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Vera
New York Times bestselling author Carol Edgarian delivers “an all-encompassing and enthralling” (Oprah Daily) novel featuring an unforgettable heroine coming of age in the aftermath of catastrophe, and her quest for love and reinvention.
Meet Vera Johnson, fifteen-year-old illegitimate daughter of Rose, notorious proprietor of San Francisco’s most legendary bordello. Vera has grown up straddling two worlds—the madam’s alluring sphere, replete with tickets to the opera, surly henchmen, and scant morality, and the quiet domestic life of the family paid to raise her.
On the morning of the great quake, Vera’s worlds collide. As the city burns and looters vie with the injured, orphaned, and starving, Vera and her guileless sister, Pie, are cast adrift. Disregarding societal norms and prejudices, Vera begins to imagine a new kind of life. She collaborates with Tan, her former rival, and forges an unlikely family of survivors, navigating through the disaster together.
“A character-driven novel about family, power, and loyalty, (San Francisco Chronicle), Vera brings to life legendary characters—tenor Enrico Caruso, indicted mayor Eugene Schmitz and boss Abe Ruef, tabloid celebrity Alma Spreckels. This “brilliantly conceived and beautifully realized” (Booklist, starred review) tale of improbable outcomes and alliances takes hold from the first page, with remarkable scenes of devastation, renewal, and joy. Vera celebrates the audacious fortitude of its young heroine, who discovers an unexpected strength in unprecedented times.
Meet Vera Johnson, fifteen-year-old illegitimate daughter of Rose, notorious proprietor of San Francisco’s most legendary bordello. Vera has grown up straddling two worlds—the madam’s alluring sphere, replete with tickets to the opera, surly henchmen, and scant morality, and the quiet domestic life of the family paid to raise her.
On the morning of the great quake, Vera’s worlds collide. As the city burns and looters vie with the injured, orphaned, and starving, Vera and her guileless sister, Pie, are cast adrift. Disregarding societal norms and prejudices, Vera begins to imagine a new kind of life. She collaborates with Tan, her former rival, and forges an unlikely family of survivors, navigating through the disaster together.
“A character-driven novel about family, power, and loyalty, (San Francisco Chronicle), Vera brings to life legendary characters—tenor Enrico Caruso, indicted mayor Eugene Schmitz and boss Abe Ruef, tabloid celebrity Alma Spreckels. This “brilliantly conceived and beautifully realized” (Booklist, starred review) tale of improbable outcomes and alliances takes hold from the first page, with remarkable scenes of devastation, renewal, and joy. Vera celebrates the audacious fortitude of its young heroine, who discovers an unexpected strength in unprecedented times.
324 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 2, 2021
376 people are currently reading
31175 people want to read
About the author
Carol Edgarian
17 books299 followersNew York Times bestselling author Carol Edgarian's novels include VERA, THREE STAGES OF AMAZEMENT and the international bestseller RISE THE EUPHRATES, winner of the ANC Freedom Prize.
Her articles and essays have appeared in many national magazines, and she co-edited the popular collection drawn from writers' diaries, The Writer's Life: Intimate Thoughts on Work, Love, Inspiration, and Fame.
Carol is co-founder of the non-profit Narrative (www.NarrativeMagazine.com), a leading digital publisher of fiction, poetry, ideas, and art, and she is founder of Narrative in the Schools, programs that provide free libraries and resources to teachers and students around the world.
Join Carol's mailing list for updates and more info at www.caroledgarian.com or, for all you fellow word-nerds, follow her popular Instagram show A Word, Please every week @cedgarian.
Carol lives with her family in Northern California.
Her articles and essays have appeared in many national magazines, and she co-edited the popular collection drawn from writers' diaries, The Writer's Life: Intimate Thoughts on Work, Love, Inspiration, and Fame.
Carol is co-founder of the non-profit Narrative (www.NarrativeMagazine.com), a leading digital publisher of fiction, poetry, ideas, and art, and she is founder of Narrative in the Schools, programs that provide free libraries and resources to teachers and students around the world.
Join Carol's mailing list for updates and more info at www.caroledgarian.com or, for all you fellow word-nerds, follow her popular Instagram show A Word, Please every week @cedgarian.
Carol lives with her family in Northern California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 629 reviews
April 28, 2021
If I ever wondered how long it would take for the world to end, I know: forty-five seconds.Vera is the illegitimate daughter of Rose, madam extraordinaire of San Francisco's most notorious bordello. At fifteen years old, she is sharp and resourceful, though the one thing she wants most but never had is a mother's unconditional love. When the 1906 earthquake hits and levels the entire city, Vera will need to reach deep within and gather all her wits and courage if she is to survive.
At its heart, Vera is a coming of age story, of a young girl thrust into an unrecognizable world, where everything she previously held dear and counted on is now no more. She must think on her feet, forge new relationships, and make impossible choices if she is to come out of it unscathed.
The writing is so sharp and vibrant. The characters, in particular Vera, come across interesting, fully-formed, and nuanced. The descriptions of San Francisco, both before and in the aftermath of the earthquake, were real and vivid, to the point where the devastated, burning landscape of the city was seared into my mind's eye. Edgarian's writing style pulled me in immediately, and I was swept away in this tale of resilience and courage.
On thing I didn't expect was the unflinching portrayal of racism against Chinese people during this time. As someone who is Chinese, I found it it really hard to read both the casual and systematic injustices they were forced to endure. I appreciated that the author didn't attempt to whitewash what happened, and instead incorporated it into the story. Even our main character Vera wasn't immune to the thinking of its time, which made her growth and her connection to Tan over time that much more satisfying to see.
This story surprised me in all the best ways. I normally don't gravitate towards character-driven, coming of age stories, thinking that they might be dull or uninteresting. But the narrative here was riveting, propelled forward by sharp writing and vividly-sketched characters facing catastrophe and making the best of it. It's the sort of book where I find myself reading sentences and paragraphs twice or thrice, just to experience them again. I honestly could not get enough.
August 15, 2020
Finished -- "Do You Know the Way to San Francisco?"
Review to follow -- (going walking first before it reaches 103% today)
I enjoyed Carol Edgarian's novel "Three Stages of Amazement" (read it in 2011) ....only sorry I've never met this wonderful SFBay area author!
UPDATE: REVIEW
I’m a SFBay area fanatic....having lived in almost every major city...east Bay, North Bay, and South Bay. I worked on California St. - in S.F. near Chinatown for three years.
I’ve family in Pacific Heights - friends in Nob Hill - Haight district - etc.
San Francisco is a ‘one-of-a-kind’ city: colorful streets, the Golden Gate Bridge, Historical Victorians, Great museums, street fairs, great food, (sourdough bread, small dive restaurants with great tasting food, to fancy Michelin-starred restaurants), theater, awesome book stores,
free outdoor music events, fog, hills, views, mild temperatures, The Pier, Chinatown, Alcatraz Island, The Ferry Building, Cable cars, Golden Gate Park, The Sea Lions at Pier 39, The Presidio, Fishermans wharf, diverse neighborhoods, Dog friendly, Ghirardelli chocolate, Wealthy, middle class, poor, and homeless residents, extravagant gay men, larger than life characters, The Bay to Breakers race, The Gay Pride parade, the famous Buena Vista Cafe serving up Irish Coffees, nearby Muir Woods, Sausalito, and even Goodreads. ( in the heart of the city).
A fantastic walking city, where many of my favorite authors live.
John Steinbeck said:
“Once I knew the city very well, spent my attic days there, while others were being a lost generation in Paris, I fledged in San Francisco, climbed it’s hills, slept in its parks, worked on it docks, marched and shouted in its revolts...It had been kind to me in the days of my poverty and it did not resent my temporary solvency”.
Carol Edgarian lives in San Francisco.
When she writes about San Francisco...not only does she write about the exhilarating city - but its the way of life......the culture of the day, and contextual insights into its urban life.
The streets of San Francisco come alive. Her descriptions are vibrantly imagined....and illuminated by warmth and delicacy of her prose.
Carol takes us to the streets - back in time - before, during, and after the 1906 earthquake:
Wednesday, April 18th, 1906.
We meet colorful liars, corrupt politicians, thieves, con artists, legendary historical characters, a memorable supporting cast...
and the resilient heroine: VERA JOHNSON.
When we first meet Vera, it’s her 15th birthday....1906.
Nine days after her birthday, the world that Vera knew, would be gone.
Vera’s birth mother, Rose, was a grande dame of the Barbary Coast (a red-light district during the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries in San Francisco— which featured dance halls, concert saloons, bars, jazz clubs, variety shows, and brothels). Rose was the notorious proprietor of San Francisco’s ritziest bordello. She was also an ally to the cities correct politicians.
Rose didn’t raise Vera. [but Vera always wished to be with Rose]. Rose paid for a parrot, that Vera desperately wanted for her 10th birthday- Ricky was his name. Too cute- funny bird.....( I’m a bird lover too)...so I enjoyed many of the selective tidbit side dishes in this story.
Our hearts for Vera grow and grow — from her early childhood days - into her adult days. Vera makes us laugh, charms us, ( not a vindictive bone in her body), but we ache for her too. Her quiet ( almost hidden), loneliness and unfulfilled desires - are always there. And that’s the way that goes! 🙁
Nobody knew that Rose had a daughter. Rose paid Morie Johnson, a Swedish widow, to take care of Vera.....but often Morie kept most of the money for herself.
Vera says:
“I suppose I gave Morie hundreds of reasons to hit me: my skirt was soiled, my tongue to lose, I reminded her of her last pride”.
Morie raised two girls:
Vera, 15, and Pie 18.
Vera says: ( about Pie):
“We were sisters by arrangement, not blood, and though Pie was superior in most ways, I was boss and that’s how we’d go”.
The girls had a noble-hearted Rottweiler mix: Rogue.
Readers will love this dog! I sure did.
