Review Detail

When her brother left her sick and weak on an orphanage stoop in Whitechapel, England, Margaret Ann Brady wondered if she would see him again. Years later, after her brother seeks his fortune in America, Margaret is offered the opportunity to become a ladys companion to Mrs. Carstairs, an American on her way home. Margaret rejoices in the chance to rejoin her brother and eagerly boards the RMS Titanic with her new mistress. But the ship strikes an iceberg and Margaret finds her dreams of reaching her brother, and even her very life, imperiled.

Sadly, Voyage on the Great Titanic by Ellen Emerson White lacked real tension in the story. Portions of the plotting proceeded slowly, floundering like the great ship herself. No real conflict exists from the time of boarding the ship until the accident. White adds no new surprises or nuances to this old story and brings little emotional connectivity to the reader/protagonist relationship.

It also feels implausible that a lower-class orphan, even of exceptional intelligence, should use such elegant phrases as I so prefer to guard my privacy that I do not think I would accept such a directive from anyone else & or I will keep your disgraceful breach of protocol to myself.

This relaunch of a 1998 release does paint a picture of the elegant life aboard Titanic and fans of the Dear America series may enjoy the book because of the thrilling, though horrible, eventone that continues to intrigue many. Those interested in the sinking of the Titanic will find interesting tidbits here that jibe with other books and movies. This book, while not great literature, would be an appropriate vehicle for understanding this historical happening. To that end, it includes a historical note, photographs and illustrations, and a timeline.