WWII pov felt like that was what the author really wanted but was told there are to many wwii historical fictions add a wwi in there and well led with it. I feel like you could have made a whole book just on Violet. I get the connection between the two povs. This just wasn’t for me.
This was not your typical Titanic book. The story follows a survivor who returns to sea only to face another potential drowning. Great writing, great plot and pace with enough action and adventure and mystery to keep you in your toes.
This was a wonderful book! I really enjoy dual-timeline stories.
Violet is a stewardess on ships and survived the sinking of the Titanic. Her story spans though the first world war. Daphne is part of a secret special operations mission for France during WWII. Both women face a lot of challenges in their lives and it was a very tense reading at times. The author used true events and real, remarkable women to weave this story together.
This was very enjoyable read. I love anything that is about the Titanic. The characters are great! This book had all the feels. Many thanks to the author and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Unsinkable is a historical fiction novel about two stories that are inspired by real women and true events. It takes place in WWI and WWII as they face adversity and survive challenges to become unsinkable. The author wrote this so well and the book had great characters that will have you turning pages till the end. I highly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend this to any historical fiction reader. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for this historical fiction read in exchange of my honest review of Unsinkable.
This book has a dual timeline told from two different perspectives.
We have Violet a ship steward who survives not only one, but two ship sinking's, one of which is the infamous Titanic sinking. For most people that would be end of ever stepping foot on a ship again, but as Violet the only remaining earner of her family, she continues to serve on ships and eventually becomes a nurses aide on a war ship during WWI.
Daphne has lived all of her life believing she is the unwanted daughter of a Hollywood actor/playboy and throws herself into her studies as she grows up. Given her extraordinary intelligence and ability to speak multiple languages, she is approached to be a secret agent during WW2.
It almost seems as if both stories are just two different stories placed into one book, until all is revealed. This book proved to be full of heartache and the resilience of both women cannot be overlooked. As a fan of pretty much all things Titanic and WW2, I love this book so much.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of the E-book in exchange for an honest review.
This was very good. I will read anything that is about the Titanic. Love the characters. Of course with the nature of the book it was a little sad at times.
I couldn't put this down. I loved how the characters connected between the past POV and the present.
I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.
Jenni Walsh's book Unsinkable follows the lives of two women set at different times in the past. Violet Jessop is a stewardess aboard a few different ships and then a nurse in the First World War and Daphne Chaundanson who is approached by the Special Operations Executive in the Second World War.
This book is inspired by the true story of Violet Jessop and also a collection of women who served in the Special Operations Executive. I really loved the idea that the book was inspired by actual people and at the end of the novel there is a rundown of the stories of the actual people who inspired the events. This adds another dimension to the characters because the reader gets to know a little about the 'real people' behind the characters. Although the story itself is largely fictional, it was awesome to know the characters were based on real people.
I liked the split point of view, but at times it was difficult to remember which character I was actually following. Part of what I liked about it is because if you wanted to know what happens after a specific event, you needed to read another chapter or two in order to get back to that storyline.
Although it seems sad, the book itself is ultimately hopeful and really shows what can happen if one sticks to their goals. I thought this was a fantastic novel and I look forward to reading more from Jenni L. Walsh.
I thank NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.
This book is so beautiful. The writing, the world-building, the characters- all of it worked so well. I truly enjoyed the way the author weaved the two timelines together. It was so interesting to read the dual POV/timeline between two strong women - one surviving the Titanic and one fighting the Germans during WW2. If you like strong female protagonists this is a perfect book to pick up.
I just could not get into this book. I was so excited to receive a free copy from NetGalley, as I love all things Titanic and even have a Titanic collection, but I didn’t find myself drawn in to this book and had a hard time reading it. I’ll try reading it again, but for now it was a DNF.
Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. I love WWII historical fiction and I'm obsessed with the Titanic so I thought this would be a great blend of the two, but I just couldn't get into it. I made it 28% and found that I still didn't care about the characters or any of the outcomes and decided to call if quits.
Told in alternating viewpoints, Unsinkable is an intriguing historical fiction story about two women who help their countries during World War I & II. Violet is a stewardess on the Titanic when it goes down. She has survived illness, another close run-in on a ship, family deaths, and more. She stays on the sea to earn money for her family and to keep her distance from all the sadness. When World War I starts, the ships are commissioned as hospital ships and Violet is needed to help take care of the wounded. Daphne is a young woman living and working in Paris when the Germans take over the city during World War II. She is recruited to become part of the resistance working in northern France. After several months of training she is ready for her first mission. Based loosely on women from each of these time periods, Violet & Daphne are strong women searching for their places in the world and in their families worlds as war rages and destroys lives around them. It was a great book and their stories tie together in a neat way.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Fascinating novel that follows two females in two different decades. Both lead intriguing lives all around Europe.
Unsinkable by Jenni L. Walsh was tricky for me to rate because I found it hard to stay focused. I’m not sure what these two women have to do with one another. Why are their stories told in fluctuating timelines within the same book? I kept waiting for something to link them in a significant way. I think I know one thing that’s a link, but it’s never specified for certain and doesn’t play a big part in the long run. So, I'm just a little confused and never really felt hooked into their lives.
The characters are likable, and they scream girl power. I also love that their stories are being told. This is fiction. Don’t get me wrong, but their stories are based on real people. The author explains it better in the book. The real women these characters are based on must have had so much mental and emotional strength. I couldn’t imagine.
Princess Fuzzypants here: Two women, in two world wars, so different and yet their lives intertwine twice in ways that change their destinies.. Violet, the sole provider for her mother and younger siblings, foregoes a life of her own and goes to sea as a means of supporting them. Daphne, born into wealth and privilege has everything anyone could want- except the thing she craves most: the affirmation of her worth by her father. Two more dissimilar protagonists you could not find except in their devotion to excellence and their willingness to put aside fear and trepidation to accomplish what is necessary.
They meet twice, both times on ships where Daphne is a passenger and Violet is the stewardess taking care of First Class.. between those meetings they will show great perseverance, grit and bravery. They will surmount all the challenges put in their way, except one. Lasting love eludes them both but these two ‘unsinkable” woman will come full circle and find what their sense of obligation has made them leave behind.
I really cared for both characters and was swept along by a whole range of emotional ups and downs through their lives. It made the ending even more satisfying. Five purrs and two paws up.