Surviving Savannah
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Trigger warnings: drowning, slavery, abusive relationship, grief
The Pulaski sinks and affects the residents of Savannah, Georgia for years to come.
Augusta Longstreet is aboard the Pulaski to help her brother and his wife with their children, of which there are several. Augusta is viewed by society as a widow because her fiancé died weeks before their wedding.
Lilly Forsyth is a local legend in Savannah, with a statue of her dedicated to the Pulaski tragedy. She is traveling on the ship with her odious husband Adam, their baby Madeline, and her nursemaid slave Priscilla. Augusta is her beloved aunt who is really more like a sister to her.
The story of the women on the Pulaski unfolds as present-day historian Everly Winthrop researches the passengers for a museum exhibit. Everly's story is also rich despite the lack of a naval disaster. She is dealing with the grief associated with the untimely death of her best friend. Her life has stalled as she struggles to deal with the loss.
The narration of the story vacillates between the present-day and the 1800s. In modern Savannah, Everly grew up listening to stories of the Pulaski and works on a museum exhibit when the remains of the ship are found. In the 1830s, Lilly and Augusta convey the sinking of the Pulaski.
The novel is beautifully written, which makes reading it a pleasure. The details of the ship sinking feel particularly real, if gruesome at times. The struggle of all three women to survive and "survive the surviving" knit their stories together.
Recommended for fans of Southern fiction, historical fiction, and Titanic stories.
Patti Callahan Henry is the bestselling author of Southern contemporary fiction who writes historical fiction as Patti Callahan. She divides her time between Alabama and South Carolina.
Publisher: Berkley
Length: 432 pages
Release Date: March 9, 2021 (happy birthday to me!)
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I received an electronic galley copy of this title from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.