I liked the premise of this book (thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book). I was drawn into the characters and the love triangle happening between the characters. I wasn't the biggest fan of the ending of this book; it didn't really have a good conclusion in my opinion.

A love triangle. Three Titanic survivors. A book about books.
 
This novel is not about The Titanic. It’s not about actual survivors. And it’s not about the book club. This story is about three people who come into each other’s lives as survivors of the Titanic--because they never boarded or already disembarked--and form a bond with each other, become friends, and, almost obsessively, start to control one another’s lives with intrigues. It made me somehow think of the love triangle in The Talented Mr. Ripley. Haze felt a little like Tom Ripley, a charming and inscrutable person.
 
Yorick, Haze, and Zinnia all have different reasons for not being on the Titanic when it struck an iceberg. Yorick, probably sidelined as a librarian because of his stack of secret books, Zinnia considered a second-class citizen due to her Japanese heritage and therefore not allowed to be in first class, and Haze traveling with a benefactor and cutting his trip short when he finds out his benefactor booked one room on the Titanic with only one bed.
 
The Titanic Survivors’ Book Club is about yearning and aching and love. It’s about the sometimes mysterious choices people make. I adored the book’s theme, even though I didn’t know all the books mentioned. What I loved most is the conception that books are able to reach into your past and heal old wounds.

But while I sometimes read breathlessly and found Haze’s pushing and pulling fascinating, an unrest started to simmer in my stomach. Everything remained on the surface, and I think lots of people will love this story, but people like me, who need to feel the main characters’ pain in their chests, ache for something deeper. I could have done with fewer books and their meaning, fewer letters, and more character depth. The book also could have benefited from more pages. Now it’s only 300, including illustrations.

Timothy Schaffert is a very sensuous writer, using color, texture, scent, taste, and sound form his scenes ' aesthetic. His earlier book, "The Perfume Thief," is especially redolent with this these details, and he uses them again with great success in his new book, "The Titanic Survivors Book Club."

The survivors of the title are not people who were on the Titanic and survived, but people who were supposed to be on the ship and at the last minute did not board. There are many reasons for this: Yorick was supposed to be the second-class librarian but a superior bumped him from the job at the last minute; Zinnia and her parents were told at the last minute they could not travel first-class because her mother was Japanese. Everyone has a reason for their extraordinary luck. A toymaker who designed souvenir toys for the ship brings all these survivors together at Yorick's bookshop in Paris so they can share their feelings and experiences through books.

Although the toymaker brings them together, he is not a major character. Yorick, Zinnia, and Haze form a romantic triangle that dominates the story. They're a pretty interesting trio, but I would liked to know more about the other survivors. When the book puts these three in lazer-like focus it's almost too much and the taut line of the narrative goes slack.

If you haven't read Schaffert before, a treat awaits you. His complex stories with that rich detail make you look at the world in a different way--I found that I was thinking more about the textures, scents, and color around me. Trying to hang on to that feeling.

Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.a

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance reader copy in exchange for a review.
This will appear on Goodreads on November 22, and the book is to be published April 2024.
The title of the book and its publishing date, close to the anniversary of the titanic disaster, suggest that this is a book for someone who might be endlessly fascinated by the ship and the stories of her passengers.
This is not that book.
The premise is that this is a gathering of people who survived the disaster by not being on the ship at all, by missing the boat in some fashion. There are lots of references to famous books and the books is set in fabulous Paris, but it ends up being a story of three in a strange Cyrano love triangle. I was excited for the book but quickly got bored, set it down, picked it back up, and tired again. I saw the title and had to read this book, but I felt disenchanted.

Some passengers of the Titanic had tickets but did not get on board. They were a special group of "survivors".
When all these survivors are invited to get together they share their stories. Not wanting to lose the connection with each other they decide to form a book club. Three of the survivors meeting attendees (Yorick, the ship's librarian, now the owner of a Paris book shop; Zinnia, a glamorous candy heiress who is part Japanese; Haze, a mesmerizing young man who has worked his way up from a life on the street) form a close connection and attraction. The dynamics and motives of this trio drives the story. There is a lot of material for discussion.

Thanks to NetGalley for n eGalley of this title.

Immersive and engaging - this will please bibliophiles and Titanic buffs alike. A recommended purchase for collections where HF and bookshop tales are popular.

"The Titanic Survivors Book Club" by Timothy Schaffert is a captivating historical novel that explores the power of second chances, the love of books, and the enduring bonds that form among a secret society of Titanic survivors.

Yorick, an apprentice librarian for the White Star Line, dreams of opening a bookshop in Paris. His life takes a dramatic turn when he's left stranded at the dock on the fateful day the Titanic sets sail. Although initially seen as a twist of fate, this event pushes Yorick to follow his passion and fulfill his dream. He opens a bookshop in Paris, where he not only sells books but also finds solace in their pages.

As the years pass, Yorick's life intersects with a secret society of Titanic survivors who, like him, didn't board the ship that fateful night. This eclectic group decides to form a book club where they discuss literary classics like "The Awakening" and "The Picture of Dorian Gray" as a means to cope with the anxiety of their fortunate escape.

Among the book club members, Yorick forms connections with Zinnia, a glamorous woman, and Haze, a mysterious figure. A complex triangle of love and friendship evolves, and their stories become intertwined. With the looming specter of the Great War on the horizon and the sudden death of one of their own, the survivors must grapple with their shared past and uncertain futures.

Timothy Schaffert weaves a beautifully eloquent narrative that brings Paris to life and delves into the transformative power of literature and shared experiences. The characters are richly developed, and the relationships between them are intricate and poignant.

This novel is a lyrical ode to love, serendipity, and the way books can bring people together. It's an elegant and compelling story that beautifully captures the enduring impact of stories and the resilience of the human spirit.

"The Titanic Survivors Book Club" will enchant and inspire readers who appreciate historical fiction, the magic of books, and stories that celebrate the profound connections between people.