Publication
Scribner, c2021
Status
Available
Description
"Meet 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. On the morning of the great quake, Vera's worlds collide. As the shattered city burns and looters vie with the injured, orphaned, and starving, Vera and her guileless sister, Pie, are cast adrift. Vera disregards societal norms and prejudices and begins to imagine a new kind of life. She collaborates with Tan, her former rival, and forges an unlikely family of survivors. Together they navigate their way beyond disaster."--Publisher.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Beamis12
3.5 Vera is the daughter of a notorious Madam, but us 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
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.
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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.
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LibraryThing member HuberK
Vera by Carol Edgarian
Vera Johnson is fifteen, she lives with a mostly uncaring foster family, her mother Rose is a famous San Franscisco madam who only sees her daughter in the dark of night, so as not to sullie her reputation.
Suddenly the San Francisco earth quake hits and the world that they
Vera manages to secure help with a friend and goes to the other house to get Rose and bring her home. She cares for Rose's broken body, she will need much convalescing to recover.
The story is interesting, I like how it talks about the looting that goes on after the quake, and the swift way the police take care of the problem, they shoot all looters. End of the problem.
Many thanks to the publisher and Shelf Awareness for the complimentary copy of this book. I was under no obligation to post a review.
Vera Johnson is fifteen, she lives with a mostly uncaring foster family, her mother Rose is a famous San Franscisco madam who only sees her daughter in the dark of night, so as not to sullie her reputation.
Suddenly the San Francisco earth quake hits and the world that they
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knew before is shattered. Vera tries to get to Rose's fancy home, to check and see if she is okay. She overcomes horrible conditions to get there, worried sick, the whole time. She does get there and finds that Rose is not at that location. One of Rose's employees said that Rose is in her other house, where she went at times, to entertain.Vera manages to secure help with a friend and goes to the other house to get Rose and bring her home. She cares for Rose's broken body, she will need much convalescing to recover.
The story is interesting, I like how it talks about the looting that goes on after the quake, and the swift way the police take care of the problem, they shoot all looters. End of the problem.
Many thanks to the publisher and Shelf Awareness for the complimentary copy of this book. I was under no obligation to post a review.
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LibraryThing member brangwinn
The research author Carol Edgarian did for this historical novel is evident. Vera is the bastard daughter of Rose, a wealthy madam of San Francisco. Rose pays the expenses of a widowed Swedish woman to raise Vera and the widow’s daughter. When the San Francisco 1906 earthquake happens, 15-year
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old Vera proves to be a tough cookie as she and her step-sister find their way to Rose’s mansion which survived the earthquake. It’s a look at how strong-willed people survived. Social standing didn’t matter for survival. Its also a historical look at how self-interest shaped the graft of politics as well as look at the Chinese population during this time. Readers will be caught up emotionally as Vera grows up and learns her value and strength as she refused to quit. Show Less
LibraryThing member muddyboy
The novel is the story of a young girl in San Francisco before, during and after the San Francisco earthquake in the early 1900's. She is being raised by a woman who has been hired by her mother who is a madame operating a profitable house of ill repute.She has a strained relationship with her
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mother throughout the novel. We learn about her intense will to survive as well as the racial and class make up of the people in the city. This is an old school epic novel painted with a broad brush and was highly enjoyable. Show Less
LibraryThing member JanaRose1
At 15 years old, Vera is leading a double life. As a young child, her mother Rose, a San Francisco madam, makes a deal with Morie, a widow. In exchange for money, food, gifts, Morie will raise Vera as her own alongside her daughter Pie. 3 times a year Vera meets with her mother. When a great
This book was very slow and plodding. The characters were not very likeable, and I found it hard to get into the story. At the beginning of each chapter, an older Vera put in her thoughts about events, which was very annoying. I don't want to read what an older version of a character thinks, I want to read what happened. Overall, not a book I would reread or recommend.
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earthquake levels San Francisco, Morie is left dead, and Vera and Pie make their way to Rose's house. Together, they must learn how to survive.This book was very slow and plodding. The characters were not very likeable, and I found it hard to get into the story. At the beginning of each chapter, an older Vera put in her thoughts about events, which was very annoying. I don't want to read what an older version of a character thinks, I want to read what happened. Overall, not a book I would reread or recommend.
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LibraryThing member tibobi
The Short of It:
Not the thrilling historical novel I expected.
The Rest of It:
I can’t recall any other stories I’ve read that were set during the San Francisco quake of 1906. For this reason, when Vera showed up on my doorstep I was very excited to read it. Much of the city was destroyed by the
You may have caught my mention of it above, Rose ran a brothel and was known to many in the area. A brothel is not a place for young girls to take refuge unless you want a reputation to go with it. However, Vera and Pie don’t have many options and when Rose’s hired man, Tan, finds a way to make a living and to keep the food on the table, Vera and Pie stick around while Vera vows to find Rose and to bring her back.
