Between the Sky and the Sea
I’m always curious about where authors get their ideas and this was especially true in the captivating new novel, Between the Sky and the Sea, by Lisa Williams Kline. Fascinated by the discovery of the shipwreck of the steamship Pulaski in 2018 off the coast of Wilmington, NC, Lisa began to research and uncovered a legend in the Delaware Gazette about two supposed survivors—a Miss Onslow from Savannah and a Mr. Ridge from New Orleans. The legend says the two had never met prior to the ship’s explosion and sinking, but together they survive at sea for four days on a makeshift raft, and by the time of their rescue, they are engaged.
Though the legend was never verified, and the two weren’t listed on the ship’s register, from that tiny little newspaper nugget, Lisa let her imagination run to create this vivid and compelling story set in the 1830s South. Lavinia Onslow is the strong and independent main character whose passion lies in the work she does of managing the family’s millinery shop. If and when she decides to marry, she hopes to do so for love, and not make a marriage of convenience like her younger sister, Sarah, is planning. In a case of ‘be careful what you wish for,’ Lavinia falls in love with Daniel Ridge while drifting at sea and marries him just days after their rescue. This spontaneous decision brings huge complications and heartbreaking circumstances causing Lavinia to question everything she’s ever believed.
This was a most gratifying novel and I couldn’t put it down, swept away first by the story of surviving the sinking of the Pulaski, but also by the relatable characters, the vibrant descriptions of Savannah and New Orleans, and the author’s knowledge of the history, customs, and speech of the times. I found myself crying in places, but always cheering for Lavinia and everything she endures as she gracefully navigates the impact of her decisions as well as the confines placed upon her at a time in history when women cannot own property and coverture laws are enforced.
Compelling, page-turning, and ultimately hopeful, Between the Sky and the Sea captured my attention until the very end.