The Luck of the Titanic

“The sooner you let people be who they want to be, the better for all.”

The Luck of the Titanic by Stacey Lee is a historical fiction novel about a young Chinese-English girl named Valora Luck who journeys on the famous Titanic voyage in search of her twin brother Jamie and a new life as an acrobat in America. 

Although the Titanic is one of the most renowned tragedies in history, I found The Luck of the Titanic to be a surprisingly uplifting novel (initially). There was never a slow moment in the plot of Valora’s story, but I found that the characters and their relationships were really the backbone of the novel, which is something I really enjoy in a book. Even beyond the delightful romantic relationship, there were friendships, mentors and their mentees, and of course, Valora and Jamie’s relationship. Their “twinship” fueled the book with its entertaining dialogue and unconditional sibling love. A strong point of the novel was the characterization of Valora specifically. Throughout her journey, her perseverance towards her goal never wavered, yet she still valued other people in her life selflessly. Further, Lee touches on important themes such as racism, grief, and Chinese culture and tradition in a way that is sensitive and didn’t overpower the plot, which I appreciated. 

While The Luck of Titanic was not intricately written nor a milestone in literature, I found it to be a great quick read that was enjoyable yet thought provoking. Readers who appreciate strong female characters who challenge prejudice and books that are mostly propped up by deep and meaningful character relationships and identities, I would recommend The Luck of the Titanic as a lovely quick read. Or, if someone’s just looking for a feel-good historical fiction novel with a nice, happy cry at the end, this book is for them.