There is an interesting cast of characters in this novel and Vera is likable and plucky and determined. I enjoyed her persistence but felt that overall the story was lackluster. What could have been a thrilling adventure was only lukewarm in the telling. I was in the devastating Northridge quake, right at the epicenter and can speak from experience. It’s a harrowing event to live through and needs become known quite quickly like how will one relieve themselves when no running water exists? How will one buy supplies when there is no power and ATMs don’t work, or even filling up the gas tank to get out of town. Gas pumps do not work when there is no power. Obviously, the story is set in 1906 so these characters don’t worry about such things but I didn’t sense the immediate panic that one experiences after such a devastating event.
All in all, the story was just okay for me. I think it could have been a lot more riveting had we been given a real sense of the panic that these two women felt.
For more reviews, visit my blog: Book Chatter.
Not the thrilling historical novel I expected.
The Rest of It:
I can’t recall any other stories I’ve read that were set during the San Francisco quake of 1906. For this reason, when Vera showed up on my doorstep I was very excited to read it. Much of the city was destroyed by the
Show More
quake itself but whatever was left was taken by the fires that resulted from compromised gas lines and the like. In Vera, Vera and her sister Pie are left without a home, their mother killed in the quake. Young, but old enough to fend for themselves, they head to Madam Rose’s house to take refuge. But when they arrive Rose is nowhere to be seen and Vera and Pie are left wondering if she survived the quake.You may have caught my mention of it above, Rose ran a brothel and was known to many in the area. A brothel is not a place for young girls to take refuge unless you want a reputation to go with it. However, Vera and Pie don’t have many options and when Rose’s hired man, Tan, finds a way to make a living and to keep the food on the table, Vera and Pie stick around while Vera vows to find Rose and to bring her back.
There is an interesting cast of characters in this novel and Vera is likable and plucky and determined. I enjoyed her persistence but felt that overall the story was lackluster. What could have been a thrilling adventure was only lukewarm in the telling. I was in the devastating Northridge quake, right at the epicenter and can speak from experience. It’s a harrowing event to live through and needs become known quite quickly like how will one relieve themselves when no running water exists? How will one buy supplies when there is no power and ATMs don’t work, or even filling up the gas tank to get out of town. Gas pumps do not work when there is no power. Obviously, the story is set in 1906 so these characters don’t worry about such things but I didn’t sense the immediate panic that one experiences after such a devastating event.
All in all, the story was just okay for me. I think it could have been a lot more riveting had we been given a real sense of the panic that these two women felt.
For more reviews, visit my blog: Book Chatter.
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LibraryThing member Lisa2013
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
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
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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
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LibraryThing member kakadoo202
Engaging story but clichee story of the earthquake in 06
LibraryThing member wagner.sarah35
Vera is the daughter of a brothel owner in early 1900s San Francisco and after the 1906 earthquake, she loses her mother and must learn to fend for herself in a city consumed by chaos. The characters in this novel were striking - not always likable, but distinctive and interesting. I liked how Vera
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herself involved over the course of the book and appreciated the theme of survival. Overall, a good, solid read that captures the spirit of San Francisco in 1906. Show Less
LibraryThing member WiserWisegirl
Where is home? Who is your family? Vera is forced to create her own story after the San Francisco Earthquake and Fire kills her caretaker nanny and well paid foster mom. As Vera turns 16 she is building a base of friends from thieves and prostitutes. She rescues her near-death but loveless mother
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and, inadvertently with Vera's one act of stealing, her mother's shady politician cohort is saved from prison. Vera's mother Rose thanks her with abandonment, but Vera later finds an overlooked gift from her mother. She was left the deed to the family house of ill repute. Vera finds legal ways to support her lazy sister for months, and is thanked by having her soulmate boyfriend stolen behind her back. She discovers who her friends are as she continues to find the best in herself and others. She works to form a family for herself, but soon starts to see Rose and the Mayor appearing in the shadows. I smell a sequel, so hold a copy for me! Show Less
LibraryThing member WiserWisegirl
Where is home? Who is your family? Vera is forced to create her own story after the San Francisco Earthquake and Fire kills her caretaker nanny and well paid foster mom. As Vera turns 16 she is building a base of friends from thieves and prostitutes. She rescues her near-death but loveless mother
Show More
and, inadvertently with Vera's one act of stealing, her mother's shady politician cohort is saved from prison. Vera's mother Rose thanks her with abandonment, but Vera later finds an overlooked gift from her mother. She was left the deed to the family house of ill repute. Vera finds legal ways to support her lazy sister for months, and is thanked by having her soulmate boyfriend stolen behind her back. She discovers who her friends are as she continues to find the best in herself and others. She works to form a family for herself, but soon starts to see Rose and the Mayor appearing in the shadows. I smell a sequel, so hold a copy for me! Show Less
Language
Original language
English
ISBN
9781501157547
Original publication date
2021