Author: Jenni L. Walsh
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Harper Muse
Book Release Date: 2024
Pages: 351
Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: The Titanic was only the beginning. 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.
My Review: Unsinkable is a dual timeline novel. One part of the story is told of Violet Jessie who works as a nurse during WWI. The other part of the story tells of Daphne Chaundanson, who worked as an agent in France during WWII. Both of these stories tell how these women were strong and could face many adversities.
I found Violet to be a more intriguing character than Daphne. I found it fascinating that Violet Jessie survived two ship sinkings. She is a woman who never stops caring for her family. She also was very determined, and didn't let tragedy and horrors get to her. As for Daphne, I found her to be a Mary Sue. She was perfect in every way. She was very intelligent, had a love of art, and could speak many languages. Men found her to be very enchanting. Therefore, I thought that Violet was a more developed character than Daphne. I was more interested in her experiences than I was with Daphne’s.
Overall, this novel is about love, family, and survival. I thought most of the characters aside from Violet were stereotypical and one-dimensional. I thought that Violet’s story was very rushed, and I wanted to spend more time with her. Daphne’s story was very drawn out. This is because it glosses over many of the events in Violet’s story, such as the Titanic arc. The book also seemed disjointed because there was very little connection between the characters. I think it would have been better if it was solely focused on one character and not two. Still, I like the writing in this book, and it is clear Mrs. Walsh did her research. I recommend this for fans of both WWI and WWII novels. Unsinkable is perfect for fans of The Last Masterpiece, The Paris Deception, and Goodnight from Paris!
Rating: 2 ½ out of 5 stars
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