Thanks for stopping by to read my thoughts on Jocelyn Green’s latest historical novel, Drawn by the Current. It is the final book in her “Windy City Saga” series that follows different generations of the same family through significant historical events of Chicago. This third novel takes place in 1915 and encompasses the Eastland disaster.
Previous books in the series: Veiled in Smoke, 1871 and the Great Chicago Fire | Shadows of the White City, 1893 Chicago World’s Fair
A birthday excursion turns deadly when the SS Eastland capsizes with Olive Pierce and her best friend Claire on board. Hundreds perish during the accident, and it’s only when Olive herself barely escapes that she discovers her friend is among the victims.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, Olive returns to her work at an insurance agency and is soon caught up in the countless investigations related to the accident. But with so many missing, there are few open-and-shut cases, and she tries to balance her grief with the hard work of finding the truth. Is she just overwhelmed, or is someone trying to impede her investigations? When clues surface that impact those closest to her, how deep will she dig?
Newspaper photographer Erik Magnussen begins helping Olive with her cases, and they develop a fast friendship. Just when Olive begins to unravel the secrets, more setbacks arise. It will take everything she’s got to find the truth and stay ahead of those who want to sabotage her progress.
Drawn by the Current is a great conclusion to this generational family saga! It reads as a standalone story, of course, and brings the characters into the 20th century era. Readers of the previous two books will enjoy glimpses of the Townsend siblings later in life and the familiarity of their book store as a setting.
I enjoyed learning quite a bit about the history surrounding the Chicago Eastland disaster through the story. (I love when I learn real history in fiction!) The tragedy of the disaster impacts Olive in numerous ways, and like Green often does with her stories, the emotional fallout Olive experiences is drawn out as a major part of the story. It connects to her grief for her father and in her striving for a place in life, both in her career and personal life, and ultimately serves as a catalyst for Olive to have some profound revelations about her own worth.
I liked getting to know Olive and seeing her journey through friendship, tough choices, and her romance play out. She is one tough and intelligent heroine! I was cheering for her new friendship with Erik to grow — theirs is a subtle romance that plays out with a steadiness and some surprises. The romance, of course, is secondary to the main themes of the book which deal with deep issues such as honesty, loyalty, and the strength it takes to survive life’s challenges — and ultimately recognizing the source of that strength is from God.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy. This is my honest review.
The Green Mockingbird 