Book Review: “Sheltering Angel”, by Louella Bryant

Every age is a tragic age. Wars kill youth, disasters maim the living, and storms sink great ships.

★★★★★

As soon as I saw the cover of this book, I was hooked. When I read that it was based on a true story, I had to request it.

I think everybody knows the story of Titanic, the ocean liner that sunk after hitting an iceberg during her maiden voyage. Other details of the tragedy are less known, and you can find them all in Sheltering Angel, a mix of research and testimony.

The book follows the story of two survivors: the Scottish steward Andrew and the American woman Florance. Their lives will start years apart, but they will cross paths in the most devastating and tender way.

Both the protagonists of the book are real life people. The author is personally related to Florance, being the grandmother of her mother-in-law. Louella Bryant felt compelled to write this story not only for the relation, but also because of her interest in societal rules and traditions that isolate classes from each other.

That is one of the symbols the Titanic carries, and what adds to her tragedy – the liner (as others of the epoch), represents a micro-cosmo fluctuating on the ocean. At the deepest levels of the ship, we have third class passengers, on a higher level, the second class ones, and on the highest and most privileged one, the first class.

This is a beautiful and dreadful representation of society, in which second and third classes were not allowed to mix with the most privileged one. On the ship it was a matter of sanitation, and at night they even closed the gates to prevent the spreading of diseases. One of the obvious parallels is how high society regarded the ones below them for economic and societal status, how hostile they were towards the other classes, and how suspicious they were towards people trying to climb the social ladder.

You can expect to find a profound reflection on society in the book, while it also touches on the themes of love, loss, hope, and humanity.

Final Thoughts

I loved how the characters were slowly introduced, and how the tragedy strikes them only in the second half of the book. In this way, you get to know them intimately and genuinely care about them, a feat that not every author achieves.

The stories of Andrew and Florence were beautifully written: when they finally converged, I also loved their relationship – deep and moving. I was cheering for them until the very last word.

I was hungry for historical and technical details, and I wasn’t disappointed. Louella Bryant shows a deep knowledge of the tragedy, debunking some myths, and adding the most recent discoveries. They were also introduced without being overwhelming, and without interrupting the narrative flow of the book, a big plus!

I honestly don’t have any negative words for Sheltering Angel. I loved it from start to finish and in every detail. I wouldn’t feel like recommending it only to fans of Titanic, but because of the variety of the thematics that can appeal to a vast audience, I encourage anyone to pick this book up.

**Thank you NetGalley, Louella Bryant and Black Rose Writing for an ARC of this book.**