A rich and intriguing tale, The Poppy and the Rose will appeal to readers of Jennifer Donnelly, Libba Bray, and Kate Morton.
1912: Ava Knight, a teen heiress, boards the Titanic to escape the shadow of her unstable mother and to fulfill her dream of becoming a photographer in New York. During the journey she meets three people who will change her life: a handsome sailor, a soldier in the secret Black Hand society that will trigger World War I, and a woman with clairvoyant abilities. When disaster strikes the ship, family betrayals come to light.
2010: When Taylor Romano arrives in Oxford for a summer journalism program, something feels off. Not only is she greeted by a young, Rolls Royce-driving chauffeur, but he invites her to tea with Lady Mae Knight of Meadowbrook Manor, an old house with a cursed history going back to the days of Henry VIII. Lady Knight seems to know a strange amount about Taylor and her family problems, but before Taylor can learn more, the elderly woman dies, leaving as the only clue an old diary. With the help of the diary, a brooding chauffeur, and some historical sleuthing, Taylor must uncover the link between Ava’s past and her own….
Reviews with the most likes.
I DNFed this book, for a few reasons. One of which is that I didn't realize it had a first-person POV and I'm very picky when it comes to these books. If I can, I avoid them. Which doesn't mean I think it can't be done well, but this book just wasn't one of them. The writing style didn't click with me, it was way too flowery and descriptive, which didn't make sense considering we were reading someone's inner thoughts. The main character was also very insufferable and annoying. I was very disappointed because the premise of the book was very interesting. It had potential, but it was wasted on the first-person POV. It would have been much better with maybe a close third-person POV. I read about 50 pages, but it felt more like a chore than entertainment.