The Girl in the Triangle

by Joyana Peters

"That is what historical fiction does for a reader, a slice of history wrapped up in a compelling story that teaches and makes us reflect on the words and our own lives in the stream of time." - Historical Fiction Press Awards

Winner of the Book Excellence Award for Best Multicultural Fiction
Winner of the IBPA Ben Franklin Award for Best Historical Fiction
Winner of the SCBWI Spark Award for Best in YA Fiction
Top Five Finalist for Shelf Unbound's Indie Best Book of the Year

There are 740 Days left until the fire that changes industrial history forever.

It's 1909. Seventeen-year-old Ruth survived the Russian Revolution and is now finally reunited with her lost love in the New World. All she wants is peace and a new life with her family in New York.

But when an uprising of 20,000 women vows to take down a greedy factory owner, can Ruth possibly stay away? Who will survive? And will they ever be the same again?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Book Club, Jewish, Historical

352 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 1, 2021

About the author

Joyana Peters is the Indie author of the best-selling novels, The Girl in the Triangle and The Girl From Saint Petersburg. She won the YA Spark Award from SCBWI, the IBPA Ben Franklin Award for Historical Fiction, the Book Excellence Award for Multicultural Fiction and was a Top Five Finalist for Shelf Unbound’s Indie Best Book of the Year.

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Reviews

[Elizabeth of Silver's Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ruth, her sister, and her mother finally made it to America to join the men who had left them behind in Russia.

They all lived together in one apartment, and all the men and Ruth worked even though her father and her fiancée were against it.

Ruth worked in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory where she and many other immigrants worked for pennies seven days a week and for nine-hour days.

THE GIRL IN THE TRIANGLE is a marvelous debut. The characters are very well developed, and the story line is very well researched.

The famous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire slowly brought changes to workplace safety and unions.

Ms. Peters kept my interest because of the personal side of the characters and the plight of the immigrants and the factory workers.

The fire was a horrible incident that could have been prevented had the doors not been locked and had there been ladders that reached to all the floors and not just to the sixth floor...the shirtwaist factory was on higher floors and deadly to everyone who jumped from the windows to escape the horrendous heat and flames.

Historical fiction fans and fans of women's fiction will enjoy THE GIRL IN THE TRIANGLE.

I was looking up Clara Lemlich and the owners of the factory Isaac Harris and Max Blanck who literally got away with murder.

The book also addressed the love of family and keeping religious and family traditions from fading away as well as women protesting for rights.

A well-researched, educational, difficult-to-put-down read. 5/5

This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Taury · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Girl in the Triangle by Joyana Peters is a book about the Shirt Waste Factory in 1911 in NYC. It was unclear if The Girl from St Petersburg by Joyana Peters should be read first. It is a short novella. I will begin reading now. My guess, due to references in this book it should be. If I am wrong I will update.

[MicheleReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is 1909 and Ruth, her sister Ester and her mother arrive in New York City. Harsh treatment of the Jewish people had made life in Russia unbearable for the Feldmans. Four years earlier, her father headed to the United States with the plan that the rest of the family would join him when he had the money to pay for their passage. Also with her father was Abraham, the man Ruth was expected to marry and Abraham’s father. Once the Feldmans are reunited, they all settle into a tenement apartment on the Lower East Side. Ruth and Abraham hope to marry soon and young Ester enters school. Abraham helps Ruth get a job at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory where he is employed. While Abraham is happy to keep his head down and work for his wages, Ruth is abhorred by the poor treatment of the workers and gets involved with those working to organize change. The families struggle with trying to retain their culture and heritage while learning the language and lifestyle of Americans.

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory and the fire that occurred on March 25, 1911 remains one of the deadliest disasters in U.S. history, with 146 preventable deaths. So before reading even one page, it is apparent this is not going to be a happy story. But author Joyana Peters, in an impressive debut novel, reminds us of this tragedy by creating a fictitious family impacted by the fire. A family we get to know and care about. The Feldmans represent the many immigrants who came to the U.S. seeking a better life which included religious freedom. Peters did an excellent job researching the period and the actual Triangle Factory with its cramped work spaces. The streets of their neighborhood come alive with crowds, pushcarts and the sounds of many languages.

If you’re walking through New York’s Greenwich Village and find yourself at the corner of Washington Place and Greene Street, look for NYU’s Brown Building (formerly the Asch Building) and remember the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. This book is a moving homage to its victims.

While The Girl in the Triangle is filled with sadness, there is also joy and hopefulness.

Rated 4.25 stars.

Review posted on MicheleReader.com.

