Fateful by Claudia Gray

Goodreads Synopsis:

A tragic tale about falling in love on the world’s most infamous ill-fated sea voyage as heroine, Tess, discovers darker secrets that lie beneath the doomed crossing… and a hidden brotherhood that threaten to tear her lover from her forever.

The RMS Titanic is the most luxurious ship ever built, but for eighteen-year-old Tess Davies it’s a prison. Travelling as a maid for the family she has served for years, Tess is trapped in their employ amid painful memories and family secrets.

When she meets Alec, a handsome upper class passenger, Tess falls helplessly in love. But Alec has secrets of his own… and soon Tess is entangled in a dangerous game. A sinister brotherhood that will do anything to induct Alec into their mystical order has followed him onboard. And Tess is now their most powerful pawn.

Tess and Alec fight the dark forces threatening to tear them apart, never realising that they will have to face an even greater peril before the journey is over…
New York Times best-selling author Claudia Gray delivers adventure, dark paranormal suspense, alluring romance, and a truly surprise ending, set against the opulent backdrop of the Titanic's first — and last — voyage.
 

Fateful

by Claudia Gray

Our rating: 5 of 5 stars

Little Lass Muses

Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Romance, Werewolf
Cover: Beautiful dress but hinted nothing into the story.
Thumbs: 4 Out 4 Up
Overall: I loved it .
Characters: Mixed emotions of love/hate. Each was strong and lent to the storyline making it somewhat believable.
Plot: The plot surrounded a tragic event. It doesn't take away from the memory but add a supernatural hope for the ones that love.
Page Turner: Yes
Recommend: Yes
My Book Boyfriend: Alec because he feel for Tess.
Most Like Me or who I want to be: Tess because she was such a strong female and never let go.


Little Lass Random Thoughts:

I think my heart stopped when Tess was tossed over the side. Though my mind understood the action was to save Tess's life I couldn't comprehend how he could have done it. I was so elated when in the end they found one another again. Giving me hope that maybe just maybe the author will continue this great tell of epic supernatural love.


Novel Lass Reviews:

Although CG notes that she researched the Titanic while writing Fateful, at some point she choose to deviate from historical accuracy and chose a more practical route supernatural—drama. CG gives us for example in her Author notes, “Myriam would almost certainly have boarded the ship at Cherbourg rather than Southampton; servants traveling in third class was so unheard-of that I’m sure Tess’s handy key was unheard-of too; and the Titanic had no “seventh officer.” Rather than fictionalize the life of an actual officer aboard the ship, I chose to invent George Greene and his position onboard. In fact, I worked around real individuals on the ship as much as possible.”

CG goes on to state that, “Writing a big paranormal romance set amid a real disaster would have felt disrespectful if that story were not firmly and totally a fantasy, one that didn’t make claims about the behavior, motives, and culpability of anyone actually onboard.”

A decision that I am sure to this day; she has left her no regrets. CG does however have a few real-life passengers make a cameo in the book. CG states that designer Thomas Andrews served as an unofficial advisor. She also states that there were some historical points that, despite all her research, she could never clarify and couldn’t find solid answers, so she made her best guess. A more interesting fact that CG shares with us is, “Moorcliffe and the Lisles are fictional as well, but Tess’s life as a servant is not exaggerated. Everything from her bad mattress and the frozen water in her morning basin to the lack of electricity and plumbing in the servants’ quarters is historically accurate.” CG finally states; “I first conceived of this book while visiting the traveling exhibition of Titanicartifacts in New York City.” CG found that she had a newfound enthusiasm and soaked up as much detail as she could before adding it to the book.

Wow!! When I started Fateful, I had no idea what it entailed. I never bother to read the category; it was a chance to read and express my voice and/or excitement about what I was reading with in a small group. The opening drove me nuts. Written in the first person point of view it took CG until chapter two let the reader know whom POV we were reading. Nevertheless, CG managed to shock me in many ways. First, leading the reader on with a description of a man with too-pale skin and then having him vanish much too fast. It leads the reader into thinking vampire. Then CG surprises you with a wolf in the city that is chasing after Tess. After this CG lends another shock as the servant girl a boards the Titanic with her (finger quotes) **masters**.

However, this is not where the story begins. A mystery, full of tender moments unravels its self as you read. The characters are well rounded and full of life. You will find yourself wrapped in the fictional life of Tess and all those who surround her on her maiden voyage. As dreadful as everyone (I mean anyone with an ounce of heart.) will find some characters, light is shed on their behavior. Soon you find yourself sympathizing nevertheless, in the end a tiger never changes it stripes. Despite the fact, some characters are vile; you will find your self-loving others.

CG did an excellent job weaving this story together and if fail to stick with the book and hold out you will miss and in creditable original story that will leave wanting just a little more….

READ!! READ!! READ!!! What else can I say?


Our Favorite Random Quotes:

“But you have nothing better to do with your time than harass us, do you? Go back to ruling the universe from Mount Olympus or whatever else it is you mongrels do.”

“You should go."  

"I can't."

"Because you want to stare at the monster?" Alec's green eyes blaze, but with a wholly human fire now. "Or because you pity me?" I couldn't guess which possibility he loathes more.

I fold my arms. "I can't leave because the door's locked. Believe me, I would've gone hours ago if I could have."

"Tess. Only you could be brave enough to die with me. But I want you to live for me."

We kiss, ... our lips part, Alec says, "Forgive me.”

“I wonder how much of the rest of his clothes I could convince him to take off, then wonder where that thought came from.”