On a Cold Dark Sea by Elizabeth Blackwell @eblackwellbooks #bookreview #historical

Title: On a Cold Dark Sea

Author: Elizabeth Blackwell

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Publication Date: April 10, 2018

Page Count: 277

My rating:   5 stars

About the book:

On April 15, 1912, three women climbed into Lifeboat 21 and watched in horror as the Titanic sank into the icy depths. They were strangers then…

Con artist Charlotte Digby lied her way through London and onto the Titanic. The disaster could be her chance at a new life—if she hides the truth about her past. Esme Harper, a wealthy American, mourns the end of a passionate affair and fears that everything beautiful is slipping from her grasp. And Anna Halversson, a Swedish farm girl in search of a fresh start in America, is tormented by the screams that ring out from the water. Is one of them calling her name?

Twenty years later, a sudden death brings the three women back together, forcing them to face the impossible choices they made, the inconceivable loss, and the secrets they have kept for far too long.

On a Cold Dark Sea by Elizabeth Blackwell is a historical fiction novel based around the sinking of the Titanic. Being a fan of fiction set around real life events I knew as soon as I saw this book that I needed to read it, especially being addicted to books centering around the Titanic.

The book is a completely fictional tale of three women who boarded the ill fated ship. The first section of the story introduces Charlotte, Esme and Anna in their own chapters that tell their stories of what events in their lives led them to eventually boarding the ship. All three are from different backgrounds and economical statuses bringing a glimpse at the diversity of the passengers.

Then we land in the second part which follows the ladies in their lives twenty years after they survived the sinking. The three had landed in the same lifeboat despite their vastly different backgrounds and it’s hinted at what transpired that night but also shows what they did with their lives afterwards. The third section then takes a closer look at the night of the sinking that had been previously eluded to with then part four wrapping the story all up.

Despite Charlotte, Esme and Anna’s differences I still easily connected to each as their stories were being told and felt that I was transported back to the early 1900’s quite easily. When the actual events of that fateful night are brought into the story they were done quite well following what we’ve learned was going on that night and giving these characters their own personal narrative. Once I picked up the story I became totally engaged and just didn’t want to put it down until the very end, definitely recommend checking this one out.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Find this book online: 

Goodreads  /   Amazon

About the author:

Elizabeth Blackwell is the author of While Beauty Slept. A graduate of Northwestern University and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, she lives outside Chicago with her family and piles of books she is absolutely, positively going to read someday. See what she’s up to at elizabethblackwellbooks.com or follow Elizabeth Blackwell Author on Facebook.