[Joyana Peters]

I'm so excited everyone! Chirp is offering The Girl in the Triangle as one of their featured audiobook deals! If you've been considering trying an audiobook-now is the time to do so! You can currently get The Girl in the Triangle for just $.99 Don't miss this limited time offer! Enjoy!
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[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read about the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire in history class - years ago - but this book makes it all very real and even more tragic. This is a debut novel by this author and not only is it well researched but the characters are well written and many of them are based on real people.

It's 1909 when Ruth, her mother and sister arrived in New York City to reunite with their father and Ruth's fiancé. It had been four long years since the men left Russia to go to America and find jobs so that they could bring the rest of their family. For Ruth it's been a long time since she's seen Abraham and is worried whether he will still love her or if America has changed him. He worked at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory and she soon goes to work there to help her family. She soon makes new friends and gets involved in the strike for better working conditions. Her new life creates problems with her sister and Abraham. After so many years in Russia she feels that she can finally work to make changes - and she wants those changes NOW.

This fast paced novel is about love in a family no matter the circumstances. It's also about the lives of immigrants, the fight for rights for women and the working class and the corruption of the rich that make more money by the terrible working conditions in their factories. There is another theme about the need to keep parts of your culture intact when you move to a new country. Many of the immigrants left their old customs behind as they began to Americanize their lives.

The author told the story in chorological order and started each chapter with how many days it was until the fire which increased the apprehension to find out if any of the characters survived. This debut novel was so well written that I'm looking forward to future books from this author.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review.

[Lactivist Anti-Vaccine Socialist Hippie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came across this book, "The Girl in the Triangle" by Joyana Peters while browsing the Booksprout website for e-ARC (electronic advance reader copy) books that interested me & could be read for free in exchange for an honest & unbiased review — and it was the word "Triangle" in the title that first caught my eye. Because I've had more than a passing interest in the subject of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, ever since I first found out about it in the pre-Internet days (in the late 80s and early 90s) of middle school or so, when I read the Sunfire romance novel "Rachel" by Vivian Schurfranz, which has the same setting and similar themes, plot/storylines and characters and LOVED that book (as well as the entire Sunfire historical romance series in general!). So when I saw the word "Triangle" in the title, I immediately clicked on the link to read the accompanying blurb. As soon as I did, I knew I had to get the e-ARC, and after reading it, I'm REALLY GLAD I did.

Because I love, LITERALLY LOVE this book.................well, as much as one can love a book based on a senseless tragedy — and worse, one that was totally preventable and driven by nothing more than obscene greed (if not SOCIOPATHY!), corruption, fraud, and essentially, PURE EVIL!

This debut novel from Joyana Peters about Jewish immigrants, workplace safety, employee rights, women's suffrage & other issues, starts in March 1909 and ends in August 1913. It is a gripping story that centers around the protagonist/heroine, Ruth Feldman, a 17 year old Jewish girl who has just arrived in New York City from Tsarist Russia with her mother, Rachel "Momme", and younger sister, Ester, who is in her early to mid teens, (probably somewhere around 13-15 years old, as she has her 15th birthday IIRC in mid-to-late 1910 or early 1911). They are rejoining Rachel's husband (and Ruth & Ester's father), Jacob, called "Tatty", as well as Ruth's fiancé, Abraham and his father, Samuel, who had all fled Russia for the United States 4 years earlier, in the wake of an atrocity that resulted in a major tragedy for both of their families. Now, after 4 years of separation, they have been reunited, though they have yet (and are working towards earning & saving the money) to bring the rest of Abraham & Samuel's family over from Russia. In the meantime, Rachel, Jacob, Ruth, Ester, Abraham and Samuel are all crowded together in a tiny tenement apartment on Orchard Street, on the Lower East Side.  Upon their arrival in New York City, Ester is enrolled in school at PS 63, at least initially, while Ruth gets a job working at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory where Abraham already had a job, and in so doing, she bears witness to the experiences of immigrant "sweatshop" workers in the early 20th century and specifically, what happens at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory.

Although this is a historical fiction novel, it's based on the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire which DID happen on March 25, 1911 in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan. But while the characters & the storylines, as far as I know, are made-up (the Wikipedia article about the fire DOES mention witnesses seeing a man kissing a young woman at the window before they both jumped to their deaths, which ALSO happens to characters in this book!) the historical setting & the storylines surrounding it are completely true. In fact, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire was the deadliest industrial disaster in the history of New York City, and one of the deadliest in US history, senselessly killing 146 garment workers (123 women & girls and 23 men according to Wikipedia whereas according to the New York Times it was 129 women & girls and 17 men who were killed). Just like the characters in this story, most of the victims were recent Jewish or Italian immigrant women & girls, aged 14-23,  who died from the fire, from smoke inhalation, or  jumping or falling (the same way people were doing from the upper floors of the Twin Towers on 9/11) to their deaths from the 8th, 9th and 10th floors of the Asch Building where the factory was located.

