In a riveting historical novel about love, grief, the devotion of dogs, V.S. Alexander brings intriguing new perspective to a story that still resonates and fascinates today, as a young couple and their Newfoundland dog set sail on the Titanic’s ill-fated maiden voyage . . .
Finn, the loyal, steadfast Newfoundland dog owned by Sir Gordon Shelton, is quite at ease as he trots aboard the ocean liner at Southampton. The smell of the sea is welcome to him, for like all of his breed, Finn loves to swim.
His master, however, feels quite differently. Gordon has a deathly fear of water, no matter how much his wife, Ruth, tries to reassure him. But first-class passage on the Titanic, paid for by the Chairman of the White Star Line, is not an offer Gordon can turn down. Once the ship reaches New York, American-born Ruth will see her family for the first time since their wedding.
At least the Sheltons have no concerns about Finn’s well-being. There are a dozen dogs on board, all belonging to first-class passengers, and they receive regular walks and fresh food. Finn finds a traveling companion in Kitty, a pretty Airedale terrier who belongs to the Titanic’s most illustrious guests, John Jacob Astor IV and his young wife, Madeleine. Amid new friends and luxurious surroundings, far from the cares of daily life in England, Gordon begins to feel at ease and he and Ruth grow even closer, planning their future together.
Then tragedy strikes, unthinkable and terrifying. As the Titanic sinks into the icy depths on that fateful night, Finn’s only instinct is to protect those he loves. And at the end of this voyage, and throughout the extraordinary journey that follows it, that fierce loyalty will prove itself a beacon of hope, time and time again . . .