Vera, Pie, and Morie lived close to the canneries and piers- not a fancy house or block: working class.
Alma de Bretteville Spreckels (historical legendary socialite and philanthropist, and beauty), *Big Alma*, lived on their street, but was famous all over town. Men were so taken with her, they used her face as the model for Victoria, a goddess of victory, on the bronze statue at stir top Union Square.
We meet neighbors, city officials, cooks, drivers, community members, celebrities, thieves....ordinary folks, and ( the adorable animals)
...Mayor Eugene Schmitz, the sheriff and every member of the city’s Board of Supervisors were corrupt grafters—and nobody seemed to care.
....A Mexican prostitute could be bought for 25 cents. A French whore could be bought for a dollar.
....Tenor Enrico Caruso: Italian Opera singer,
....Boss Abe Ruef: a lawyer and politician who was corrupt.
....Bobby: Vera’s lover, protector of the cities tribe of orphans, three generations of a Chinese family competing and conspiring with Vera.
The day of the quake:
...”I can say with certainty that on Wednesday, April 18, 1906, we ate roast beef and apricot jam”.
...”The San Francisco Gas and Electric’s silo chimney split in two”.
...People were on Nob Hill fighting to keep the Fairmont from burning.
...Photographers were taking photos.
... soldiers were setting up rows of army-issued tents.
...fire blazes jumped wide boulevards ( Van Ness Avenue), and was gobbling Pacific Heights.
... Sparks hopped from roof to roof.
...owners of mansions were given just 45 minutes to clear out, before the horn sounded and their houses exploded with their art and valuables inside.
My final words - thoughts - and feelings:
With as much detail as I tried to include....there really are no spoilers.
I stayed away from sharing the emotions and depths that must be experienced.....from each reader.
Specifics of what happens to our characters - directly in relationship to the 1906 earthquake- I’ve kept to myself.
Readers really need to experience this history, the imagined storytelling themselves.
I can tell you I got really teary and sad in one part - towards the end....
And of course when I was reading about the city’s devastating catastrophe - those vivid descriptions of the earthquake - the shocking sudden emergence....I thought about COVID-19....
As Vera said:
“How quickly we’d adapted to a shaking world, as if it had always been this way: when it was coming on— like a stomach flu, the roiling that wouldn’t stop until you were sick, sick and tired— you braced with your knees and grabbed onto something solid while glancing overhead to see what might fall”.
This book grounded me. It’s hugely dazzling and compassionate.
Review to follow -- (going walking first before it reaches 103% today)
I enjoyed Carol Edgarian's novel "Three Stages of Amazement" (read it in 2011) ....only sorry I've never met this wonderful SFBay area author!
UPDATE: REVIEW
I’m a SFBay area fanatic....having lived in almost every major city...east Bay, North Bay, and South Bay. I worked on California St. - in S.F. near Chinatown for three years.
I’ve family in Pacific Heights - friends in Nob Hill - Haight district - etc.
San Francisco is a ‘one-of-a-kind’ city: colorful streets, the Golden Gate Bridge, Historical Victorians, Great museums, street fairs, great food, (sourdough bread, small dive restaurants with great tasting food, to fancy Michelin-starred restaurants), theater, awesome book stores,
free outdoor music events, fog, hills, views, mild temperatures, The Pier, Chinatown, Alcatraz Island, The Ferry Building, Cable cars, Golden Gate Park, The Sea Lions at Pier 39, The Presidio, Fishermans wharf, diverse neighborhoods, Dog friendly, Ghirardelli chocolate, Wealthy, middle class, poor, and homeless residents, extravagant gay men, larger than life characters, The Bay to Breakers race, The Gay Pride parade, the famous Buena Vista Cafe serving up Irish Coffees, nearby Muir Woods, Sausalito, and even Goodreads. ( in the heart of the city).
A fantastic walking city, where many of my favorite authors live.
John Steinbeck said:
“Once I knew the city very well, spent my attic days there, while others were being a lost generation in Paris, I fledged in San Francisco, climbed it’s hills, slept in its parks, worked on it docks, marched and shouted in its revolts...It had been kind to me in the days of my poverty and it did not resent my temporary solvency”.
Carol Edgarian lives in San Francisco.
When she writes about San Francisco...not only does she write about the exhilarating city - but its the way of life......the culture of the day, and contextual insights into its urban life.
The streets of San Francisco come alive. Her descriptions are vibrantly imagined....and illuminated by warmth and delicacy of her prose.
Carol takes us to the streets - back in time - before, during, and after the 1906 earthquake:
Wednesday, April 18th, 1906.
We meet colorful liars, corrupt politicians, thieves, con artists, legendary historical characters, a memorable supporting cast...
and the resilient heroine: VERA JOHNSON.
When we first meet Vera, it’s her 15th birthday....1906.
Nine days after her birthday, the world that Vera knew, would be gone.
Vera’s birth mother, Rose, was a grande dame of the Barbary Coast (a red-light district during the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries in San Francisco— which featured dance halls, concert saloons, bars, jazz clubs, variety shows, and brothels). Rose was the notorious proprietor of San Francisco’s ritziest bordello. She was also an ally to the cities correct politicians.
Rose didn’t raise Vera. [but Vera always wished to be with Rose]. Rose paid for a parrot, that Vera desperately wanted for her 10th birthday- Ricky was his name. Too cute- funny bird.....( I’m a bird lover too)...so I enjoyed many of the selective tidbit side dishes in this story.
Our hearts for Vera grow and grow — from her early childhood days - into her adult days. Vera makes us laugh, charms us, ( not a vindictive bone in her body), but we ache for her too. Her quiet ( almost hidden), loneliness and unfulfilled desires - are always there. And that’s the way that goes! 🙁
Nobody knew that Rose had a daughter. Rose paid Morie Johnson, a Swedish widow, to take care of Vera.....but often Morie kept most of the money for herself.
Vera says:
“I suppose I gave Morie hundreds of reasons to hit me: my skirt was soiled, my tongue to lose, I reminded her of her last pride”.
Morie raised two girls:
Vera, 15, and Pie 18.
Vera says: ( about Pie):
“We were sisters by arrangement, not blood, and though Pie was superior in most ways, I was boss and that’s how we’d go”.
The girls had a noble-hearted Rottweiler mix: Rogue.
Readers will love this dog! I sure did.
Vera, Pie, and Morie lived close to the canneries and piers- not a fancy house or block: working class.
Alma de Bretteville Spreckels (historical legendary socialite and philanthropist, and beauty), *Big Alma*, lived on their street, but was famous all over town. Men were so taken with her, they used her face as the model for Victoria, a goddess of victory, on the bronze statue at stir top Union Square.
We meet neighbors, city officials, cooks, drivers, community members, celebrities, thieves....ordinary folks, and ( the adorable animals)
...Mayor Eugene Schmitz, the sheriff and every member of the city’s Board of Supervisors were corrupt grafters—and nobody seemed to care.
....A Mexican prostitute could be bought for 25 cents. A French whore could be bought for a dollar.
....Tenor Enrico Caruso: Italian Opera singer,
....Boss Abe Ruef: a lawyer and politician who was corrupt.
....Bobby: Vera’s lover, protector of the cities tribe of orphans, three generations of a Chinese family competing and conspiring with Vera.
The day of the quake:
...”I can say with certainty that on Wednesday, April 18, 1906, we ate roast beef and apricot jam”.
...”The San Francisco Gas and Electric’s silo chimney split in two”.
...People were on Nob Hill fighting to keep the Fairmont from burning.
...Photographers were taking photos.
... soldiers were setting up rows of army-issued tents.
...fire blazes jumped wide boulevards ( Van Ness Avenue), and was gobbling Pacific Heights.
... Sparks hopped from roof to roof.
...owners of mansions were given just 45 minutes to clear out, before the horn sounded and their houses exploded with their art and valuables inside.
My final words - thoughts - and feelings:
With as much detail as I tried to include....there really are no spoilers.
I stayed away from sharing the emotions and depths that must be experienced.....from each reader.
Specifics of what happens to our characters - directly in relationship to the 1906 earthquake- I’ve kept to myself.
Readers really need to experience this history, the imagined storytelling themselves.
I can tell you I got really teary and sad in one part - towards the end....
And of course when I was reading about the city’s devastating catastrophe - those vivid descriptions of the earthquake - the shocking sudden emergence....I thought about COVID-19....
As Vera said:
“How quickly we’d adapted to a shaking world, as if it had always been this way: when it was coming on— like a stomach flu, the roiling that wouldn’t stop until you were sick, sick and tired— you braced with your knees and grabbed onto something solid while glancing overhead to see what might fall”.
This book grounded me. It’s hugely dazzling and compassionate.
April 3, 2021
She’s feisty and fifteen when we first meet Vera Johnson and I liked her from the beginning. She’s the daughter of an infamous San Francisco Madame who sends her to be raised by a woman whose livelihood for her and her daughter are provided by Rose. It’s not a happy life. Vera is only allowed to see her mother on sporadic visits to Rose’s mansion in the dead of the night. Vera is tough at this young age, but we don’t get to see just how tough and smart until her mettle is really tested when the earthquake strikes in 1906. Carol Edgarian took me fully into the rubble and fire and devastation of the aftermath and into the heart of a young girl whose greatest desire is her mother’s love. There are truly amazing descriptions of the streets of San Francisco before and after, the brothels, Chinatown, the corrupt politicians of the day.
The bulk of the story takes place between 1906 and 1907. Vera’s gutsiness and strength and guile are on full display as she manages to lift herself and others out of the mess left by the earthquake and her mother. This might have been five stars, but it felt rushed at the end. It moves from a year after the earthquake to a century later with Vera filling us in on her life in between in only a few pages . I wanted to be there for more of her life, to witness her continuing resilience. This is, though, a wonderful piece of historical fiction giving a view of this horrible event, a reflection of the time and place and an unforgettable character.