"The Girl in the Triangle" is an EXCELLENT novel that, with the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire as the foundation of the story, shows how unregulated power combined with an insatiable lust for/obsession with profit and obscene greed, CAN (and often DOES!) lead  to catastrophe, death and destruction. More importantly, it highlights the URGENT NEED for establishing (back then) and re-establishing or strengthening (now, these days) strict regulations and strong unions. It took the senseless tragedies of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire & other disasters that happened in the 19th and early 20th century, for people (like the characters in this book) who had been speaking out about their working conditions BEFOREHAND, to finally start being heard & taken seriously, even if only to some degree (I say "even if only to some degree" because while on one hand, there WERE certain changes that were made in/to the system, yet, on the other hand, those responsible for the deaths at the Triangle literally got away with mass murder!) and fighting back, start unionizing in large numbers, demanding their rights. Basically, this novel is about mostly young Jewish and Italian immigrant girls & women standing up, speaking out and fighting back against the human rights abuses and other atrocities being perpetrated by the greed-driven sociopathic owners of the garment industry's sweatshops only to be threatened, bullied and pushed further down.............until the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire which was the proverbial "straw that broke the camel's back"!

In part, due to the 146 totally preventable deaths at the Triangle, workers, through unions, fought for & won so many things like child labor laws, safe(r) working conditions, better wages (including overtime pay) and reasonable hours (such as the 5-day/40 hour work-week), healthcare coverage, aid to injured workers and guaranteed pensions, among other benefits.

Unfortunately, over the last 3-5 decades, and especially in/since the 1980s & 1990s, unions have been disappearing more & more, and now in 2021, they are all but gone — and of those that remain, often due to the cowardice and "compromises" made by union leaders (similar to the promises made by the union "leaders" in this book before the fire) the unions themselves have become little to NOTHING more than powerless corporate puppets, just "token figureheads" like Abraham was/became in this book. Which is why its NO surprise though extremely sad & disappointing that whatever (pretty much ANY & ALL!) progress that was made, or at least, STARTED being made in the mid-to-late 1800s and the early 1900s has since been LOST. In fact, ALL of the aforementioned benefits & improvements have now either been eliminated entirely, or been totally watered down, or are at growing risk of it.

Moreover, thanks to the corruption, lobbying & other dirty back-room dealing of politicians, the regulations (indeed the regulatory agencies themselves!) on corporations/industry intended to protect employees and even the public, have been totally distorted & twisted around, and misused against the very people its supposed to PROTECT. For example, zoning laws, were intended (and SHOULD ONLY be used) to regulate corporations such as to prevent them from building a toxic waste dump in a residential neighborhood. But instead, those laws been completely perverted to create car-dependent suburbs, all in order to benefit the Big Oil industry, all while they limit or even prohibit people from running a small business from their home or even do something as simple & harmless (as a matter of fact, not only harmless but actually BENEFICIAL!) as growing vegetables in their front yard, or hanging laundry outdoors on clotheslines or keep a few chickens in their backyard for eggs & other uses (compost, etc.) without risking fines, and even jail time.......................and meanwhile, the Big Ag (Agriculture) "factory farms" blatantly violate health & safety codes on a regular basis, leading to frequent bacterial contamination, food-borne disease outbreaks (including those resulting in hospitalization and even death!) & product recalls, yet just like with the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, they get away with it and are allowed to remain in business. Its INSANE!

Seriously, if one doesn't understand the definitive NECESSITY of strong unions and why they are so important, start HERE, with THIS book!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 STARS!!!!!!!

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this book in three sittings. Normally, I don't reach for historical fiction, but something about The Girl In The Triangle was so gripping! It blended history with romance and the thrill of the countdown to the day of the fire. The time and research that Joyana Peters put into her writing made the story so real, it didn't even feel like fiction. The Girl In The Triangle is a quick, easy, enjoyable read that I believe anyone could enjoy!

[JoAnne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heavy read, it got me down and at times putting the book away so I could take a breather. It’s historical fiction, and the real parts are devastating, made more heartbreaking reading how it destroyed lives. Sure the lives lived here were fictional, but they could have been real. Based on real people. I got so invested in following Ruth and her family and friends. I felt like I was an Ester, but rooted for Ruth and Abraham.

Beyond the story surrounding the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire of 1911, there’s also a well written story of immigrant Russian Jews. And the themes of holding on to traditions but becoming modern or Americanized. I feel there’s good intentions and arguments on all sides of that topic, even if balance was harder to achieve. I feel that is something that speaks across times and cultures.

