Veronica

by Johanna Spyri, Louise Brooks (Translator)

"Be still, be still," said the woman. The child's mother was gone, lost to the fierceness of the winter. "I shall find something pretty for you presently; then you must sit down quietly and play with it, and not go outside, not one step, do you hear? Pshaw! there is nothing but rubbish here!" "Well, then give us the rose," said the little girl, still scowling. The woman looked about the room. "There are no roses here," she said. "How should there be, in March?" she added, half vexed at having looked for them. "There," said the child, pointing towards a book that the woman had but a moment before replaced in the cup-board. "Ah! now I know what you mean. So your mother always kept the rose, the 'Fortune rose?' I often envied her when she used to show it to us. . . ."

Genres: Childrens

120 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1924

About the author

Johanna Spyri was a Swiss author of children's stories, best known for Heidi. Born Johanna Louise Heusser in the rural area of Hirzel, Switzerland, as a child she spent several summers in the area around Chur in Graubünden, the setting she later would use in her novels.

Reviews

[Brian James · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a traditional cautionary tale about two children beset by tragedy early on, only to be given good fortune as they grow older and closer. However the two set out on different paths as they become adults. One is impatient to have all that he wants and falls victim to the negative influences of a friend who steers him toward ruin. Veronica, the other, is virtuous and hard-working, yet sorrow is never far from her thoughts. So they both have their lessons to learn, and as is the case with most books written in this time, they eventually find their way and come together again.

After reading the author's far superior and better known work, Heidi, I was disappointed in this short novel. Whereas Heidi felt very contemporary and timeless, this story is heavily dated in its Christian moralism. The characters were very flat, which surprised me given the depth of many of the characters in Heidi. All in all, it was okay, mainly because it was so slim. If it had lingered any longer, I'm not sure I would have enjoyed it.

[Zeta T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Published in 1886, this novel encompasses a small community wherein Veronica, having lost her own mother, is “adopted” by a neighbour, Gertrude, who has a son of her own. The son, Dietrich, is learning how to become a saddler as his father before him. Their life is filled with hard work, but also some contentment. From the mother they now share, and two other matronly neighbours, Dietrich and Veronica learn valuable lessons about life. As the years pass, Dietrich and Veronica encounter trouble due to the mischief of two peers, and Dietrich more so as he is often tempted to frequent, along with others, the new tavern nearby.

It has similar naughty and nice characters, with the Spyri tendency of hardship and tragedy. It's a bit appalling how oblivious Dietrich is by trusting a really troublesome peer after knowing how much he throws around falsehoods. But some of the personal accounts of life brought in by the other characters are worth the read.

[Kelli Santistevan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I listened to this on Librivox for November Bookish Reading Bingo for the challenge of reading a book where the character is adopted or adopting. I didn’t really like this book very much. I found it to be slow and the characters were flat.

[Dominika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three and a half stars; I did enjoy this book, but I kept wondering who it was written for. I wouldn't say it was a children's book (murder, stealing, drinking alcohol, illness and death - not for my children at least), but it also didn't seem to be for adults.

[Kezia · Rating 4 out of 5]

CONTENT phrases now considred offensive, alcohol consumption, gambling/drunkeness mentioned/alluded too several times, perhaps taking the Lord's name in vain,

MESSAGES happiness isn't something you can get by looking in thw wrong places - there is wisdom in the way that has always worked - slippery sloap - idleness isn't always all it's cracked up to be

WRITING after the first chapter or so, it starts to get along. If you think of the begining before they're all grown up as a prologue, you might enjoy it more. The imagery is good, and there arent many digressions from the plot. Maybe a little sentamental once ot twice.

CONCLUSION this was one of my favourite books growing up, and it still has a special place in my heart.
the free Librivox audiobook by Daryl War is one of my favourites

Things I liked
• strong willed, non emotionally forward, but loving main girl
• entertaining side charactures (Judith and Blassy easpeshly)
• stakes
• themes
• only romantic plot on a Johanna Spyri plot I know of

Things I didn't like
•... it's not usally life altering
• I wish Blassy got married in the end

[Janice]

A classic tale of loss and childhood from the author of Heidi.