I received a copy of this book from Simon & Schuster through Edelweiss.
The bulk of the story takes place between 1906 and 1907. Vera’s gutsiness and strength and guile are on full display as she manages to lift herself and others out of the mess left by the earthquake and her mother. This might have been five stars, but it felt rushed at the end. It moves from a year after the earthquake to a century later with Vera filling us in on her life in between in only a few pages . I wanted to be there for more of her life, to witness her continuing resilience. This is, though, a wonderful piece of historical fiction giving a view of this horrible event, a reflection of the time and place and an unforgettable character.
I received a copy of this book from Simon & Schuster through Edelweiss.
March 25, 2021
3.5 Vera is the daughter of a notorious Madam, but is being raised by a Swedish woman and her daughter, Piper. She knows who her mother is and a few times a year, is sent for under cover of darkness. She yearns for her mother, a mother's love, a family that is truly her own. The 1906 earthquake in San Francisco will destroy much of what Vera knows, and will test the strength of the city and of Vera herself. At fifteen she will need to be clever and fearsome, if she is to survive.
I loved her character, this young girl who yearned for much but had to work hard for so little. The earthquake proved to be the great equalizer, the wealthy, the poor and the outside Chinese needed to work together to survive, rebuild. It is a good correlation to our present time when Covid had the same impact. Unlike SF though we aren't very good at working together, still divided. Vera though proves to be worthy of the title heroine. Much falls on her shoulders, herself and others survival. We read her story at fifteen and then a look into how her life turns out when she is very much older.
I enjoyed Vera and her story, this look back at a time when devastation tested the mettle of so many. A worthy read.
I loved her character, this young girl who yearned for much but had to work hard for so little. The earthquake proved to be the great equalizer, the wealthy, the poor and the outside Chinese needed to work together to survive, rebuild. It is a good correlation to our present time when Covid had the same impact. Unlike SF though we aren't very good at working together, still divided. Vera though proves to be worthy of the title heroine. Much falls on her shoulders, herself and others survival. We read her story at fifteen and then a look into how her life turns out when she is very much older.
I enjoyed Vera and her story, this look back at a time when devastation tested the mettle of so many. A worthy read.
September 21, 2021
It took me a little while to warm up to this story, but once the earthquake hit, I was all in. Vera is a wonderful tale of Vera, the daughter of a famous madam named Rose. Vera was a mistake, so Rose sends money regularly to Morie, an immigrant from Sweden, to raise Vera. Vera sees her natural mother for an evening visit three times a year. Vera does not feel loved by either of her mothers and struggles to find herself, a place where she belongs, and love. Though she is not pretty and lacks the usual social graces, she is whip smart, courageous, and a survivor.
The story is set in 1906 in San Francisco at the time of the horrific earthquake and subsequent fires. Having been to San Francisco many times, it was fun picturing all the many places in the city this story covered. I was also really pleased with the wealth of information the author provides on the 1906 disaster itself as well as the way of life with all the diversity (both economical and racial), corruption, and societal differences of the city at that time. The author researched this one well.
There are many colorful characters. Vera is very well developed and is surrounded by an excellent cast including Piper (“Pie”), her stepsister; Morie; Tan, Rose’s personal assistant and cook; the elusive Lifang, Tan’s daughter; Bobby, who takes a shine to Vera; Mercy, Valentine, Capability, and Sophie, all employees of Rose; and the German-born mayor Eugene Schmitz. Characterization is a highlight of this book.
There wasn’t an epilogue per se, but the last chapter served that purpose well. It was exquisitely written and put a lump in my throat. And that very last paragraph….just divine.
It pains me not to give Vera all the stars, but I must deduct one for what I felt was a slow start. I don’t see anyone else complaining about that in the many reviews I read, so don’t let that stop you from checking this one out. It’s a winner that I highly recommend.
The story is set in 1906 in San Francisco at the time of the horrific earthquake and subsequent fires. Having been to San Francisco many times, it was fun picturing all the many places in the city this story covered. I was also really pleased with the wealth of information the author provides on the 1906 disaster itself as well as the way of life with all the diversity (both economical and racial), corruption, and societal differences of the city at that time. The author researched this one well.
There are many colorful characters. Vera is very well developed and is surrounded by an excellent cast including Piper (“Pie”), her stepsister; Morie; Tan, Rose’s personal assistant and cook; the elusive Lifang, Tan’s daughter; Bobby, who takes a shine to Vera; Mercy, Valentine, Capability, and Sophie, all employees of Rose; and the German-born mayor Eugene Schmitz. Characterization is a highlight of this book.
There wasn’t an epilogue per se, but the last chapter served that purpose well. It was exquisitely written and put a lump in my throat. And that very last paragraph….just divine.
It pains me not to give Vera all the stars, but I must deduct one for what I felt was a slow start. I don’t see anyone else complaining about that in the many reviews I read, so don’t let that stop you from checking this one out. It’s a winner that I highly recommend.
August 10, 2021
I had placed “Vera” on the back burner for a while because this book and “The Nature of Fragile Things” were both published within months of each other.
I’m glad that I waited as now the great earthquake was new for me again. The novel explains so many different aspects of life in San Francisco before and after the earthquake. There are great characters in this novel and they are very diverse!! What was really special about this novel was that it was also a COMING OF AGE NOVEL.
Vera is the daughter of Rose, who was the grande dame of San Francisco’s red light district.in the early 1900’s, having the fanciest bordello with music and lush rooms. Rose was notorious for her connections to the city’s politicians and elected officials. She was a force to be reckoned with!!
When she gave birth to Vera, she didn’t want a child. It was unplanned and she knows once Vera is walking that a bordello was no place to raise a child.
She hires Morie Johnson, a widow from Sweden with a child of her own to care for Vera. It is to be an ongoing arrangement. Rose pays her well but often Morie keeps a lot of the money for herself rather than for good food and clothing for Vera. Her daughter Pie, 3 years old, obviously receives kinder, fairer treatment.
Though Vera is raised by Morie there is still a connection to Rose. Every year she is taken to THE BIG HOUSE that Rose lives in atop a grand hill in San Francisco. She is treated to a feast and many gifts are exchanged. Aside from that one visit a year, Vera seldom sees her mother. She still yearns for her and SHE FEELS THAT SHE HAS A STRONG CONNECTION TO ROSE. She has searched all of her life for the one thing that she really wanted, A MOTHER’S LOVE AND CARE..
The novel is told from Vera’s point of view, beginning with her remembrance of her 15th birthday. Though the day started normally, the great earthquake will turn her life upside down. In the morning she was spending time with Pie, her “sister by arrangement not blood”. Within hours most of San Francisco was flattened and fires were taking the rest of the buildings.
Without going through the plot, as there are many surprises in this book, I can tell you that Vera not only survives but ends up thriving.
There are a host of other characters, interesting and well described. There were politicians who had been in Rose’s pocket, as well as Rose’s cook and his family, Vera’s first time love and a host of San Francisco’s most successful people: store owners, restaurant restaurateurs , police and fire officials, etc.
This was not a fast pacedI novel and I decided to try the audiobook to see if it made my experience better, IT DEFINITELY DID. Listening to the book told in Vera’s voice, made it much more of a personal story of Vera and the city she loved.
Carol Edgarian has lived in her adopted hometown of San Francisco for over 3 decades. Her love for the city and it’s history shine through the novel.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss and the audiobook from Audible.
I’m glad that I waited as now the great earthquake was new for me again. The novel explains so many different aspects of life in San Francisco before and after the earthquake. There are great characters in this novel and they are very diverse!! What was really special about this novel was that it was also a COMING OF AGE NOVEL.
Vera is the daughter of Rose, who was the grande dame of San Francisco’s red light district.in the early 1900’s, having the fanciest bordello with music and lush rooms. Rose was notorious for her connections to the city’s politicians and elected officials. She was a force to be reckoned with!!
When she gave birth to Vera, she didn’t want a child. It was unplanned and she knows once Vera is walking that a bordello was no place to raise a child.
She hires Morie Johnson, a widow from Sweden with a child of her own to care for Vera. It is to be an ongoing arrangement. Rose pays her well but often Morie keeps a lot of the money for herself rather than for good food and clothing for Vera. Her daughter Pie, 3 years old, obviously receives kinder, fairer treatment.
Though Vera is raised by Morie there is still a connection to Rose. Every year she is taken to THE BIG HOUSE that Rose lives in atop a grand hill in San Francisco. She is treated to a feast and many gifts are exchanged. Aside from that one visit a year, Vera seldom sees her mother. She still yearns for her and SHE FEELS THAT SHE HAS A STRONG CONNECTION TO ROSE. She has searched all of her life for the one thing that she really wanted, A MOTHER’S LOVE AND CARE..
The novel is told from Vera’s point of view, beginning with her remembrance of her 15th birthday. Though the day started normally, the great earthquake will turn her life upside down. In the morning she was spending time with Pie, her “sister by arrangement not blood”. Within hours most of San Francisco was flattened and fires were taking the rest of the buildings.
Without going through the plot, as there are many surprises in this book, I can tell you that Vera not only survives but ends up thriving.
There are a host of other characters, interesting and well described. There were politicians who had been in Rose’s pocket, as well as Rose’s cook and his family, Vera’s first time love and a host of San Francisco’s most successful people: store owners, restaurant restaurateurs , police and fire officials, etc.
This was not a fast pacedI novel and I decided to try the audiobook to see if it made my experience better, IT DEFINITELY DID. Listening to the book told in Vera’s voice, made it much more of a personal story of Vera and the city she loved.
Carol Edgarian has lived in her adopted hometown of San Francisco for over 3 decades. Her love for the city and it’s history shine through the novel.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss and the audiobook from Audible.
July 28, 2021
"The magnitutde of the thing. It was there in the eyes of our neighbors too: the wonder is having witnessed it, of having survived it. In those first hours, I never saw a soul, not even a child, cry for what had been taken."