And for these immigrants’ hopes of a new country to nearly be crushed by even more labor issues and cruel factory owners. But this time, it doesn’t end quite the same way it did in the old country. The ending was hopeful. A balm after reading the heavy stuff. It's worth reading.

[Linda Solomon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story despite how sad the story is. The author clearly did her research. The Triangle shirtwaist Fire was such a tragedy and although the characters are fiction, they truly fit in with the narrative of the real event.

[Stephanie S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruth is a recently arrived Russian immigrant in 1909 Manhattan. She's survived war, famine, and being separated from her family and her fiance. Now she's faced with something bigger: America.

This is a fictional account of what could be a very real story. Hundreds of young immigrants worked in factories like the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in the early 1900s. These were unsafe, desperate situations where many felt they had to take what jobs they could. Ruth's story is told alongside facts about the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist fire, the early labor movement, and immigrant life in 1900's Manhattan.

While the story takes place in the past, the emotions and the characters feel as fresh as if it were today. Ruth and her sister Ester's struggles to find the right balance between being Jewish and being American; Ruth and her fiance Abraham's challenges in finding their way as young adults; and Ruth herself in navigating what it's like to be a woman in America. Being independent has its advantages and its drawbacks, and she has to live with the consequences of both.

Even though the book is about the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, it's actually about the real people who lived through it. The character development and other plot elements besides the fire make this book a winner for even those who don't care for historical fiction. Ruth is relatable and her challenges are timeless. Anyone with parents will recognize the changing dynamics between Ruth and her own parents.

[Patty Baumeister · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Book Review
The Girl in The Triangle
A Novel Written By Joyana Peters
Historical Fiction
Published 2021
274 Pages
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you are a fan of historical fiction, you may want to pick up a copy of this book. It tells the story of the fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City in 1911.

The story begins two years before the fire when the Feldman family immigrated to America from Russia. Although excited about the opportunities in their new home, some family members wrestled with assimilating to America without losing their Jewish culture and traditions. Their daughter, Ruth, worked at the factory with Abraham, a family friend who she is to marry through an arranged marriage. Ruth is a strong woman who fought to form a Union at the factory. She also became involved in efforts to gain women the right to vote.

The author did much research on the factory fire before writing this book. Many facts about the causes of the fire and its aftermath are woven into her story. The fire killed 146 people, mostly women and children. Many of these deaths could have been prevented. Many safety features were neglected at the time.

“….choice is a powerful thing.”

“Grief is hard enough without adding guilt into the mix.”

[Jeanne Leaman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recently, historical fiction has become a new favorite genre of mine. I was not aware of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in the early 1900’s. Interesting story and characters. Themes covering life in Russia, immigration to USA, female workers/rights, poor working conditions/labor movement, love, tragedy, and family/culture.

[Margaret Hoover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please read The Girl From Saint Petersburg first. This book was a quick read… I found it hard to put down.

[Janice MacDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story and characters. I enjoy historical fiction that is based on true events.
I couldn’t stop until I finished it.

[Pancha Mantilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who enjoys reading historical fiction this book was a really nice read. The story and characters tackle lots of different topics. The protagonist are a family of Russian migrants who try and find their place in the world. The men of the family joined the revolution and had to run away after the masacre. The women stayed in Russia until they could save enough money for passage. As Jews, they’ve faced antisemitism and fear of showing who they are. Yet they chose to be proud of who they were and never stop practising. When in Russia the town had a close community of Jews who supported eachother. There wasn’t much more. But now they face a new country and a new life.
The USA proves to be a lot different that what they knew. With different opportunities at every corner. With new technologies and a society that accepts so much more. Each of the character must face the challenge of who they are who they want to be. It is not easy. Specially for the two daughters. One fighting to preserve the sense of community she loved. For the preservation of traditional values and how to self invent herself to fit in in this new place. The other fighting to preserve her new found independence. With the hope of keep working and be much more than just a stay at home wife. While defending her beliefs to her father she also joins the suffragettes and multiple strikes on the factory.
All of this while her family still tries to overcome the trauma of the protests in Russia. Where they lost family and friends to the bloodshed. Where they had to run to survive. And had to face a horrible and oppressive life.
This book touches so many important topics. The mix of experiences of the cataracts enriches the story in so many different levels. Each character is unique on their struggles. The narration is easy to follow. The plot moves as the character progress. It’s easy to fall for each and one of them. And as a fan of historical fiction the struggle for work rights is simply incredibly portrayed. A must read for anyone who likes strong female characters.

[Ellie Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Joyana Peters debut book. I'm excited to read her next one. The characters are well developed and the history is well captured. Fairly short and quick read definitely worth giving it a shot.

