2024 Book Review #9:The Glass Ocean

 

This is a book written by 3 female authors, one of whom I've read before.  It's historical fiction and I really enjoyed it.

STORY SUMMARY

It's 2013 and best-selling author Sarah Blake, who lives in New York City, is broke. She's struggling with a new idea for a new book.  One day she opens an old box filled with some of her great grandfather's things.  He died when the ship, Lusitania sank in May of 1915. She discovers something in this box...and what she discovers could change history! Sarah begins a journey to England that will see her enlisting the help of John Langford...a direct descendent of Robert Langford, who was on the Lusitania when it went down...he survived!  John is a recently displaced member of Parliament due to his ex-wife's indiscretions.  The Langford family archives might contain the clues needed for Sarah to solve the puzzle of what really happened in the sinking of the Lusitania and the start of America's involvement in WWI. 

Meanwhile, back in 2015, Caroline Hochstetter is a former Southern belle who is now married, at age 24, to a very wealthy man named Gilbert. She has been used to his attentions and lavish love but lately, her industrialist husband has been distracted and doesn't seem to have time for her. She can't quite figure out why. She's hoping that when they board the Lusitania for a trip to England in the most lavish first class accommodations that their wealth can buy will help them to reconnect. At the same time, she cannot ignore the spark she feels for her old friend Robert Langford, who is also sailing on the ship. Caroline is restless and longs for a different existence...so she decides to take matters into her own hands....and decides for once and for all to take charge of her own life. 

Tess Fairweather is also traveling on the Lusitania but she is in second class, returning home to Devon, England. That's her story anyways.  She is actually Tennessee Schaff, the daughter of a con man and the younger sister of Ginny, another con artist who ropes Tess/Tennie into performing forgeries and stealing valuable items of art, among other things. Ginny has promised that if they pull off the planned heist on board the Lusitania that this kind of life will end for them and they can leave the dangerous games behind. But Tess has a funny feeling that there is something more sinister about this latest "job" than Ginny is telling her.......

As the Lusitania heads towards its destination...and its fate, all three of these women work against time to unravel  a plot that will change the course of their lives.....and of history. 

MY THOUGHTS

I really enjoyed this historical fiction novel. I liked that it wasn't set during WWII as many of these novels are nowadays...this one is set in WWI just before the US becomes involved. There is of course speculation that we became involved due to the German U boats torpedoing the Lusitania. 

I liked the character development of all the main characters as well as some of the minor characters.  They are well developed and you really get a sense of their personalities throughout the story.  Each chapter is told in a different voice: Caroline, Tess, Sarah.  The authors do a good job also with putting the date and year at the beginning of each chapter so you don't get mixed up between the past and the more present day. 

I love the drama in this book and there's just enough romance to keep it interesting and moving but it's not super sappy which I totally appreciate. 

The main themes in this book (besides the historic aspect) are: marital relationships, upper class vs lower class; aristocracy vs servant, deceit and betrayal, forgiveness, friendship, scandel, infidelity,  love, perseverance. I think that there's somewhat of a "trying to find redemption from one's past failures or sins" as well. It's very well done! 

In my opinion, this book is appropriate for ages 14 and older. 

On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, I rate this a 9.