Carol Edgarian introduces us to one feisty character: fifteen year old Vera Johnson. Now Vera comes with some baggage of her own at such a young age. She is the illegitimate daughter of a widely known madam who reigns over San Francisco life and the well-known men who slink into the bordello most evenings.
Raising a young girl inside the walls of this bordello was a challenge. Rose of The Rose found a good home for Vera with a recent immigrant and her daughter, Pie. Vera visited Rose every now and then, but Rose kept her at the edge of her lace gowns. Vera and Pie became sisters with the bond of a tight relationship.
As the story unfolds, Edgarian drifts in famous people of the time such as Enrico Caruso and even the indicted mayor, Eugene Schmitz. The solid ground that these people walked on would be shaken beyond belief on that fateful day in 1906. We can only imagine the shock of awakening to a city leveled by the massive tremors.
And in the aftermath, San Francisco is charged with the fervor of people vs. people. While neighbor tried to assist neighbor in the rubble, the widening gap of class distinction, cultures, racial tension, and the lessening role of women took a foothold in scavenging for survival. Asians, and in particular Chinese, were treated abominably. It is here that Vera steps forward and puts herself in the line of fire without flinching. The transformation from a young wayward girl to a woman of solid direction and fortitude is remarkable.
Vera is an enjoyable novel that engages the reader in a timely piece of history. We experience the folly of standing with locked arms in a sea of destruction. Hands held together in unity rebuilds mighty structures and societies. Food for thought.....
Carol Edgarian introduces us to one feisty character: fifteen year old Vera Johnson. Now Vera comes with some baggage of her own at such a young age. She is the illegitimate daughter of a widely known madam who reigns over San Francisco life and the well-known men who slink into the bordello most evenings.
Raising a young girl inside the walls of this bordello was a challenge. Rose of The Rose found a good home for Vera with a recent immigrant and her daughter, Pie. Vera visited Rose every now and then, but Rose kept her at the edge of her lace gowns. Vera and Pie became sisters with the bond of a tight relationship.
As the story unfolds, Edgarian drifts in famous people of the time such as Enrico Caruso and even the indicted mayor, Eugene Schmitz. The solid ground that these people walked on would be shaken beyond belief on that fateful day in 1906. We can only imagine the shock of awakening to a city leveled by the massive tremors.
And in the aftermath, San Francisco is charged with the fervor of people vs. people. While neighbor tried to assist neighbor in the rubble, the widening gap of class distinction, cultures, racial tension, and the lessening role of women took a foothold in scavenging for survival. Asians, and in particular Chinese, were treated abominably. It is here that Vera steps forward and puts herself in the line of fire without flinching. The transformation from a young wayward girl to a woman of solid direction and fortitude is remarkable.
Vera is an enjoyable novel that engages the reader in a timely piece of history. We experience the folly of standing with locked arms in a sea of destruction. Hands held together in unity rebuilds mighty structures and societies. Food for thought.....
December 31, 2020
In the wake of the of the devastating 1908 San Francisco earthquake, the bastard and virtually abandoned daughter of a prominent brothel Madam comes of age, proves her mettle and survives. Everything about this book is fine. The writing is fine, the characters are fine, and the storyline is fine. I wish it had been more and certainly more than fine.
January 27, 2021
I don't keep many books for my personal collection, but this one is an exception. I'm not sure what it is, but so far in 2021, the thrillers I have read have all been rather mediocre, but the historical fiction books have been fantastic!
I was sold from the moment I saw the amazing cover and read the words "San Francisco earthquake" and "bordello;" but I had no idea what an incredibly moving tale of loss, love, and reinvention it would turn out to be. It is the story of Vera Johnson, the fifteen-year-old illegitimate daughter of Rose, who is the famous Madame of San Francisco’s most legendary bordello. Vera has grown up straddling two worlds—her mother's alluring world, into which Vera is only welcomed a few times a year, and the cold, unloving world of the foster mother paid by Rose to raise her. Vera doesn't feel loved by either "mother," although she is close with her adopted sister, Pie, despite the fact that Vera longs to be independent, while Pie wants only to marry a local shopkeeper. Vera is also seemingly despised by Rose's right-hand man, Tan, from Chinatown, who always seems to be lurking in the shadows wherever she goes.
On the day of the famous earthquake, Vera’s two worlds collide. As the shattered city burns, Vera and Pie find themselves alone and homeless. Unable to locate Rose, Vera and an unwilling Pie move into Rose's "gold house," despite the societal shame the house carries for its inhabitants. With only Tan to help, they forge an unlikely family of misfit survivors. A badly injured and disfigured Rose is eventually located and Vera becomes her caregiver, in hopes that she will finally win her mother's love. What follows is heart wrenching, powerful, and inspiring, as her hopes are dashed time and again, but she continues to persist in finding her own way.
I've read several other books about the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, but I must say the descriptions in this book were the most vivid and moving of any I've ever read. The Chinatown pieces were also intriguing, as I had no idea of the corruption and racism that was so prevalent during that era. There wasn't a character who didn't move me in some way, and the relationship between Vera and Bobby warmed my heart and then broke it with the same intensity. The plot took so many unexpected turns that made the story truly memorable. The only parts that lagged a bit for me were the scenes with the mayor and "Haj," but in the end, they all play a pertinent role in the plot, so I can overlook them.
All I can say is that if I ever have to endure a natural disaster, I want a Vera in my squad! Such a strong character-driven, coming of age story that I won't soon forget and can't recommend highly enough. All the stars.
I was sold from the moment I saw the amazing cover and read the words "San Francisco earthquake" and "bordello;" but I had no idea what an incredibly moving tale of loss, love, and reinvention it would turn out to be. It is the story of Vera Johnson, the fifteen-year-old illegitimate daughter of Rose, who is the famous Madame of San Francisco’s most legendary bordello. Vera has grown up straddling two worlds—her mother's alluring world, into which Vera is only welcomed a few times a year, and the cold, unloving world of the foster mother paid by Rose to raise her. Vera doesn't feel loved by either "mother," although she is close with her adopted sister, Pie, despite the fact that Vera longs to be independent, while Pie wants only to marry a local shopkeeper. Vera is also seemingly despised by Rose's right-hand man, Tan, from Chinatown, who always seems to be lurking in the shadows wherever she goes.
On the day of the famous earthquake, Vera’s two worlds collide. As the shattered city burns, Vera and Pie find themselves alone and homeless. Unable to locate Rose, Vera and an unwilling Pie move into Rose's "gold house," despite the societal shame the house carries for its inhabitants. With only Tan to help, they forge an unlikely family of misfit survivors. A badly injured and disfigured Rose is eventually located and Vera becomes her caregiver, in hopes that she will finally win her mother's love. What follows is heart wrenching, powerful, and inspiring, as her hopes are dashed time and again, but she continues to persist in finding her own way.
I've read several other books about the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, but I must say the descriptions in this book were the most vivid and moving of any I've ever read. The Chinatown pieces were also intriguing, as I had no idea of the corruption and racism that was so prevalent during that era. There wasn't a character who didn't move me in some way, and the relationship between Vera and Bobby warmed my heart and then broke it with the same intensity. The plot took so many unexpected turns that made the story truly memorable. The only parts that lagged a bit for me were the scenes with the mayor and "Haj," but in the end, they all play a pertinent role in the plot, so I can overlook them.
All I can say is that if I ever have to endure a natural disaster, I want a Vera in my squad! Such a strong character-driven, coming of age story that I won't soon forget and can't recommend highly enough. All the stars.
June 7, 2021
When I first noticed this book, I added to my shelves but every time I checked it again and read the description I wasn’t sure if I’d like it or not. I kept thinking about reading it though and when it was my turn in the queue at my library for the e-copy, audiobook, and paper book I decided it would be my next book.
I’m so glad that I’ve read it. I was immediately sucked in. I love the writing style and the characters, particularly Vera, and I also love books with San Francisco settings and this is a great San Francisco book.
This story packed an emotional punch for me. I was sucked in. I rooted so hard from the start for Vera. There were many other fascinating characters too and some surprised me and some didn’t but all of them were interesting and all of them and their relationships made sense.
A quote I particularly liked: “For I was indeed a student of human nature, as every orphan and hooker and unwanted kid must be.”
I appreciated the Acknowledgments section at the end. It showed the considerable amount of research that went into writing this book.
4-1/2 stars
I’m so glad that I’ve read it. I was immediately sucked in. I love the writing style and the characters, particularly Vera, and I also love books with San Francisco settings and this is a great San Francisco book.
This story packed an emotional punch for me. I was sucked in. I rooted so hard from the start for Vera. There were many other fascinating characters too and some surprised me and some didn’t but all of them were interesting and all of them and their relationships made sense.
A quote I particularly liked: “For I was indeed a student of human nature, as every orphan and hooker and unwanted kid must be.”
I appreciated the Acknowledgments section at the end. It showed the considerable amount of research that went into writing this book.
4-1/2 stars
April 13, 2021
4 Stars
January 29, 2021
It's 1906 in San Francisco, right before the big earthquake. Vera, the child of bordello madam Rose, has been placed with a widow and her daughter. Her guardian is a drinker and a gambler, and is dependent on the income she receives from Rose. Everything changes after the earthquake, and Vera at age 15 proves that she is a survivor. I found the characters unlikable and somewhat lacking in depth. I did find the setting of turn of the 20th century San Francisco interesting, and recommend this novel to anyone who is also intrigued by this time period. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.
