Customer Reviews

Maiden Voyage

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is the fictional story of Sumner Jordan, age 12, whom is returning from visiting his father in England on the maiden voyage of the Titanic. Sumner is stuck between two worlds, childhood and adulthood and is having a hard time finding a place for himself in the world. When he is living with his mother, he feels as if he is still a child, needing to be mothered and coddled as he watches her endless fight for the right to vote for women. In the spring of 1912, he goes to visit his father in London where he is treated as an adult and begins to wonder about the adult things in life, mainly sex, after an eye opening evening at a party which his father hosts. Returning on Titanic, he is between both worlds, both literally and figuritively. He spends the beginning of his voyage alone and bored, wandering the ship and befriending many of the crew onboard the ship. Finally things turn as he spies his crush that he developed in England, Ivy, on board. The next two days are spent Ivy watching and fantasizing. Fast-forward to the Titanic colliding with the iceburg and all hell breaks loose and Sumner must make the final decision: is he a child or is he a man?

The novel is well written and it is from a unique viewpoint of a young man on the brink of adulthood but not quite there yet. However, I felt the story drug on a bit and there was only so much crushing that I could tolerate of Ivy. I suppose though, a teenage boy would enjoy this novel a lot more than I as he may be able to sympathize with Sumner a lot more than I. I think the portrayal of the Titanic and its sinking was accurate and I did like that it didn't end with the docking of the Carpathia in New York - it continued a bit into the aftermath which is rarely, if ever, done. I also have to say though that I think more description could have gone into this novel where the Titanic is concerned. Overall, it is a decent novel but not one I would rush out to get but definitely one to read for the average Titanic fan whom is wanting to read yet another fictorial retelling of the sinking of the Titanic.

Artistically, the book is spun with beautiful, modernist, poetic prose. The characters are real and autonomous, complex and flawed. Somehow, unlike any film or other novel, this book turns the sinking of the Titanic into a very real event. It's not a lame excuse to retell the sinking, to catalogue all the set details and historical moments. It's as if the characters are really, really there and experiencing, commenting, feeling. The story concerns a young boy, Sumner (named after the near-martyred abolitionist), who's mother is a suffragette and feminist and whose father is trying to live the bohemian artist life. It's--of course--this young man's coming-of-age tail, perfectly matched with that of the Romantic, idealistic, heroically-idealizing Edwardian society coming of age with the modernism, naturalism, and realism of WWI. These conflicting themes are perfect for the event of the Titanic, where these heightened ideals of heroism had their last moments, for better or for worse. The novel brings this to a horrible human moral conflict as the passengers (most importantly, Sumner), are forced to chose between death and life, bravery and cowardice, heroism and survival. Instead of the usual class issue that usually placed upon the tragedy of the Titanic, this novel investigates feminine issues (appropriately for a ship always referred to as a "she" that sinks on her maiden voyage). Sumner, who falls in love for the first time, desires to be a grown up, but more importantly, a man. He wants to die heroically on the Titanic while saving the women. Meanwhile, Ivy--the object of his affection and attempted heroism--is a suffragette, wanting to be treated equally to a man, but also to (obviously) not die in the tragedy. The idea of "women and children first" is ironically (as are most things associated with the ship) amazingly heroic and gallant, and horrifyingly, insultingly sexist. The ignorant, enslaved women are saved by the men because they supposedly can't save themselves. Yet, Ivy is willing to let men die for her, but not vote for her. It's amazingly, beautifully, perfectly complex, and absolutely suited for the story of Titanic, who herself is a woman.

While it's true that this book had little to do with the sinking of the Titanic and the main character, Sumner Jordan, is far from a plausible twelve-year-old character, the style transcends all of that. Bass has a very eloquent way of writing and could set a good example for young and aspiring writers.
If you want to check out the book because you are a Titanic buff, keep on searching, but if you are interested in a real writing talent, by all means, try it out.

