Devilseed

by Frank Yerby

Amidst the turbulence of San Francisco just after the Gold Rush, prostitute Mireille Duclos seeks respectability by scheming--and murdering--to marry the judge, and is torn by her unquenchable passion for another man

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

432 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

Born in Augusta, Georgia to Rufus Garvin Yerby, an African American, and Wilhelmina Smythe, who was caucasian. He graduated from Haines Normal Institute in Augusta and graduated from Paine College in 1937. Thereafter, Yerby enrolled in Fisk University where he received his Master's degree in 1938. In 1939, Yerby entered the University of Chicago to work toward his doctorate but later left the university. Yerby taught briefly at Florida A&M University and at Southern University in Baton Rouge.

Frank Yerby rose to fame as a writer of popular fiction tinged with a distinctive southern flavor. In 1946 he became the first African-American to publish a best-seller with The Foxes of Harrow. That same year he also became the first African-American to have a book purchased for screen adaptation by a Hollywood studio, when 20th Century Fox optioned Foxes. Ultimately the book became a 1947 Oscar-nominated film starring Rex Harrison and Maureen O'Hara. Yerby was originally noted for writing romance novels set in the Antebellum South. In mid-century he embarked on a series of best-selling novels ranging from the Athens of Pericles to Europe in the Dark Ages. Yerby took considerable pains in research, and often footnoted his historical novels. In all he wrote 33 novels.

Reviews

[Angie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This has to be one of the most disgusting books I have ever tried to read. The 1st 30 pages turned me off with it's handling of life among the prostitutes in San Francisco during the Gold Rush. How anyone could have read this book totally or given it anything higher than 1 star is way beyond me. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME!!!

[Gerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

A soap opera among the bordellos of old San Francisco, only without the soap, 'Frisco being what it was in the days of the Gold Rush, a frontier town of white Americans, Mexicans, Chinese, and Australians (the Sydney Ducks). This time out, Frank's looking at things from the viewpoint of, er, a scarlet lady. Life was not easy, but our enterprising and comely heroine succeeds. This is the next-to-last novel written by Yerby (MacKenzie's Hundred was the last in 1985; he passed away in 1991). Like many of his novels set in Nineteenth Century America, this lacks the sweep of works set elsewhere such as Goat Song, An Odor of Sanctity, or Judas, My Brother, but serves as a visit to our not-so-romantic past. The only real historical character of note is Mary Ellen Pleasant of whom Wikipedia says, "She was arguably the first African-American self-made millionaire...." and the novel's most interesting person. Our heroine Mirielle succeeds in life, but it's thanks to the romantic and marital relationships she lucked into. He's written better, but this was a quick and enjoyable read; Yerby's always good for a good historical yarn.

[Nicole · Rating 1 out of 5]

i found the writing style to be very hard to enjoy.

[Frank · Rating 3 out of 5]

2000

[Kitty · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn't what I had remembered from reading this author in my early teens. I think I've outgrown the genre.

[Karinirmgard]

Deutscher Titel - Teufeössaat

[Rosalie Durbin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not my style. I'm not interested in prostitutes and beatings.