March 24, 2021
Vera Johnson has lived a long, long life and in all of her years none have proved to be as momentous, as exciting, as devastating as 1906, the year San Francisco was nearly leveled by an epic earthquake. In 1906 Vera was 15, a bastard child of SF’s most popular madam, given to and paid for a Swedish single mother to raise alongside her own child. Vera has a scant relationship with her birthmother, a potently ambitious well connected woman who for all her admirable qualities doesn’t have a maternal bone in her body. Until the earthquake rips through the city permanently altering all preexisting arrangements and Vera and her (nonbiological) sister Pie find themselves taking possession of a fancy mansion she never got to grow up in, her birthright. But the girls are not alone, they are antagonized and cared for in equal measures by her mother’s former employee Tan and his family, just as the position of Chinese people in the city gets suddenly quite precarious. There’s a love interest that slowly makes his way into the picture. There are all the terrific variegated players who slowly come to populate the place. And then there are real life characters cleverly integrated into the fabric of the plot, from politicians to socialites. All set against the backdrop of the city ravaged by nature and yet poised to make yet another comeback, to live up to its flag, to rise from the ashes. There are great many things this novel gets right the first and foremost of them being creating a genuinely excellent young protagonist in adult fiction. It isn’t often than a 15 year old can carry a story with such aplomb. It’s a bildungsroman in a way, of course, 1906 shapes Vera into a person of steel, will and drive she becomes, albeit possibly stealing away too much softness through teaching some lessons too early and too brutally. Secondly, there are some terrific descriptions of the city. I’ve recently armchair traveled to SF, but a present day version. This was a time machine armchair trip, which is almost as good as hot tub time machine and by some accounts more so, especially in the summer. The writing is good, the characters are enjoyable, it’s sad without being depressing. Not sure why I didn’t love it, though I definitely liked it a lot. A transporting sort of entertainment, Great for fans of historical fiction. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
Read
June 30, 2021I read approx. 70 pages (maybe more) then put it aside. It wasn't for me. I am glad so many enjoy it. I found Vera off putting and though I found the beginning plausible, it didn't bring about the intended emotions for her. I'm sure this is a case of, 'it's not the book, it's me'.
January 12, 2021
via my blog: https://bookstalkerblog.wordpress.com/
𝐀𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬.
Vera makes no qualms about her blood, she is a mutt, a bastard and an almost orphan. Her mother Rose, a legendary Madam, birthed her but left the raising to a Swedish widow named Elsa. In doing so, this guarantees she will never become a hooker nor bear the stain of her mother’s sins. The earth is about to shake the ground beneath their feet and alter all their plans days after Vera’s fifteenth birthday in San Francisco 1906. With Rose’s blood running through Vera’s veins, she has two warring natures inside of her but which will win out?
Her mysterious mother Rose lives a lavish life in Pacific Heights within a great house of many rooms upon which Vera looks at with deep longing. The time she spends with her mother are rare, and all her wishes are centered on being with Rose. With Vera’s dark looks, it’s impossible to truly pass as Elsa’s daughter and Piper “Pie’s” sister. Rose’s life revolves around meeting the desires of men, in the oldest profession in the world and Vera’s father? Well, he’s not even a factor. Her loneliness is overwhelming, feeling like nothing more than “a madam’s mistake”, Rose’s great shame and yet there lies freedom in being a secret. Vera learns early in life that her mind is her greatest company, and is the very thing that will help her survive and thrive when their great city and its citizens crumble.
San Francisco and Vera could be the same entity, both inhabited by secrets, henchmen, painted ladies, sleazy politicians, and all manner of celebrity and scandal. Vera learns discernment is the name of the game early on, and works hard to earn her keep. Despite Rose’s attempts to see Vera become first class, Vera is oddly proud of what her mother has accomplished as a Madam of the brothel (off limits to her), running the best place downtown. If only she would stop sending Vera away, if only things began making sense. Rose is privy to everything happening in this fine city, from the belly crawling scum to San Francisco’s mayor, she has eyes and ears everywhere. She doesn’t suffer fools and in her own way is teaching Vera how to be strong, a survivor. Vera wants nothing more than to prove herself to her mother and by choosing to shamefully out a liar she proves even she has a price. She may never be as beautiful as her mother, but she can be smart…
There it is, she is not beautiful, a crushing truth but she will need her smarts to survive the destructive forces of the coming earthquakes of her long life.
Rose exemplifies the times and what a woman without many options resorted too. Rather than being beaten down or waiting to be rescued, she used her wits to climb out of ruin, reborn again and again. Her moves are full of calculations and ones that Vera can’t always comprehend. But there are hard lessons between want and desire she is bound to absorb. The Chinese man Tan, her mother Rose’s butler and cook is the kink in the chain, the cause of confusion and anger. Tan, her mother’s spy- the very man who, though resentful of Vera’s very existence, can sometimes be bribed into revealing secrets to her. He will play a far greater role in all their lives, despite their shared mutual hatred.
Vera is learning she isn’t as far removed from the rest of the filth as she once believed. Everything in life is a game, she learns this the night of the opera, a game she has to learn to play and this she does on the streets of the glorious city. A city that is an orchestra that the mayor controls. Just as she is chewing on thoughts of that night, the city cracks. Everything falls upon them and it is up to Vera to save both she and love-sick, heart-broken Pie. Vera has no choice but to lead the way.
Soon the city is alight with fires, the dead lay buried, and society is suddenly equal, at least in their devastation. Everyone is a target for criminals, Rose is nowhere to be found dead or alive, and Vera is motherless as always. There is no gas, no running water, no electricity, no food but some grit has entered her soul, and in Rose’s house she and Pie become squatters. No telling how long before the world will right itself, she grudgingly allows Tan into their lives again, but he isn’t alone. He has brought a beautiful girl with him. It is because of him that another usurps her place as her mother’s daughter, and it’s a crushing blow. Everything is burning, and follows suit with history. Nearly 500 city blocks destroyed in the span of 3 days. The Palace Hotel, Chinatown… everything engulfed. Vera is only 15 and full of pride, but she is about to grow up fast. How will it all end, where will this event take them all and will Vera reunite with her mother Rose? Will her mother always reside in her head, watching over her, there to impress?
Vera is first and foremost about reinvention, Rose was already planning her daughter’s future before her birth, deciding what path would be better, but never could she have predicted the forces of nature, the earth’s or her own child’s. The best laid plans and all that… nature, nurture, pride, class, love, lust, desire, all these things build a city and bring it down. Vera and the city of San Francisco are both rebuilt but each retain the memory of what the destruction cost them, regardless of how much time passes.
Yes, read it, it is engaging historical fiction.
Publication Date: March 2, 2021
Scribner
𝐀𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬.
Vera makes no qualms about her blood, she is a mutt, a bastard and an almost orphan. Her mother Rose, a legendary Madam, birthed her but left the raising to a Swedish widow named Elsa. In doing so, this guarantees she will never become a hooker nor bear the stain of her mother’s sins. The earth is about to shake the ground beneath their feet and alter all their plans days after Vera’s fifteenth birthday in San Francisco 1906. With Rose’s blood running through Vera’s veins, she has two warring natures inside of her but which will win out?
Her mysterious mother Rose lives a lavish life in Pacific Heights within a great house of many rooms upon which Vera looks at with deep longing. The time she spends with her mother are rare, and all her wishes are centered on being with Rose. With Vera’s dark looks, it’s impossible to truly pass as Elsa’s daughter and Piper “Pie’s” sister. Rose’s life revolves around meeting the desires of men, in the oldest profession in the world and Vera’s father? Well, he’s not even a factor. Her loneliness is overwhelming, feeling like nothing more than “a madam’s mistake”, Rose’s great shame and yet there lies freedom in being a secret. Vera learns early in life that her mind is her greatest company, and is the very thing that will help her survive and thrive when their great city and its citizens crumble.
San Francisco and Vera could be the same entity, both inhabited by secrets, henchmen, painted ladies, sleazy politicians, and all manner of celebrity and scandal. Vera learns discernment is the name of the game early on, and works hard to earn her keep. Despite Rose’s attempts to see Vera become first class, Vera is oddly proud of what her mother has accomplished as a Madam of the brothel (off limits to her), running the best place downtown. If only she would stop sending Vera away, if only things began making sense. Rose is privy to everything happening in this fine city, from the belly crawling scum to San Francisco’s mayor, she has eyes and ears everywhere. She doesn’t suffer fools and in her own way is teaching Vera how to be strong, a survivor. Vera wants nothing more than to prove herself to her mother and by choosing to shamefully out a liar she proves even she has a price. She may never be as beautiful as her mother, but she can be smart…
There it is, she is not beautiful, a crushing truth but she will need her smarts to survive the destructive forces of the coming earthquakes of her long life.
Rose exemplifies the times and what a woman without many options resorted too. Rather than being beaten down or waiting to be rescued, she used her wits to climb out of ruin, reborn again and again. Her moves are full of calculations and ones that Vera can’t always comprehend. But there are hard lessons between want and desire she is bound to absorb. The Chinese man Tan, her mother Rose’s butler and cook is the kink in the chain, the cause of confusion and anger. Tan, her mother’s spy- the very man who, though resentful of Vera’s very existence, can sometimes be bribed into revealing secrets to her. He will play a far greater role in all their lives, despite their shared mutual hatred.
Vera is learning she isn’t as far removed from the rest of the filth as she once believed. Everything in life is a game, she learns this the night of the opera, a game she has to learn to play and this she does on the streets of the glorious city. A city that is an orchestra that the mayor controls. Just as she is chewing on thoughts of that night, the city cracks. Everything falls upon them and it is up to Vera to save both she and love-sick, heart-broken Pie. Vera has no choice but to lead the way.
Soon the city is alight with fires, the dead lay buried, and society is suddenly equal, at least in their devastation. Everyone is a target for criminals, Rose is nowhere to be found dead or alive, and Vera is motherless as always. There is no gas, no running water, no electricity, no food but some grit has entered her soul, and in Rose’s house she and Pie become squatters. No telling how long before the world will right itself, she grudgingly allows Tan into their lives again, but he isn’t alone. He has brought a beautiful girl with him. It is because of him that another usurps her place as her mother’s daughter, and it’s a crushing blow. Everything is burning, and follows suit with history. Nearly 500 city blocks destroyed in the span of 3 days. The Palace Hotel, Chinatown… everything engulfed. Vera is only 15 and full of pride, but she is about to grow up fast. How will it all end, where will this event take them all and will Vera reunite with her mother Rose? Will her mother always reside in her head, watching over her, there to impress?
