The Unsinkable Greta James

A Novel

By: Jennifer E. Smith

Narrated by: Mae Whitman

Length: 8 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

An indie musician reeling from tragedy and a public breakdown reconnects with her father on a weeklong cruise in “a pitch-perfect story about the ways we recover love in the strangest places” (Rebecca Serle, bestselling author of In Five Years)

“The characters are drawn with a generosity that allows them to be wrong but also right, loving but also prone to missteps, and ultimately deserving of a resolution that’s full of hope.”—Linda Holmes, New York Times bestselling author of Flying Solo

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: She Reads

Just after the death of her mother—her first and most devoted fan—and weeks before the launch of her high-stakes sophomore album, Greta James falls apart on stage. The footage quickly goes viral and she stops playing, her career suddenly in jeopardy—the kind of jeopardy her father, Conrad, has always predicted.

Months later, Greta—still heartbroken and very much adrift—reluctantly agrees to accompany Conrad on the Alaskan cruise her parents had booked to celebrate their fortieth anniversary. It could be their last chance to heal old wounds in the wake of shared loss. But the trip will also prove to be a voyage of discovery for them both, and for Ben Wilder, a charming historian struggling with a major upheaval in his own life. As Greta works to build back her confidence and Ben confronts an uncertain future, they find themselves drawn to and relying on each other.

It’s here in the unlikeliest of places—at sea, far from the packed city venues where she usually plays and surrounded by the stunning Alaskan wilderness—that Greta will have to decide what her path forward might look like—and how to find her voice again.

©2022 Jennifer E. Smith (P)2022 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Beautiful, moving, hopeful: I loved this book from beginning to end, and will be thinking about it for a long time. It’s a total triumph.”—Emily Stone, author of Always, In December

“Warm, funny, and bursting with heart, [it’s] exactly the book you want to read: a pitch-perfect story about the ways we recover love in the strangest of places.”—Rebecca Serle, New York Times bestselling author of In Five Years

“Filled with music, passion, and love of all kinds . . . a fast-paced, emotional novel and an unforgettable exploration of family and the choices we make that shape our lives.”—Jill Santopolo, New York Times bestselling author of Everything After

Well Written

Thought provoking and meaningful. Loved how real the pain and loss shared between Greta and Her dad was

A slow and warm read

A slow and warm read. Like drinking a cup of hot tea next to a fire on a cold winter's night. I truly enjoyed it.

And...the only reason I decided to read it in the first place is because my daughter's name is Greta. I look forward to reading more by Jennifer E. Smith.

I liked it!

I thought it was GOOD! I can totally appreciate the grief of both the main character and her father. Thought it was well-written. Kind of left you hanging at the end, tho.

Delightful & Deep.

Thoroughly felt the grief of Greta & her father . . . raw & beautiful journey to find their own relationship. Narrator is excellent.

We all have our moments, its how we come through!

This book touched me in s very personal way having lost my father before we came to terms. My favorite moment was when Greta and Preety play together, it brought me to tears. Mae Whitman's narration was brilliant in her definition of characters and touching and clear in her emotional delivery. I will recommend this book to everyone!

A Heartwarming Story

This was my first audiobook. It was a sweet story that captured a very real issue involving personal growth and parental strife. I'm inspired to write my own book even more now. I am a fan of this narrator as an actress/voice actress, but I was surprised to learn that she narrated books as well. I won't lie: that discovery was part of the reason I picked this up. The other reason was that I really wanted to try something new that I've never read before. Thank you.

Blah

The book is just ok. I kept waiting for more to happen. Left me feeling disappointed.

Nothing happened...

Can it really be a spoiler alert if what I'm telling you is nothing??
This was my book club's pick, and I had semi high hopes for it, but...
Although the narration was good, and I enjoyed most of how it ended, I would struggle to even tell you what genre this book was meant to be in. Nothing major happens... at all, and even though it wasn't a "bad book" or an "awful listen" I just can't recommend it.

Family dynamics in love and song

I enjoyed this book. but several plot points seemed unlikely. For example, I can't imagine a professional musician not practicing at all for the entire week leading up to a big "comback" performance.

An easy, fun read - a page turner

I really liked this book. Funny, it was my second consecutive (but unbeknownst to me) book about Alaska. My first by Jennifer E. Smith.

As an avid cruiser, I completely related to every step of this book, with a son who lives in Juneau, Alaska and actually works with cruise lines as part of his job, I could really relate to that part of the book.

Greta is a musician, a damn good one who, the week following her mother’s sudden passing, held a breakdown on stage that led to several months of not performing. She takes the cruise in the place of her mother, sharing space with her dad and two of their couple friends. While aboard ship, Greta meets Ben, a profession and author, who is separated from his wife. The two, of course, pair up and have some fun, but that is just a subplot, and I was glad for it.

The meat of the story is the strained relationship between Greta and her father; she has always had her head in the clouds, according to him, and he wanted her to be more grounded and focused on stability. The two never really stop butting heads and there is a point where I felt like their struggle was getting lost in the weeds a bit. However, just as I was about to roll my eyes with too much unresolved parent-child drama, Ms. Smith brings the storyline back around to a manageable feel.

The ending, without giving anything away, is predictably tidy, for the most part. I actually liked that not everything worked out - Ms. Smith kept it real.

A really easy, super fast read - one that I looked forward to every time I picked it up. I very much recommend reading, The Unsinkable Greta James.