Titanic: The Long
Night
Diane Hoh
The story of the Titanic is one of historical fact that
lends itself especially well to works of fiction. The grand contrast between
the wealthy on the promenade deck and the nearly penniless immigrants on E
Deck, the arrogance of the Gilded Age, and the well-known and lasting images of
the ship's final hours all provide perfect story fodder, all without the
necessity of adding anything original. This provides an interesting challenge
for writers aspiring to set their stories on the liner, requiring enough
originality to stimulate the imagination, but enough fealty to the well-known
storylines to maintain credibility. Titanic:
The Long Night errs on the side of familiarity both with regard to the
ship's story and its characters, and though the book doesn't particularly
suffer for it, what emerges is an oft-told tragic tale of young love. Hoh makes
the usual rounds, visiting many of the usual sights around first class and a riotous
party in the third class common room. The stories and characters are familiar,
but compelling enough to maintain readers' attention throughout the novel, and
there is a very real sense of suspense throughout, aided by the possibility
that the main players might well die by the end of the novel. Though there are
naturally some losses, none are particularly surprising, and the ultimate
conclusion is a fitting, if expected. There are times when Hoh tries too hard
to shoehorn modern politics into an earlier context, though this does make the
novel more relatable for teens, who are its most appropriate, and likely its
intended, audience. Despite the fact that the book treads a well-worn path, Hoh
is skilled enough to create a compelling story, and the characters rise enough above
stock level- though only just in many cases- to allow readers to care. In the
end, the book is precisely what it aspires to be: Titanic: The Long Night is a satisfying, middle-of-the-line romantic
story that efficiently utilizes the well-known facts of its setting to appeal
to a modern audience.
Grade: B+
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