Vera is first and foremost about reinvention, Rose was already planning her daughter’s future before her birth, deciding what path would be better, but never could she have predicted the forces of nature, the earth’s or her own child’s. The best laid plans and all that… nature, nurture, pride, class, love, lust, desire, all these things build a city and bring it down. Vera and the city of San Francisco are both rebuilt but each retain the memory of what the destruction cost them, regardless of how much time passes.
Yes, read it, it is engaging historical fiction.
Publication Date: March 2, 2021
Scribner
April 26, 2021
I liked this but I was hoping for a little more depth with Vera's life, maybe it's me and my expectations of what I wanted from her character, but I just felt like the storyline fell a little flat towards the ending.
February 25, 2021
I enjoyed this tale of the immediate aftermath of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake as it is told by the tenacious, plucky Vera. In the book, Vera is at an advanced age and reflects back to her fifteen-year-old self. The story is told from a teen's point of view but it doesn't read YA at all. Overall, an enjoyable read with lively characters.
February 1, 2021
VERA
BY CAROL EDGARIAN
This novel was such a pleasure to read and if I could award it one-hundred stars I would most definitely do so. Carol Edgarian has in my humble opinion written the finest coming of age historical novel's to thrill and delight adult audiences I have ever come across in my entire lifetime. From its beginning pages it attracted and held my interest and attention until I read the very last word. In Vera, Ms Edgarian has created a fifteen year old protagonist that both captivated and charmed me with her iron will spirit and courage. This was an elaborately invented character that in the face of adversity possesses noble qualities and is both confident and courageous with leadership skills that are plentiful in the aftermath of a catastrophe. I don't normally gravitate towards reading coming of age novels nor do I seek them out but Vera had my soul smiling with her wit out performing an ensemble of eclectic character's.
This is a novel exquisitely written for adult audiences and it is both epic and literary in its rich and lush descriptions. On April 18, 1906 an earthquake strikes killing hundreds and gravely wounding thousands. Vera is being taking care of by a Swedish woman named Morie who owes the haj a great deal amount of money. Morie's daughter, Piper whom goes by the name of Pie and Vera stumble their way out of the house miraculously surviving the devastation that has destroyed their house and all of those in their neighborhood. The roof caved in and Morie is killed being buried under the bricks, wood and stucco just like all of the rest of the houses in their community.
Vera and Pie who is older make their way by their horse to Vera's birth mother's mansion which is on Nob Hill a much higher terrain with only minor roof damage to both the lavishly furnished sturdier opulent home. The stables are where the beloved horse is put in a stall. Part of the stable's roof is also damaged and the horse breaks one of his legs and a man shoots the horse. Rose, Vera's birth mother who is a Madam is nowhere to be found. That same day Tan, Rose's servant who was just fired shows up with his father and his teenage daughter Lifang who are from Chinatown. Rose has a pantry filled with food and Tan sets up an outdoor cooking hovel and with his excellent culinary skills and spices quickly cooks all of the Roasts and before long has an endless line of displaced person's which are paying him for each plate of food. Tan is keeping all of the proceeds of the money and when Vera asks him about it he lies and empties his pockets showing her that he only has a few pennies. The air quality is poor with all of the fires burning from exploding gas lines in the lower downtown district and most of the city.
Vera depends solely on herself with her resources, mental sharpness, firmness of purpose and keen intelligence forging forward in an uncertain world after a devastating catastrophe. Charting her own course with her improbable new family who depend on her in a completely new way of life after the city's natural disaster I grew to love her. I doubt that I would be able to make the crucial decisions that Vera did establishing solving the challenges that she faced for searching for an indifferent mother and the risks that she took bringing Rose home and saving her life. My heart broke for Vera in not receiving the two most important loves of her life. In Vera, Edgarian brings forth a survivor whose quest is tested compassionately by con artists, thieves and liars.
Vera's story brings into existence remarkable and legendary characters to come to life. Enrico Caruso, corrupt Mayor Eugene Schmitz and his wife Pearl. Prominent tabloid celebrity Alma Spreckels. Vera's first love boyfriend and the love of her life, Bobby, the bold champion at the House of Protections who looks out for the orphans.
A story told without the hesitation of fear, with the insight of remaining open, honest, fresh and with the enterprise of inventiveness with keen intelligence. It encompasses the coming of age experience with an inquiry that examines the nature of sex, power and the courage whether being in pain or adversity an examination of the bravery that triumphs and heals. This is one of the the novels that I will be sure to purchase for myself, family members and my special friends who love good literary fiction with unforgettable heroine's. I highly, highly recommend Vera. It is only January but I am certain that this is going to be one of the best reading experiences that I have had in my life. I can't wait to read Carol Edgarian's other work who has been endorsed by James Salter who is an excellent Author who knows how to write fiction that reaches in and touches the human heart in all of us.
Publication Date: March 2, 2021
Thank you to Net Galley, Carol Edgarian and Simon & Schuster/Scribner for generously providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
BY CAROL EDGARIAN
This novel was such a pleasure to read and if I could award it one-hundred stars I would most definitely do so. Carol Edgarian has in my humble opinion written the finest coming of age historical novel's to thrill and delight adult audiences I have ever come across in my entire lifetime. From its beginning pages it attracted and held my interest and attention until I read the very last word. In Vera, Ms Edgarian has created a fifteen year old protagonist that both captivated and charmed me with her iron will spirit and courage. This was an elaborately invented character that in the face of adversity possesses noble qualities and is both confident and courageous with leadership skills that are plentiful in the aftermath of a catastrophe. I don't normally gravitate towards reading coming of age novels nor do I seek them out but Vera had my soul smiling with her wit out performing an ensemble of eclectic character's.
This is a novel exquisitely written for adult audiences and it is both epic and literary in its rich and lush descriptions. On April 18, 1906 an earthquake strikes killing hundreds and gravely wounding thousands. Vera is being taking care of by a Swedish woman named Morie who owes the haj a great deal amount of money. Morie's daughter, Piper whom goes by the name of Pie and Vera stumble their way out of the house miraculously surviving the devastation that has destroyed their house and all of those in their neighborhood. The roof caved in and Morie is killed being buried under the bricks, wood and stucco just like all of the rest of the houses in their community.
Vera and Pie who is older make their way by their horse to Vera's birth mother's mansion which is on Nob Hill a much higher terrain with only minor roof damage to both the lavishly furnished sturdier opulent home. The stables are where the beloved horse is put in a stall. Part of the stable's roof is also damaged and the horse breaks one of his legs and a man shoots the horse. Rose, Vera's birth mother who is a Madam is nowhere to be found. That same day Tan, Rose's servant who was just fired shows up with his father and his teenage daughter Lifang who are from Chinatown. Rose has a pantry filled with food and Tan sets up an outdoor cooking hovel and with his excellent culinary skills and spices quickly cooks all of the Roasts and before long has an endless line of displaced person's which are paying him for each plate of food. Tan is keeping all of the proceeds of the money and when Vera asks him about it he lies and empties his pockets showing her that he only has a few pennies. The air quality is poor with all of the fires burning from exploding gas lines in the lower downtown district and most of the city.
Vera depends solely on herself with her resources, mental sharpness, firmness of purpose and keen intelligence forging forward in an uncertain world after a devastating catastrophe. Charting her own course with her improbable new family who depend on her in a completely new way of life after the city's natural disaster I grew to love her. I doubt that I would be able to make the crucial decisions that Vera did establishing solving the challenges that she faced for searching for an indifferent mother and the risks that she took bringing Rose home and saving her life. My heart broke for Vera in not receiving the two most important loves of her life. In Vera, Edgarian brings forth a survivor whose quest is tested compassionately by con artists, thieves and liars.
Vera's story brings into existence remarkable and legendary characters to come to life. Enrico Caruso, corrupt Mayor Eugene Schmitz and his wife Pearl. Prominent tabloid celebrity Alma Spreckels. Vera's first love boyfriend and the love of her life, Bobby, the bold champion at the House of Protections who looks out for the orphans.
A story told without the hesitation of fear, with the insight of remaining open, honest, fresh and with the enterprise of inventiveness with keen intelligence. It encompasses the coming of age experience with an inquiry that examines the nature of sex, power and the courage whether being in pain or adversity an examination of the bravery that triumphs and heals. This is one of the the novels that I will be sure to purchase for myself, family members and my special friends who love good literary fiction with unforgettable heroine's. I highly, highly recommend Vera. It is only January but I am certain that this is going to be one of the best reading experiences that I have had in my life. I can't wait to read Carol Edgarian's other work who has been endorsed by James Salter who is an excellent Author who knows how to write fiction that reaches in and touches the human heart in all of us.
Publication Date: March 2, 2021
Thank you to Net Galley, Carol Edgarian and Simon & Schuster/Scribner for generously providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
April 21, 2021
Summary: The characters were interesting, but the plot and setting were pretty lackluster.
This is the story of "Vera Johnson, the uncommonly resourceful fifteen-year-old illegitimate daughter of Rose, notorious proprietor of San Francisco’s most legendary bordello and ally to the city’s corrupt politicians. Vera has grown up straddling two worlds—the madam’s alluring sphere, replete with tickets to the opera, surly henchmen, and scant morality, and the violent, debt ridden domestic life of the family paid to raise her." (source) This description is a little on the grim side for my taste, but I was intrigued by the historical setting around the 1905 San Francisco earthquake and picked this up for that reason.
