A wonderful read....

Set between Donegal-Ireland and America, “The Titanic Sisters” by author Patricia Falvey, is a tale of two sisters, who given the opportunity of a lifetime to live and work in America, set sail on the infamous Titanic to start their new life. Since we all know what happens with the Titanic, tragedy ensues and the sisters think each other dead. After being rescued and taken to New York, they each start their new lives apart but not in the way they planned. However, when Nora realises her sister Delia is alive and working in the job she was supposed to be doing, she sets out on her revenge.
Nora and Delia couldn’t be any more different in appearance and personality and although it took me a long time to endear to them, by the end of the story I was rooting for them both. One character in particular that I thoroughly enjoyed reading about was Mayflower, with her southern American drawl and bubbling personality you couldn’t help but visualise her and hear her distinct voice when she spoke. As the story progresses it does become a very intriguing tale. I did find throughout the book, parts that were a little repetitive, dull and slow moving but by the end, certainly when the story moved to Texas (somewhere I’ve never read about before), it picked up immensely and I really couldn’t put it down. I would have liked to see a little more about the suffragette movement that the story touched on and think it could have been an exciting addition to the storyline but that is just my opinion and in no way affected the enjoyment of the story.
The events on the Titanic, when it was hit by the iceberg, were truly harrowing and knowing this was a true life event, it made it all the more sorrowful. What the passengers went through, trying to survive, the worry of loved ones left behind and the freezing conditions must have been horrendous. The author covered all this brilliantly and all through the book you could tell she had done an immense amount of research covering the numerous things mentioned including the oil drilling in Dallas, the towns the sisters encounter and the people and their conditions already living in America etc.
This historical saga is an easy, undemanding read that really does transport you to the early 1900’s and is both atmospheric and rich in detail. A slow build compared to other similar stories I’ve read but still very well written and I’d happily read more by this author again.