[Jane Blake · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is historical fiction portraying the lives and working conditions of young Jewish and Italian women working in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in Manhattan in the early 1900’s. It follows the life of Ruth , a young immigrant from Russia, and her challenges and hopes while working under substandard , crowded conditions. It also reflects the adversity women faced on every level and Ruth’s admirable involvement with women’s rights. The Triangle Factory fire in 1911 was preventable ,cost the lives of 146 young people , and led eventually to improved safety and working conditions for factory workers . The book is well researched and brought that era to life very well !

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great historical novel

This was a very well written book. It kept me interested and it was a good way to learn how terrible factory jobs used to be in this country.

[D.K. Marley · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You’ll get gunned down while singing “God Save the Czar” as you march peacefully to Winter Palace.”
An immigration story at the finest level, revealing the depths of tragedy many went through leaving a country of unspeakable suffering to another country where hope fills their hearts, yet the same sorts of inhumanity exist.
Ruth dreams of America, but fears it all the same. She finally makes it to New York City, along with her mother and sister, to rejoin her father and her fiancé, Abraham, after being left behind in war-torn Russia at the onslaught of the turmoil brewing against the Tsar. They left a life filled with near starvation,impending revolution, and a tumultuous voyage across the ocean... all for hope... all for a better life.
“Ruth, however, never understood this deep-seated acceptance of the rules. To her they seemed like mere technicalities – an excuse for men to sit around arguing about logistics and interpretation.... how could you argue for sitting still and doing nothing when you’re wondering how you’ll provide your next meal?”
Yet, she wonders as she comes to this city of dreams whether or not her arranged marriage to Abrahamis still part of that dream. Four years has passed since she saw him, since he left her behind in Russia.
New York is a modern city full of the advances and new ideas... and many struggle to maintain their
former ideals and way of life. After all, to some the old Jewish traditions seem archaic against the
backdrop of a city on the move. Yet, she is hopeful in their reunion and the chance at true love.
Living in an apartment building walk-up, filled with other Jewish families, and her own family crowded together in a tiny flat, tradition remains firmly fixed in hearts and minds; and I must say, I learned a lot about different Jewish words and meanings, as well as daily and weekly rituals of the faith. And from right off, you can see the struggle Ruth has with the return to a submissive and somewhat oppressed way of life when she just left Russia where she, alone, had to take care of her mother and sister withoutany help from the men-folk in her life. Even though she suffered in the old country, the taste of independence and taking charge fills her mind and gives her boldness, sometimes a little too much, when dealing with her father and her fiancé.
“Was this the way the world worked? Evil could happen and life would just go on?”
When marriage is again delayed due to Abraham wanting to wait until he can bring his own family from Russia for the wedding, Ruth comes up with a plan to help out... to bring money into the family by taking on a job at the factory where Abraham works, simply known as The Triangle. Not only does the prospect enliven her already fixed desire for independence, her new found friends and the new fashionsof the day (shirtwaists and Gibson-girl bouffants) fill her with excitement. And for a while, the attraction she feels for Abraham, and vice-versa, grows.
Until... the reality of working in a New York City factory at the turn-of-the-century strikes home. Greed is the order of the day with the uncaring factory owner, Max Blanck, subjecting the workers to long hours, a cruel and lascivious overseer, miniscule pay, and dangerous facilities. You can just feel the heat and anguish of the workers at the sewing machines whirring away endlessly stitching one shirtwaist after another, after another, with a meager lunch and no room to speak of between you and the next girl. Theperfect recipe for disaster.
“Ruth lifted her arms to air out her armpits. Her blouse stuck to her skin with sweat. Between the heat from the machines and the temperature of the day, it was sweltering in the factory. She glanced at the clock. Only ten minutes had passed since she last checked.”
America grabs hold of Ruth and pulls her into the fray of labor movements and woman’s suffrage, the fight for justice against the greedy owners, and the author does a great job of introducing the reader to the plight of the picket line. But as Ruth fights for change, the continuity of tradition clings to her sister, Ester, and fixes Abraham’s mind as he discovers Ruth’s desire to join in these riotous changes is pullingthem apart... and perhaps, drawing him closer to the little sister who desires nothing more than to be a good Jewish wife who helps immigrants to maintain their identity while adopting the American culture in a more refined and inclusive way.
And disaster does strike, suddenly and without warning, and from the very first line in the book, you are given a preview of the climax of the story - “740 days before the fire.” A tragedy which changes lives as quick as flames devour... with Ruth emerging as a strong, resilient American woman embracing her heritage.
The Girl in the Triangle is an easy, quick read... more so that the story pushes you forward as you
eagerly anticipate the developments in Ruth’s life. Ms Peters does a great job in rounding out the
characters, fleshing them in a way that you connect with each and every one of them – from Ruth’s
strong-willed, and sometimes head-strong, fortitude to the emerging strength shown in Ruth’s mother as she deals with tragedies no parent should ever have to face. I really connected with Ruth and her mother. Ruth shows a fragility behind the strong facade, while her mother reveals a powerful strength behind her fragile demeanor. And Ester, Ruth’s younger sister, displays a combination of the two... a romantic soul trying to find her place in this New World, and desperate for love.
This is a powerful story of greed, love, betrayal, struggle, and rising above tragedy; definitely a story of so many immigrants who crossed the ocean, through the gates of Ellis Island, and looked to the future with beaming eyes, ready to take a bite of the Big Apple. And Ms Peters offers us this story in perfect prose, pushing a reader ever forward on this journey with Ruth, so much so that it is easy to read from beginning to end without putting the book down.
Being from the United States, myself, I learned quite a bit about this part of American history that I did not know. That is what historical fiction does for a reader, a slice of history wrapped up in a compelling story that teaches and makes us reflect on the words and our own lives in the stream of time. Injustice and man’s inhumanity connects everyone, no matter the time period, and Ruth’s voice speaks from 1908 to today. Hope is eternal.
The Girl from the Triangle by Joyana Peters is awarded five stars from The Historical Fiction Company and the “Highly Recommended” award badge.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to author Joyana Peters for gifting me a copy of this ebook via a Goodreads giveaway. The author really brought this tragic true event in history to life in her historical fiction take on a specific cast of immigrant characters whose lives are impacted by their shared traumatic past in Poland. That past tragedy they've (mostly) escaped seems to give way to another trying time as part of the family's employment in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory begins. The unsafe conditions of the factory and the boss's exploitation of the workers are detailed as are the women's efforts to strike for improved working conditions. The family's relationships with each other and with other immigrant families at Orchard Street added emphasis to the tumultuous times in which immigrant families fought for survival, against great odds.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel has really captivated my attention! Based on true events, the author tells the story of two Jewish families emigrating from Russia in 1909 and settling in New York. What I have found interesting is learning about the jobs they found in a garment factory (which existed), their working conditions (not fair), and the events (first workers strike) bringing up to the fire (real event). Another essential theme of the story is the question of identity: what shall one keep from one's traditions, should we keep these traditions or become American at heart, leading the role of women away from the heart of the family to become independent? No easy answer ever! This is a great novel!
Thank you Joyana for sending me a copy of your fascinating novel!

