Distant waves : a novel of the Titanic / Suzanne Weyn.

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Title:

Author:

Weyn, Suzanne.

ISBN:

9780545085724

Edition:

1st ed.

Publication Information:

New York : Scholastic Press, 2009.

Physical Description:

330 p. ; 22 cm.

Abstract:

In the early twentieth century, five sisters and their widowed mother, a famed spiritualist, travel from New York to London, and as the Titanic conveys them and their acquaintances, journalist W.T. Stead, scientist Nikola Tesla, and industrialist John Jacob Astor, home, Tesla's inventions will either doom or save them all.

Personal Subject:

Tesla, Nikola, 1856-1943-Juvenile fiction.

Astor, John Jacob, 1864-1912-Juvenile fiction.

Stead, W. T. (William Thomas), 1849-1912-Juvenile fiction.

Corporate Subject:

Titanic (Steamship) -- Juvenile fiction.

Subject Term:

Spiritualists -- Juvenile fiction.

Sisters -- Juvenile fiction.

Mothers and daughters -- Juvenile fiction.

Inventors -- Juvenile fiction.

Geographic Term:

New York (State) -- History -- 20th century -- Juvenile fiction.

London (England) -- History -- 20th century -- Juvenile fiction.

Great Britain -- History -- George V, 1910-1936 -- Juvenile fiction.

Available:*

Library	Material Type	Item Barcode	Shelf Number	Status
Searching... Avon-Washington Township Public Library	Teen Fiction Book Hardback	120791001865387	T WEY	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

From the author of REINCARNATION, another historical, supernatural romance, this time focusing on five sisters whose lives are intertwined with the sinking of the Titanic.

Science, spiritualism, history, and romance intertwine in Suzanne Weyn's newest novel. Four sisters and their mother make their way from a spiritualist town in New York to London, becoming acquainted with journalist W. T. Stead, scientist Nikola Tesla, and industrialist John Jacob Astor. When they all find themselves on the Titanic, one of Tesla's inventions dooms them...and one could save them.

Reviews (5)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 8 Up-Jane begins her tale with her childhood, as her recently widowed mother struggles to care for her family. While in New York City, they are assisted during an earthquake by the scientist Nikola Tesla, who explains that he caused the event with his latest invention, a device based on the concept that "everything vibrates." Inspired by this idea, and the possibility that it applies to the spirit world, Jane's mother decides to move her daughters to a community of mediums in upstate New York and support them by pursuing her "gift." When Jane is 16, she travels to New York City with her older sister to interview Tesla for a journalism contest and meets his assistant Thad, adding a romantic interest. Several months later, Jane's family travels to England for an international convention of spiritualists. Afterward, two of her sisters board the Titanic, and when their mother hears a prediction that the ship will sink, Jane tries to retrieve them, but is stuck onboard. She makes the ill-fated journey along with Thad and Tesla (who has brought several inventions that could either save the ship or destroy it). Told in gripping first-person narrative, this novel features interesting characters and creates a strong sense of time and place, while exploring the mysteries of the spirit world. An author's note separates fiction from fact and shares further details about real people and events.-Samantha Larsen Hastings, West Jordan Public Library, UT (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publisher's Weekly Review

Weyn's historical novel climaxes with the sinking of the Titanic, but it begins in 1898 when narrator Jane, the second of five sisters, is four years old and observing her mother, a medium, contact the spirit world for the first time. That same life-changing day, on their way to a spiritualist community outside Buffalo, N.Y., the newly-fatherless family is caught in an artificial earthquake caused by real-life scientist Nikola Tesla. The beginning of the novel centers on the girls' mother's spiritual work, with Jane unsure of her mother's clairvoyance. Science has an equally important role, as Jane becomes obsessed with Tesla, following his career in the paper and then seeking him out. The story's pace is slow, but it picks up as the years pass, and Jane falls in love with Tesla's assistant, Thad. After a trip to England, the sisters find themselves on the Titanic-the author uses a touch of the fantastic to provide a (mostly) happy conclusion. The interplay of science, spirituality, history and romance will satisfy. Ages 12-up. (Apr.) Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.

Horn Book Review

Despite predictions of disaster by clairvoyants, narrator Jane finds herself a passenger on the Titanic, along with her four sisters. Science, history, spiritualism, and romance converge in Weyn's text. The story plods along through Jane's early years and her medium mother's spiritualist practices, but the pace slowly picks up, culminating in the sinking of the ship. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

Kirkus Review

As a clever and independent young woman, Jane is skeptical of her mother's work as a renowned spirit medium but not willing to write it off completely; her fate hinges on her agnosticism. Despite multiple predictions of disaster, Jane and her four sisters wind up aboard the Titanic as it departs England on its maiden voyage, and she faces a choice: Should she believe the prophecies and get them all off the ship when it stops in France or Ireland, or should she have faith in science and proceed with the transatlantic crossing? The well-researched story relies heavily on dialogue to impart rich historical detail, resulting in stiff, unnatural exchanges. But Weyn weaves fantasy together with factual threads of the Spiritualist movement, Nikola Tesla's inventions and the celebrity-studded passenger list of the doomed ocean liner to produce a tale that is half history-textbook and half science-fictionthriller. The author's note clarifies where she has taken liberties with real people and events. For readers who can accept the premise, this is a page-turner. (Historical fantasy. 13 up) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Booklist Review

*Starred Review* Plenty of fiction has been set aboard the Titanic, but Weyn's take on the infamous disaster is wholly original. For starters, the doomed ocean liner doesn't appear until the book is two-thirds finished. Instead of using the tragedy as a plot engine, Weyn employs it as but one of the historical forces she juggles to propel her unusual story. Most central is the turn-of-the-century spiritualist movement: Jane is one of five daughters born to a well-known spirit medium, and although she wants to believe in the practices of her mother and particularly her eerie twin sisters she finds herself constantly struggling at the intersection of faith and science. The latter camp is represented by real-life scientist Nikola Tesla; his inventions indirectly lead to Jane meeting her true love (and, in a neat bit of historical revisionism, even have something to do with the Titanic's fate). Various other luminaries drift in and out of the story, and only occasionally do their appearances feel forced. The ending, too, requires a leap of faith some readers may not be willing to take, but the sweeping action, mysticism, and romance should ensure that most will gladly take the plunge. A wonderful author's note clearly sifts fact from fiction.--Kraus, Daniel Copyright 2009 Booklist

Excerpts

From Distant Waves: A Novel of the Titanic ,/b> He took hold of my hand and together we hurried to a spot near the band where other couples held one another close and did a bouncy sort of strut in unison. "I have to put my arm around your waist; is that okay?" he checked. I hoped to high heaven that I wasn't blushing as I nodded that it was fine--much better than fine. He held me so close that we were cheek to cheek, ankle to ankle. The dance was fast which didn't leave time to feel too awkward and before I knew it I was smiling so hard that my face ached a little. At one point Thad began turning us in dizzying spins without ever letting go of his hold of me. How had I come to this? This morning I'd expected a quiet day. Now I was on the greatest luxury liner of all time, out in themiddle of the ocean, spinning joyfully in the arms of the person I'd been longing for over the last seven months. Everything was perfect. Excerpted from A Novel of the Titanic by Suzanne Weyn All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.