After reading this book I am left with the question of what this story had to do with the Titanic. The reality is this is more of a coming of age story about a wealthy young boy than it is a book about the Titanic. The story could take place in Iowa for all the setting had to do with the disaster of 1912.

Furthermore, the main character, Sumner Jordan, is quite unbelievable as a 12-year-old boy. In sections of the book Sumner's thoughts and emotions seem more like that of a 20 something; other times he seems more like a teenager, and once in a while a 12 year old emerges.

The only character of any interest in the book is Pierce Andrews who unfortunately occupies a relatively brief part of the book. Overall the book is long to get started (do we really need all the family background?), slow to develop, and predictably ended.

The main reason I read this book was because I enjoyed this author's first novel so much ("Sherman's March"). I also am a bit of a Titanic fan ever since reading, "Raise the Titanic" as a kid. As the other reviews point out, this is not a Titanic fanatic's book. It's closer to the Jack and Rose story from the recent movie, "Titanic". But it also discusses the often overlooked and under appreciated social issues involved, such as class distinction and "women and children" first. The Titanic went down before the World Wars and the many inventions which came along. It was a time of unreal riches (before an income tax!). Bass really captures the feel of that era and weaves the characters in a very entertaining way. You will not get the details of the sinking of the ship (see a "Night To Remember" for that). But you will get a better feel for what real people might have felt and experinced at this time in history.

It is an enjoyable read.

This is a novel told from the POV of a 12-year old boy who was a first-class passenger on the Titanic. The author had all the facts right (I've studied the subject for years) and was surpringly credible. It also raised some interesting and disturbing issues of the day that were also very publicized at the time, namely allowing women the vote vs. "protection" by the male sex, supposedlly shown on the sinking ship by the rule of "women and children first" to the boats. The author does a great job describing the guilt of the narrator (a child) and a woman suffragist at having survived, yet also points out that more first-class men than third-class children were saved, and the real issue was that there should have been enough lifeboats for everyone (about 1/3 of the people on board survived). She also raises the thought-provoking question of what good it would have done for these two people to die with the others? This issue was raised also in the case of Joseph Bruce Ismay, managing director of the White Star Line, when he testified at the British Board of Trade hearings on his survival. It evidently was with him the rest of his life from what I read. I'd recommend this book as the author has put a lot of thought and attention to detail into it and it is very believable.

im very happy with this book,i followed it the whole way through.i was pleased with the details about the people on the "maiden voyage".

Maiden Voyage, in my opinion was a very distasteful book. The charecters weren't loveable,they were mean and sometimes crude. The subject, in most of the book, was not focused on Titanic, but on the Suffrage Movement and Sumner's own boyhood thoughts. It took only one chapter to sink Titanic, and five chapters to get talking about it. It wasn't even very exciting, as the real event was much more dangerous and adventurous and sad. In conclusion I did not like this book.

Sumner Jordan is 12 years old and he dreams of being a hero. He has just spent some time visiting his father in London and is returning home alone on the Titanic. It's a lonely trip for him as everyone around tends to ignore him. Everyone, except for him, seems to be having a good time. Then suddenly, he sees Ivy Earnshaw. He first had seen her in London at a suffragette demonstration. Since then, he had thought of her often. She had become part of a mob scene. He had tried to "save" her but wasn't able to. Now he wants to meet her but doesn't know how.

He gets some advice from Pierce Andrews, aviator and cynic. Following that advice, he goes to a party the next night and asks Ivy to dance. She accepts and his dreams have come true.

The disaster strikes later that night. Sumner makes a decision that changes his life and has long-lasting consequences.

The book is realistic of the times. But unlike other books about the Titanic, it describes the aftermath of the disaster. The time spent in the lifeboats waiting for help, the trip home and the guilt of those who survived.

It was interesting seeing it through the eyes of a 12 year old. Quite a different approach.

A superb work by Cynthia Bass. This book is completly thrilling. You will not be able to put it down.