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a serious fan of historical fiction and can wholeheartedly recommend this book to those looking for compelling historical fiction and great characters. I loved Ruth and felt I got to know her, her family and their circumstances through this book. The Triangle Shirtwaist fire was a tragedy and touched many, but in the intervening years has faded somewhat from our common understanding. Joyana Peters' exploration of the events leading up to the fire is unforgettable. I look forward to more books by her.

[Valentina Coello · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book that captivated me since the beginning. As an immigrant I felt connected immediately with Ruth: the description on how she felt by being in a new country with a different la gauge and culture resonated me. It was really interesting that Joyana mixed in this book some romance, history and real life feelings! Well written. Hope we can have the book in Spanish soon. I’m truly sure my mom would enjoy!

[Kimberly Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Looooved this book! I've been suffering from "readers block" lately and have been unable to really get into a book...until now!! My nose was stuck in this book for 3 days straight. I truly enjoyed Joyana's debut book, and an looking forward to her next 😀

[Katrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read. Equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking. Well written, it was fast paced and well researched. I feel like I learned a lot about the time period. The characters are well rounded and very realistic. If you like historical fiction or love stories, you'll enjoy this novel

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I am not his wife yet" Ruth said. "And I am perfectly capable of choosing how I spend my time".
- Joyana Peters, The girl in the triangle

4.5/5 ⭐

(A copy of this book was gifted to me in an exchange of an honest review).

TW // r*pe,

"The girl in the triangle is a historical fiction book that takes place between 1909 and 1913: After four years apart, Ruth finally meets her fiancé, Abraham, again, but this time in America. and after surviving near-starvation and revolution in Russia and a long trip across the stormy ocean, she can’t help but wonder: will Abraham still love her? Or has America changed him?

Nowhere’s as full of change as 1909 New York. From moving pictures to daring clothes to the ultra-modern Triangle Shirtwaist Factory where she gets a job, everything exhilarates Ruth. When the New World even seems to rejuvenate her bond with Abraham, she is filled with hope for their prospects and the future of their war-torn families. But when she makes friends and joins the labor movement—fighting for rights of the mostly female workers against the powerful factory owners—something happens she never expected. She realizes she might be the one America is changing. And she just might be leaving Abraham behind.