I was initially surprised to find that I enjoyed the characters in this book more than the setting. We got to know Vera quickly, with intimate insight into her hopes and fears. She's a complex character with both admirable characteristics and clear character flaws. I also enjoyed one particularly complex relationship as she allies with a person she disliked following the quake. On the other hand, the setting was a bit of a let down. We only meet about five characters. We see three or four locations, but they weren't described in much detail. I just didn't feel like I got an idea of what the city was like. The scale of the story was simply too small.
While there were parts of this book that I liked and parts that I didn't, the overall arc of the story was unsatisfying. It took some consideration to determine why that was the case. I think one major problem was that our main character didn't experience much character growth. Her virtues and vices were pretty much the same at the beginning and the end of the book. I also didn't find the changes in her material circumstances or interpersonal relationship particularly significant. Although the main character tells us a bit about her life after the end of the book, none of the changes we see or hear about in her life had a real emotional impact. The outcomes she experienced felt neither heartwarmingly happy nor heartrendingly tragic. I was just lukewarm about the entire arc of the story. That made this a relatively disappointing read for me.This review was originally posted on Doing Dewey
This is the story of "Vera Johnson, the uncommonly resourceful fifteen-year-old illegitimate daughter of Rose, notorious proprietor of San Francisco’s most legendary bordello and ally to the city’s corrupt politicians. Vera has grown up straddling two worlds—the madam’s alluring sphere, replete with tickets to the opera, surly henchmen, and scant morality, and the violent, debt ridden domestic life of the family paid to raise her." (source) This description is a little on the grim side for my taste, but I was intrigued by the historical setting around the 1905 San Francisco earthquake and picked this up for that reason.
I was initially surprised to find that I enjoyed the characters in this book more than the setting. We got to know Vera quickly, with intimate insight into her hopes and fears. She's a complex character with both admirable characteristics and clear character flaws. I also enjoyed one particularly complex relationship as she allies with a person she disliked following the quake. On the other hand, the setting was a bit of a let down. We only meet about five characters. We see three or four locations, but they weren't described in much detail. I just didn't feel like I got an idea of what the city was like. The scale of the story was simply too small.
While there were parts of this book that I liked and parts that I didn't, the overall arc of the story was unsatisfying. It took some consideration to determine why that was the case. I think one major problem was that our main character didn't experience much character growth. Her virtues and vices were pretty much the same at the beginning and the end of the book. I also didn't find the changes in her material circumstances or interpersonal relationship particularly significant. Although the main character tells us a bit about her life after the end of the book, none of the changes we see or hear about in her life had a real emotional impact. The outcomes she experienced felt neither heartwarmingly happy nor heartrendingly tragic. I was just lukewarm about the entire arc of the story. That made this a relatively disappointing read for me.This review was originally posted on Doing Dewey
July 4, 2021
I have to say that I really enjoyed this character-driven novel set in San Franciso Bay Area just after the 1906 earthquake. Edgarian fits her characters together to perfection and the story would not be the same if just one character was changed.
The heroine is 15 years old Vera Johnson who is nothing short of courageous, smart, and feisty despite her absolute concern that she is not worthy of love. Her mother, Madame Rose is calculating and shrewd, but not devoid of feelings of love only the expression of it. In an attempt to protect Vera, Rose pays a woman to raise her child and sees her only some nights, thus the feelings Vera deals with. All this because her mother is a Madame and lives in the brothel as a very powerful political player in the city. Vera, only sees that she is not good enough for her mother to love, that is until the quake. Vera risks it all to hold her mother's properties together and protect those who had been a part of her mother's life.
I thought Edgarian did a great job of relating the aftermath of this major disaster and its following fire. Vera steps to the plate to make life move forward and forges new alliances and relationships with an unlikely group. From a historical viewpoint, I thought the story was woven well with the city's actual history.
4 stars
Happy Reading!
The heroine is 15 years old Vera Johnson who is nothing short of courageous, smart, and feisty despite her absolute concern that she is not worthy of love. Her mother, Madame Rose is calculating and shrewd, but not devoid of feelings of love only the expression of it. In an attempt to protect Vera, Rose pays a woman to raise her child and sees her only some nights, thus the feelings Vera deals with. All this because her mother is a Madame and lives in the brothel as a very powerful political player in the city. Vera, only sees that she is not good enough for her mother to love, that is until the quake. Vera risks it all to hold her mother's properties together and protect those who had been a part of her mother's life.
I thought Edgarian did a great job of relating the aftermath of this major disaster and its following fire. Vera steps to the plate to make life move forward and forges new alliances and relationships with an unlikely group. From a historical viewpoint, I thought the story was woven well with the city's actual history.
4 stars
Happy Reading!
October 27, 2020
This is an extraordinarily engaging novel about the great San Francisco earthquake, seen through the eyes of Vera. Vera is a tough, scrappy 15 year old when the quake comes and turns her world upside down, but she is a survivor.
Despite having been abandoned by her mother, San Francisco’s most successful madam, it to her that Vera is drawn. Vera figures out how to support herself and the people around her. Her enormous loyalty to her mother and the rag-tag bunch of people who had been devoted to her, lead the reader to an absolutely riveting story.
Honestly, it is sometimes difficult for me to enjoy historical fiction, but I was essentially hypnotized by this book.
Edgarian transported me back to the quake and I felt I walked through the rubble and rebuilding with Vera.
I highly recommend this and I think that it goes so far beyond fiction that the reader can gain great knowledge about the history of San Francisco, it’s destruction and it’s rebirth.
Thank you Netgalley for for the opportunity to read and review this novel.
Despite having been abandoned by her mother, San Francisco’s most successful madam, it to her that Vera is drawn. Vera figures out how to support herself and the people around her. Her enormous loyalty to her mother and the rag-tag bunch of people who had been devoted to her, lead the reader to an absolutely riveting story.
Honestly, it is sometimes difficult for me to enjoy historical fiction, but I was essentially hypnotized by this book.
Edgarian transported me back to the quake and I felt I walked through the rubble and rebuilding with Vera.
I highly recommend this and I think that it goes so far beyond fiction that the reader can gain great knowledge about the history of San Francisco, it’s destruction and it’s rebirth.
Thank you Netgalley for for the opportunity to read and review this novel.
March 22, 2021
I read an ARC of this book back in September 2020 when there were orange-red, smoke-choked skies across San Francisco and the Bay Area. It certainly made for a more personal connection with the story of Vera, a 15 year old fostered with a widowed mother and her daughter in San Francisco in 1906. The story starts on the eve of the infamous earthquake that's commemorated every April 18. But somehow, over the years, we've let the much more devastating impact of the resulting fires fade into the background. "Vera" brings the fires, the snoke-filled skies, and the ash raining down sharply back into focus.
The story is all about survival. What rules do you bend? What social mores do you ignore? Who do you hide behind to protect your own reputation? Vera may be young, but she's developed the sense of an outsider. It serves her well as she 'ducks and dives' her way through the new physical and civic landscape, all while figuring out how to protect the growing group of people she takes into her circle of responsibility.
The key strength of the book is the deeply researched detail of life at that time. It's the small things that strike you the most.
Read this one for a great jump back into San Francisco of 1906 and to challenge yourself to the question: "What would I do if my world fell apart?"
The story is all about survival. What rules do you bend? What social mores do you ignore? Who do you hide behind to protect your own reputation? Vera may be young, but she's developed the sense of an outsider. It serves her well as she 'ducks and dives' her way through the new physical and civic landscape, all while figuring out how to protect the growing group of people she takes into her circle of responsibility.
The key strength of the book is the deeply researched detail of life at that time. It's the small things that strike you the most.
We'd heard stories of business folks downtown retrieving their safes, then opening them while they were still hot from the fire, much to their sorrow. The heat trapped inside exploded the moment the cooler air rushed in, burning whatever was flammable: papers, cash.
Read this one for a great jump back into San Francisco of 1906 and to challenge yourself to the question: "What would I do if my world fell apart?"
April 13, 2021
This was a gripping story. Though set primarily on the aftermath of the '06 quake and fire in San Francisco, those events seem the least of the tragedies Vera endures. If anything, they allowed her to find herself. Edgarian did a beautiful job painting her protagonist and the whole cast of characters.
I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway, and I am grateful to the author and to Scribner for sending me the copy.
I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway, and I am grateful to the author and to Scribner for sending me the copy.
August 7, 2020
This was an interesting and sometimes heartbreaking read. Vera is scrappy and resilient, qualities I admire in a female character. I would have liked to see more glimpses into her future than what we got.
This was somewhere between 3.5 and four stars for me, as sometimes I wanted it to move along a bit quicker.
Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was somewhere between 3.5 and four stars for me, as sometimes I wanted it to move along a bit quicker.
Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 1, 2021
I was intrigued by this book’s summary and added it to my potential 2021 read list at the end of the year (definitely not a must read). I ended up receiving a copy though Netgalley back in January but I’m disappointed to say it was nothing special.. I’d give it three stars if I was more neutral about it and thought it was “just fine”, but I’m dropping my rating down to two because I thought it was a waste of time. I am still not sure what the point of the book was. I recently read A Splendid Ruin which takes place in the same time period but that was fun and much more interesting. Vera (the book and the character) didn’t really have much of a plot/purpose. I got bored about halfway through but wanted to finish it by the end of the month so I could move on to another book.
I think my problem with the plot/lack of purpose is from the pacing of the book. I guess it makes sense to dwell on the aftermath of a massive earthquake when the central focus of the book is the earthquake, but it read more like a daily journal of a survivor than a fiction novel. The writing was also choppy and didn’t make sense a lot of the time, which is probably what turned me off the most. I had to re-read a lot of conversations to figure out who was talking or what they were trying to say. I am not sure if 1906 slang is a thing but based on the writing, I was giving the characters weird Southern, New York hybrid accents as I read along..
Disappointing. Try A Splendid Ruin instead if you’re a (San Fran quake) historical fiction fan.
