Published: 2022
Series: N/A
Author: Adiba Jaigirdar
Illustrator: N/A
Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Lesbian, Historical, LGBT, Romance, Queer, Fiction, Audiobook, Mystery, Adventure, Thriller
Audience (Grade Levels): Grade 7 and up (7th–12th Grade)
Number of Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5 Stars)
Goodreads Link: A Million to One
Triggers: Death (Some characters refer to death of a family member that has already taken place prior to the start of the novel; also death related to Titanic sinking)
Review By: Jenna Ballard
Publisher’s Summary:
Adiba Jaigirdar, author of one of Time‘s Best YA books of all time, gives Titanic an Ocean’s 8 makeover in a heist for a treasure aboard the infamous ship that sank in the Atlantic many years ago.
A thief. An artist. A acrobat. An actress. While Josefa, Emilie, Hinnah, and Violet seemingly don’t have anything in common, they’re united in one goal: stealing the Rubaiyat, a jewel-encrusted book aboard the RMS Titanic that just might be the golden ticket to solving their problems. But careless mistakes, old grudges, and new romance threaten to jeopardize everything they’ve worked for and put them in incredible danger when tragedy strikes. While the odds of pulling off the heist are slim, the odds of survival are even slimmer . . .
Perfect for fans of Stalking Jack the Ripper and Girl in the Blue Coat, this high-seas heist from the author of The Henna Wars is an immersive story that makes readers forget one important detail— the ship sinks.
Review:
A solid historical adventure–with a dash of LGBT romance–told in alternating points of view of four teens hailing from Ireland, Haiti, Pakistan, and Croatia. It is refreshing to read a Titanic story that puts young girls of color front and center in the story. And, as the author notes at the end, that’s not as unrealistic as some readers may think, considering there are records of passengers of color who were aboard the real Titanic. The first half or so of the novel focuses a lot on the four girls plotting and sometimes clashing about how to carry out this heist. While I would not consider the book a full-on romance, there’s lots of slow-burn, teenager-pining moments between Josefa and Emilie that I think would fit the bill for any teens looking for an LGBT romance story.
In the second half, the action picks up as the girls get into dangerous situations on the ship, and, of course, ultimately face the Titanic’s fate.
On a personal note, I would have loved to see just a little bit more fun/humor throughout to balance out the many other tense, sad, or quiet reflective moments. The whole idea of a plot centered around a big jewel heist just gives me expectations of some comedic hijinks alongside the action. So I was a little bit disappointed to find out that wasn’t really the case here–but again, that’s more of a personal preference than a fault of the book. This is a great choice for upper middle school and high school students looking for historical fiction, thrillers, and/or LGBT romance.
Classroom & Curricular Connections:
This high-stakes heist novel offers an engaging way for educators and school librarians to hook upper middle and high school students, blending a well-known historical tragedy with essential themes of identity, survival, and intersectionality.
- Historical Reality vs. Historical Fiction (Social Studies / History): Have students use the author’s note as a launching pad to research diversity on the RMS Titanic. Students can investigate the historical records of non-European/non-white passengers and crew members, comparing the real-world demographics against traditional media portrayals of the ship.
- The Anatomy of a Heist Plot (ELA / Creative Writing): Use the book to analyze perspective and pacing. Students can track how the alternating points of view between Josefa, Hinnah, Violet, and Emilie build tension during the planning phase versus the execution phase. Have students map out a short “heist timeline” for a fictional scenario of their own, assigning distinct roles (the strategist, the artist, the performer) to their characters.
- Social-Emotional Learning Extension (SEL): Discuss the concepts of trust, teamwork, and shared vulnerability. Despite their intense cultural and personal differences, the four protagonists must rely entirely on each other to survive. Facilitate a classroom discussion or literature circle session centered on how the characters overcome deep-seated grudges and high-stakes pressure to form authentic bonds.