And in case you were wondering, yes, the book is as good as it sounds, and even better! The story is very easy to read, not just because it's interesting, but because it's fast-paced, with well-written dialogues and interesting characters. Plus the book is very short, less than 200 pages and unless you are a very slow reader like me, you'll finish this in one go.
Throughout the book, we see how Abraham and Ruth try courting each other after 4 years without seeing each other. Their marriage is an arranged one, but they are determined to fall for the other. Meanwhile, Ruth starts making decisions fighting for what she believes is right, but her actions have consequences and they will affect her family and to-be husband. It was very interesting (and also frustrating at times) to read everything that was happening and see how Ruth was so blind to all of it. But even then it was very interesting accompanying Ruth and the other characters in this adventure, seeing how it affected each of them and what they thought (you guessed it, it's a book with several points of view) and I loved to see Ruth fighting for her rights.
But what I liked the most and found the most interesting is how Ester (Ruth's sister) and Ruth are two sides of the same coin: they are both foreigners in America, a country with a much different culture than theirs and both of them don't know anyone safe for their father and some old friends that traveled from Russia four years before them., and they don't know English either. So they are in a similar situation, save for some details, of course, but each of them found completely different ways for adjusting themselves in this new country, fighting for what they seem is right. Both of them are very strong women.
As for the characters, I have to admit that even if Ruth and I share believes, she got a bit on my nerves from time to time. She is a very strong character that had gone through a lot and survived many things, she fights for her rights and her believes, but she is often a bit selfish... And I won't say more because I don't want to spoil anything. And Abraham... He is such a sweetheart?! He is the golden retriever boy, a ray of sunshine. So sweet, so supportive, so loyal. PLEASE he is so good. He is so sweet with Ruth and with everyone and he cares so much~~. Yes, a sunshine.
So, long story short, this is a very good read! If you are looking for a fast to read and a bit emotional book, you should definitely pick this one up! I also think it'd be a good book to get out of a reading slump.

[Reader Views · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Girl In The Triangle” is a beautifully written, thought-provoking novel based on the tragic event of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire that occurred on Saturday, March 25th, 1911. The story is about a young woman of Jewish descent, Ruth. Ruth was betrothed to Abraham, a Jew as well, while her family and his lived in St Petersburg, Russia. Political upheavals in Russia led Abraham, his father, and Ruth’s father, Tatty, to leave for America to look for better work opportunities.

Soon after, Ruth and her family members immigrate to America after going through anti-Semitism, poverty, and a disastrous revolution. She reunites with her former flame, Abraham, and soon after, begins working at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company in Manhattan, much to the disapproval of her father, a staunch Jew. Cracks become evident in Abraham and Ruth’s relationship as Ruth becomes entangled in the newfound freedom and excitement of being in America. She later experiences and learns of the exploitation happening in her workplace. This prompts her to join female activists in their fight for better working conditions in factories, better wages, and reasonable working hours. The cost of freedom is always high. As one reads through this book, one inevitably wonders, what is at stake for Ruth as she fights for the rights of workers? Will her engagement to Abraham weather the storm of the visible transition in Ruth? Will Ruth’s sister finally find her niche in the new environment?

This is the story of one woman’s bravery to tell her story and to stand up for what she believes to be fair and true. It is a tale of amazing courage about the women who organized and participated in the 1909 strike to seek change. “A Girl In The Triangle” is an incredibly thoughtful, eloquent, and revealing book. The writing is strong, and the author uses it to lure the reader into the psyche of the protagonist. The story is a classic case of the variance between traditionalism and modernism. For Ruth, traditional values were chains that restricted both individual freedom and the pursuit of happiness while in contrast, Ruth’s family had a deep respect for long-held cultural and religious values.

Author Joyana does a remarkable job interweaving a work of fiction around real events from history. I particularly enjoyed the way the minor characters and major characters were intermingled into the storyline and became fully invested in the story’s inner depth. It is evident the writer did her research before writing this book. Her occasional insertion of Jewish terms, made the story not only enjoyable but tenable as well.

Being a debut novel by the Long-Island-born author, she has outshone herself. Admittedly, this was a masterpiece. The conversations among the characters led me to give this book 5 stars. They are raw and eye-opening even as the story buds. “The Girl In The Triangle” by Joyana Peters is simply a delight to read and will automatically tick the boxes of fans of historical fiction.

