Published: 2021
Author: Stacey Lee
Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Historical, Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Retellings, Asian Literature, Young Adult Historical Fiction
Audience (Grade Levels): Grades 6-12
Number of Stars: 4-Stars
Goodreads Link: Luck of the Titanic
Triggers: Racism, family disputes, peril/survival situations
Review By: Amber Gladle
Publisher’s Summary
Valora Luck has two things: a ticket for the biggest and most luxurious ocean liner in the world, and a dream of leaving England behind and making a life for herself as a circus performer in New York. Much to her surprise, though, she’s turned away at the gangway; apparently, Chinese people aren’t allowed into America.
But Val has to get on that ship. Her twin brother, Jamie, who has spent two long years at sea, is on board, as is an influential circus owner. Thankfully, there’s not much a trained acrobat like Val can’t overcome when she puts her mind to it.
As a stowaway, Val should keep her head down and stay out of sight. But the clock is ticking and she has just seven days as the ship makes its way across the Atlantic to find Jamie, audition for the circus owner, and convince him to help get them both into America.
Then one night, the unthinkable happens, and suddenly Val’s dreams of a new life are crushed under the weight of the only thing that matters: survival.
Review
This book would be great for students in grades 6-12. Valora is hoping to reunite with her twin brother on the worlds most luxurious ocean liner The Titanic. But due to her heritige Valora is hit with several obsticles along the way. Stacey Lee tells the story of the Chinese men that were aboard The Titanic with the help of the addition of the fictional character Valora. A lesser known fact of The Titanic is the eight Chinese passengers on the boat this story brings to light their hardships and obsticles while being on The Titanic. This story focuses on the obsticles and hardships faced by passengers of different racial backgrounds. Some romance but not enough to consider this a romance novel. Family disputes do occur and could be seen as a senstive topic. As a side note: I listened to this novel, the narrator is fantastic.
Classroom & Curricular Connections
- Social Studies / History: This novel is an excellent tool for illuminating a lesser-known aspect of the historical Titanic disaster—the presence and plight of its Chinese passengers. It serves as a great launchpad for discussing early 20th-century immigration policies, racial discrimination, and the global exclusion laws of the era.
- ELA / Themes of Identity and Adversity: Ideal for exploring character motivations, external obstacles, and historical retellings through a marginalized lens. Teachers can use Valora’s journey to evaluate how an author blends fictional protagonists with real historical figures to challenge traditional narratives.
- SEL (Social-Emotional Learning): Connects well to lessons on resilience, navigating deep family disputes, and maintaining hope while facing immense systemic and physical obstacles.
Diversity & Representation
Luck of the Titanic provides vital representation by intentionally centering historical narratives around Chinese passengers, whose experiences on the ship have frequently been erased or ignored in mainstream accounts. It highlights the layered hardships and systemic racism faced by travelers of color during this tragedy, adding a necessary, inclusive perspective to standard historical curricula.
Readalikes
- The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee
- Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
- Titanics Folly by Aaron Mahnke
