A Woman Called Fancy

by Frank Yerby

In 1880, Fancy Williamson fled an incestuous marriage arranged by a drunken father. She was sold by her parents for a few dollars, her virtue valued at the price of a few pretty dresses. She had little education and no money. But with her beautifull and the priceless gifts of courage, honor and high personal integrity, Fancy won out against all odds and wrenched from life a position of respect and security... a life that was secure against everyone except her husband. Court Brantley, had already killed one man for her and Fancy knew that if he ever found out about other man he would do so again. Men offered everything they possessed to posess her -- but there was only one man she wanted.

Four men loved her… And the bustling, caste-ridden town of Augusta, Georgia couldn't forgive her. Duke Ellis -- To get Fancy's love, he was ready to shatter her beauty with violence… Wyche Weathers -- He made Fancy a carnival girl, and offered her the kind of love every woman dreams of… Jed Hawkins -- Rabble-rouser and woman-chaser, he alone understood Fancy's kind of ambition... and Court Brantley -- sensitive and temperamental, he had a fatal weakness for the wrong woman…

These were Fancy's men. Their love for her brought scandal and society's ruthless mockery. Violence and blood sprang from their competition. But in the end, there was triumph too. For in winning, finally, the one man for her alone, Fancy battled the world with the kind of shameless courage that can only bring victory… proud, final and unassailable!

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Book Club, Romance, Novels

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1951

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

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of a "missing link" between Jane Austin / Bronte sisters and Danielle Steele. A page-turning historical romance novel (written in 1951, set in 1880s) set in the context of post American Civil War Reconstruction class conflicts. The writer had very good insights into the male/female minds.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never expected to read this book because of the title but when i found here on goodreads that it was Yerby's most popular book, i decided to read it. Was Quite upset when i realized it was going to be just what i had expected. Another love story. But am happy to havae read it as it is right up there with the best of them. A love pentagon or hexagon i guess, With everyone being in love with everyone who did not love them. Well written.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rooted for this girl, Fancy. I love the theme of the book—making of a strong woman. Well-crafted, you can feel Fancy’s plight and the emotions all the way through. The setting descriptions are breathtaking, the historical details are accurate, and the action scenes and dialogue keep you on the edge of your seat. Sometimes I find my best reads from books published 50+ years ago. Thank you, Frank Yerby.

[Cookiesue9x · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't know what in the world I would think about this and all the other Frank Yerby books I read about 1956 or was it '59, I know these would be "Romance Novels"that I wouldn't even look at today, but, in the 1950's during long ,hot ,un-airconditioned Texss Summer's he was GREAT!

[Angelina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading A Woman Called Fancy by Frank Yerby. It's not my normal genre but it's about a young girl being forced to grow up in the mid to late 1800s. Good read!

[Diana Mack · Rating 1 out of 5]

Fancy is a beautiful girl of nineteen when she flees an arranged marriage and arrives in Augusta, Georgia in 1880.
She meets men who fall in love with her beauty and who help her earn her way.
She meets Courtland Brantley, of the famed Brantley family and game over. She marries him and starts working towards the dream of owning a mill and being accepted by society.
Someone on FB recommended this as a book not well known that you wish people had read. I can only hope no one finds this book
Oh my. This was written in 1951 and if this is how times were..well, I'm glad I wasnt there. The racism is over the top ugly. Courtland was an egotistical asswipe of a male. Fancy was just so in love she allowed herself to be physically and mentally abused.
I could go on and on and on. Just a painful, horrible story. No love. No raising people up. Terrible terrible

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE this book!!!! Fancy is such a strong female character and doesn't let people get her down no matter how much of a jerk the man she loves is. This was one of the first books I read as a young adult. I loved it just as much on this, my second read.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

The protagonist was a woman from South Carolina. She was made from the same stock as Scarlett O'Hara except that Fancy, unlike Scarlett, was born into poverty. A great story of rags to riches and a lot of tenacity. Good read!

[Chanielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

My absloute FAVORITE book EVER!!!

[Stephanie Wills · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It gives a good description of how things were in the south. It tells of the snobbery of the upper class and plight of the poor.

[Renata Ochoa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lo odie, fue simple pero lo odie, todo iba bien hasta que se casan, simplemente no puedo con el romance, de hecho es mas bien una historia de terror, un hombre que se casa con una mujer que no ama y la otra boba queriendo complacerlo y poniéndose a llorar a todo momento, lo peor es que tuve esperanzas, pero simplemente no...

I hated it, it was simple but I hated it, everything was going well until they got married, I just can't handle the romance, in fact it's more of a horror story, a man who marries a woman he doesn't love and the other fool wanting to please him and crying all the time, the worst thing is that I had hopes, but I just didn't...

[Patricia Ramirez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised by this story. Fancy starts off by being kind of an unlikable character, but after all the things she goes through, you really feel for her. Fancy is flawed and doesn't really know what love is based on her own background so she's prone to acting irrationally. But her rebellious side makes her feel ahead of her time, especially considering the time period. It feels oddly feminist in some ways. Overall, I genuinely enjoyed it.

[Debbie Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

1951 Novel, The story was set in 1880 in Georgia. A love story. It was a wonderful story that I didn't want to put down. There was some language that was offensive but that probably wouldn't have been considered so in the year that it was written.

[Vimbainashe]

It's gorgeous. Absolutely stunning. My favorite book of all time. Perfectly crafted.

[Fabienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 This book kept me interested and guessing.

Not greatly satisfied with the ending.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this author as a teenager.

[Bamboozlepig · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sometimes Frank Yerby's books are good, but this one was not. It kind of hopped all over the place and big events were over really fast. Characters weren't that interesting, either.

[Sam Hibberd · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a book very of its time just to warn you now but it is nonetheless so good, so well written, such a good plot, it can be sad and dramatic, it’s just very good

[Jennifer Verrastro kline · Rating 3 out of 5]

An old-time story about Fancy who leaves her backwoods family and falls in love.

[Gastón Díaz Gajardo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un descubrimiento Precioso este que se ha presentado frente a mis Ojos.

Qué buena Narración.

Qué tremendo Personaje el de Fancy.

Yerby realmente te hace Amar a Fancy, con todas sus características. Seguir su narración es muy fácil...es una Prosa Exquisita.

Mucha razón en ser un clásico, el que insisto, tuve la Buena Providencia de encontrarme por Ahí.

[Niesha · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were two good things about this book: Some of the circumstances and events reminded me of Thomas Hardy (and it has been FOREVER since I have read him.) And, it filled the letter Y for my A-Z authors challenge. Having shared the two good things, I hope you don't waste your time reading it.

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

For some reason this is one of my favorite books, however not really sure why. Probably because the heroine is charming, but I despise many of her choices that she bases on "love." This is one my guilty pleasure books.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting look at life in the south post Civil War. The beginning seemed pretty dumb until I realized that it was supposed to be because the main character was so uneducated. It was not a masterpiece but it was a entertaining story.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read in my teens, one of my favorite books. Tragic, of course, as only an adolescent female can appreciate.

[Noël]

The girl from Storyville

[Emmapafo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inte så bra som jag trodde.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another one of Yerby's that I really enjoyed.

[Alexandra Davis]

I inherited this book from my grandmother - it’s one of those books you keep around and read again and again from time to time ❤️