I think my problem with the plot/lack of purpose is from the pacing of the book. I guess it makes sense to dwell on the aftermath of a massive earthquake when the central focus of the book is the earthquake, but it read more like a daily journal of a survivor than a fiction novel. The writing was also choppy and didn’t make sense a lot of the time, which is probably what turned me off the most. I had to re-read a lot of conversations to figure out who was talking or what they were trying to say. I am not sure if 1906 slang is a thing but based on the writing, I was giving the characters weird Southern, New York hybrid accents as I read along..
Disappointing. Try A Splendid Ruin instead if you’re a (San Fran quake) historical fiction fan.
April 22, 2021
Ow
Perhaps a 3.5, but it was fun to listen to on audio.
Perhaps a 3.5, but it was fun to listen to on audio.
March 14, 2021
4 Stars
See more on my Bookstagram: Shelf.Inspiration Instagram
“You can’t always know in the moment who will leave a mark on your heart.” - Vera.
This book is set in San Francisco during 1906 when it was leveled by both a disastrous earthquake and a fire. We follow Vera Johnson, a fifteen-year-old who is the illegitimate daughter of Rose, the notorious proprietor of San Francisco’s most legendary bordello and ally to the city’s corrupt politicians. Vera has grown up straddling both the world of the madam’s alluring sphere and scant morality and the debt ridden domestic life of the family paid to raise her. On the morning of the quake, Vera’s worlds collide. Among the shattered city and the injured, Vera and her sister Pie, are cast adrift. Vera disregards societal norms and prejudices and begins to imagine a new kind of life, and tries to navigate her way beyond disaster.
I found out about this book a couple months ago when the cover and synopsis caught my eye. I loved the setting of San Francisco during the years of the big earthquake and enjoyed reading about Vera and her family’s survival. I also was interested in the historical aspects of this novel dealing with corruption, bordellos, and the lavishly rich in San Francisco. Overall, this is a great story that I found to be pretty unique! There are definitely some heart-breaking moments as Vera deals with some hard truths and strained relationships. I do wish that this book went a little further into certain relationships and dug deeper into the emotions surrounding them so there was more of an attachment to some characters, but I was also able to connect to the characters as-is too. I would definitely recommend this book to those who love historical fiction, and/or following characters through the aftermath of a tragic natural disaster.
See more on my Bookstagram: Shelf.Inspiration Instagram
“You can’t always know in the moment who will leave a mark on your heart.” - Vera.
This book is set in San Francisco during 1906 when it was leveled by both a disastrous earthquake and a fire. We follow Vera Johnson, a fifteen-year-old who is the illegitimate daughter of Rose, the notorious proprietor of San Francisco’s most legendary bordello and ally to the city’s corrupt politicians. Vera has grown up straddling both the world of the madam’s alluring sphere and scant morality and the debt ridden domestic life of the family paid to raise her. On the morning of the quake, Vera’s worlds collide. Among the shattered city and the injured, Vera and her sister Pie, are cast adrift. Vera disregards societal norms and prejudices and begins to imagine a new kind of life, and tries to navigate her way beyond disaster.
I found out about this book a couple months ago when the cover and synopsis caught my eye. I loved the setting of San Francisco during the years of the big earthquake and enjoyed reading about Vera and her family’s survival. I also was interested in the historical aspects of this novel dealing with corruption, bordellos, and the lavishly rich in San Francisco. Overall, this is a great story that I found to be pretty unique! There are definitely some heart-breaking moments as Vera deals with some hard truths and strained relationships. I do wish that this book went a little further into certain relationships and dug deeper into the emotions surrounding them so there was more of an attachment to some characters, but I was also able to connect to the characters as-is too. I would definitely recommend this book to those who love historical fiction, and/or following characters through the aftermath of a tragic natural disaster.
January 13, 2021
Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published on March 2nd, 2021.
A wild coming-of-age story — Vera is the daughter of the Barbary Coast’s most successful (and infamous) Madam (Rose) and is raised by a “proper” Swedish widow (Morie) who lives on that income. At 15 Vera is a “scrawny and sharp-tongued girl” seething with a fervent desire for more: more time with her real mother, more options, more life. And then the 1906 San Francisco quake hits.
With a cast of unforgettable characters deployed across unforgettable scenes, we follow Vera through adventures during and after the quake and resulting fire (which burned 28,000 buildings and 500 city blocks). From Rose’s “gold house” on Lafayette Square to Chinatown to the many encampments for the suddenly homeless (400,000 people), the novel depicts the new mixtures of uppercrusters, corrupt politicians, wandering orphans, and the military with their overrun field hospitals — all adhering to their own sense of morality, loyalty, and their survival instinct.
Real life personalities Alma Spreckles, Abe Ruef, Caruso, and Mayor Eugene Schmitz (the quake occurring on the eve of his arrest on corruption charges) all play parts. The writing is full of details such as the ingredients in Dills cough medicine (chloroform and a heroin derivative). Completely brings to life the time and the place for a variety of characters with different backgrounds. Could not put it down.
A wild coming-of-age story — Vera is the daughter of the Barbary Coast’s most successful (and infamous) Madam (Rose) and is raised by a “proper” Swedish widow (Morie) who lives on that income. At 15 Vera is a “scrawny and sharp-tongued girl” seething with a fervent desire for more: more time with her real mother, more options, more life. And then the 1906 San Francisco quake hits.
With a cast of unforgettable characters deployed across unforgettable scenes, we follow Vera through adventures during and after the quake and resulting fire (which burned 28,000 buildings and 500 city blocks). From Rose’s “gold house” on Lafayette Square to Chinatown to the many encampments for the suddenly homeless (400,000 people), the novel depicts the new mixtures of uppercrusters, corrupt politicians, wandering orphans, and the military with their overrun field hospitals — all adhering to their own sense of morality, loyalty, and their survival instinct.
Real life personalities Alma Spreckles, Abe Ruef, Caruso, and Mayor Eugene Schmitz (the quake occurring on the eve of his arrest on corruption charges) all play parts. The writing is full of details such as the ingredients in Dills cough medicine (chloroform and a heroin derivative). Completely brings to life the time and the place for a variety of characters with different backgrounds. Could not put it down.
February 26, 2021
Vera by Carol Edgerian. Thanks to @netgalley and @scribner for the e-Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Vera has two mothers, her biological
mother who is the madame of San Francisco, and her adopted mother. When the San Francisco earthquakes hit, it will test her loyalties and what she’s made of.
Okay, I rarely ever give half stars but after a lot of consideration, I decided to do so here. This was such an amazing read. I was entertained the whole way through. The only reason I didn’t give it five stars is because it felt a little rushed at times; mostly the end. This book was incredible and I would even say an epic saga. I think it would have been even better if it was a longer book... 336 pages was great but so much happened I feel it could be longer. Back to the amazing things about the book.. the main character is great. You become attached to her immediately and though she’s not the prettiest or sweetest character, she is the one you root for. Also, I will always love a book that has bordellos and harlots. This book did a great job of highlighting San Francisco before and after the devastating earthquake. It was a city some would call debauched, and others, like me... fun!
“For fifteen years I’d been waiting for a catastrophe greater than my birth. The quake gave it to me.”
“When you’re young, you think time is like water - you can put your hand in at will and swirl it around. But time isn’t like water. Time is like a quake - irrevocable and crushing. At best you can hope to ride it till it stops.”
Vera comes out 3/2.
Vera has two mothers, her biological
mother who is the madame of San Francisco, and her adopted mother. When the San Francisco earthquakes hit, it will test her loyalties and what she’s made of.
Okay, I rarely ever give half stars but after a lot of consideration, I decided to do so here. This was such an amazing read. I was entertained the whole way through. The only reason I didn’t give it five stars is because it felt a little rushed at times; mostly the end. This book was incredible and I would even say an epic saga. I think it would have been even better if it was a longer book... 336 pages was great but so much happened I feel it could be longer. Back to the amazing things about the book.. the main character is great. You become attached to her immediately and though she’s not the prettiest or sweetest character, she is the one you root for. Also, I will always love a book that has bordellos and harlots. This book did a great job of highlighting San Francisco before and after the devastating earthquake. It was a city some would call debauched, and others, like me... fun!
“For fifteen years I’d been waiting for a catastrophe greater than my birth. The quake gave it to me.”
“When you’re young, you think time is like water - you can put your hand in at will and swirl it around. But time isn’t like water. Time is like a quake - irrevocable and crushing. At best you can hope to ride it till it stops.”
Vera comes out 3/2.
January 23, 2021
In "Vera," Edgarian has provided a very unique view of life for those who survived the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. The main character (Vera), a 15-year-old illegitimate and unacknowledged daughter of the city's most popular madam (Rose), proves her mettle when she steps up and takes charge of family and employees when Rose is missing after the quake.
I was impressed by Vera's tenacity and resourcefulness, although it was a bit hard to believe that a relatively sheltered girl could be so capable in such a traumatic situation. Written in first person with an economy of prose, the author does a fine job of addressing Vera's coming-of-age, longing for her mother's love and attention, and her canniness in navigating a city attempting to right itself after such devastation.
The city itself is a major character and the descriptions were so vivid that I researched the historical quake, finding much of the information woven into the story is factual. It's quite amazing to me how many people still choose to make the Bay Area their home!
Thanks to Scribner & NetGalley for providing the ARC.
I was impressed by Vera's tenacity and resourcefulness, although it was a bit hard to believe that a relatively sheltered girl could be so capable in such a traumatic situation. Written in first person with an economy of prose, the author does a fine job of addressing Vera's coming-of-age, longing for her mother's love and attention, and her canniness in navigating a city attempting to right itself after such devastation.
The city itself is a major character and the descriptions were so vivid that I researched the historical quake, finding much of the information woven into the story is factual. It's quite amazing to me how many people still choose to make the Bay Area their home!
Thanks to Scribner & NetGalley for providing the ARC.
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