[Kelly Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book about the tragic NYC 1911 fire in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory that killed 146 workers, almost all of which were immigrants which is really what the book is about, immigrants learning how to live and adapt (or not) to a new life and new world.
I really liked Ruth, the main character in this book. She had to learn how to fight for survival in Russia after the men in her life fled to America. Once she, her mother, and sister joined them in NYC there was no way Ruth was going to step backwards, to race to fill the glass of a man as soon as he held it up or become some stay-at-home subservient woman “keeping a house” while her father spent his time discussing scriptures down at the local synagogue. Ruth was great… her father was a schmuck! Ruth’s fiancé was okay but weak; her sister was interesting, a trailblazer in her own way, trying to find a way to blend the old and the new for not just herself but her community.
All of this fictional family, 6 adults with a baby on the way and 4 more adults to ship over from Russia, live in one cramped little apartment. It is this fictional life and these fictional characters who tell the story of what it was like working in the largest factory in Greenwich Villages’ garment district and trying to blend the old world Jewish traditions with the reality of a new life and future in America. Along the way they interact with real world people that include activists Clara Lemlich and Anne Morgan (daughter of banking millionaire J.P.) as well as Max Blanck, the “Shirtwaist King”, whose unsafe practices and working condition led to those 146 tragic deaths. Ruth marches in the real 1909 New York Shirtwaist Workers Strike known as the “Uprising of 20,000” that after 4 months led to improved wages, hours, and working conditions in all the garment factories except the Triangle. There is even a brief mention of the Tammany Hall corruption which I would have liked a bit more of but the author certainly did her research on the multiple factors at work in NYC at the time. More details of the actual history are laid out nicely in the Authors Note at the end. A 3½ star read for me. However…
As for the title of this book… FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, publishers, stop with these unimaginative, generic, demeaning titles!!! I am SO sick of titles that begin The Girl(s)/Women/Wife/Daughter…of/from/in… add a location or worse, reduce her to being the object of a man somehow. And authors, if you want your book to be memorable this is NOT the way to do it! I have read so many similar titles that they all blend together and while I might remember a story I liked chances are with one of these asinine titles I won’t remember the name of your book! So PLEASE, just STOP!!!

[Rajiv · Rating 5 out of 5]

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Let me start by saying that I had not heard about the “Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire” events before reading this book. I always love stories that inspire me to research a topic further, and I admire the author for telling this story so realistically.

Firstly, I thought the author did a fantastic job of writing this book as her debut novel. She writes the characters and the catastrophic incident wonderfully, as well as depicting the aftermath. I especially liked how Ruth deals with the situation after the event takes place. Also, having lived in Manhattan for a few years, I could easily visualize the setting from the author’s beautiful descriptions of that era. The author paces the story nicely, where we slowly see how the family goes through many situations and challenges and how the incident impacts them.

However, the highlight of the story was Ruth. I thought the author wrote her brilliantly. It was fun to see the contrasting differences between Ruth and her sister Ester. While Ester is eager to go to school and learn, Ruth prefers to learn English at her own pace. Also, I admired how the author made Ruth such a strong character where she still respects and values her roots and is not afraid to stand up for what is right, even if she is in a new country. I loved the Russian traditions and Jewish values Ruth reflects on throughout the book. The author also wrote about Ruth’s relationship with her fiancee, Abraham, realistically, where they have their ups and downs. Even the supporting characters like Chayele, Clara, and Anne added nicely.

Overall, “The Girl in the Triangle” is a beautiful historical fiction that I loved reading because of its subject matter and the memorable characters.

[Terri (BooklyMatters) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“You give up traditions at your peril. One day you’ll look back and not remember who you are.”

Imagine it’s 1909, and you, a Jewish teen accompanied by your family, survivors of the Russian revolution at a terrible cost, land in NYC to begin a new life.

And so it is that the turn of the century quickly develops into an incredibly turbulent time for Ruth, aged seventeen, and her fourteen year old sister Ester. Deeply traditional in the practice of their faith, America offers an opportunity to embrace freedoms unavailable to the girls under Jewish strictures, and the burgeoning suffragette movement opens doors wide to now dizzying prospects of actual choices in career and marital partnerships.

Ruth, the first POV we meet in this story, is a fighter, an opinion-holder and change-maker in a world unwelcoming of female chutzpah. Her sister Ester, the second female POV, is softer and more deliberate in her ways, longing to find a life-long balance between ways of old and new.

We come to know (and care about) each character amidst the historical backdrop of a looming historical factory fire, and the author builds suspense with a tantalizing countdown “days before fire” that extends from the very first chapter. The fire is real; the impact on our fictional characters and their families, - unknown until the final conclusion of our story.

Throughout the story the historical context is beautifully constructed and fascinating, and the author introduces some interesting and complex themes.

- Is it really possible to balance traditional values with cataclysmic social change (and in particular, gender equality) ?

- Is there a “too” far in the fight for equality, freedom and justice? Are all costs, including those forced upon loved ones, acceptable collateral damage?

Highly recommended, this lovely book was a wonderfully absorbing read and a great introduction to a tragic historical event I knew little about.

A great big thank you to author for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.