Reviews

Vera by Carol Edgarian

candacesiegle_greedyreader's review

4.0

Vera is 15 when the San Francisco earthquake hits. She's the daughter of one of the city's most established madames, a woman who farmed her out to a foster mother and only agrees to see the girl several times a year. Of course Vera is obsessed with her mother, who may have rejected her because she is plain and charmless, two things that are about to help her in this time of disaster.

With her foster mother killed by their collapsing house and her foster sister in shock, Vera takes the business of survival in hand while trying to find her mother, who we sadly know would not be looking for her. Vera has school friends from powerful families and people who have asked her for her plain-spoken take on political doings in town. Can she ask them for help, or will that be dangerous for her? And does she need them anyway?

Vera is one of those girls who were meant for their moment. She forms unlikely alliances, sees the big picture, takes action and longs most of all for her mother's love. We only get a few glimpses of her long life but that would be another book. "

"Vera" is a good historical read with terrific descriptions of the San Francisco earthquake. It flags in the middle but it's an excellent piece of escapist disaster fiction--things really could be worse.

Thanks to the publisher for access to this title in exchange for an honest review.

~~Candace Siegle, Greedy Reader

nikkilerae's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

beckimoody29's review

5.0

This isn't my usual type of book but I was leaving on vacation and just grabbed it. I'm so glad I did! I didn't know much about turn of the century San Francisco or the 1906 earthquake and fire so that part was new to me. On top of the historical details was a delightful of story about a young girl (title character, Vera) who never felt she belonged anywhere and her efforts to forge a new life and family in the aftermath of a disaster.

bmoonc's review

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

I loved this story from beginning to end. The best book I’ve read in a while. 

jeansbookbag's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This book is both hopeful and grim and utterly compelling. It follows the story of a teenage girl forced to survive in a world that wasn’t made for her in the midst of a massive crisis. It felt realistic and raw in many ways, but was also nearly impossible to put down once I got into it. It’s also set in a time/place that doesn’t get seen very often in historical fiction, so I highly recommend it to fans of the genre.

ers407's review against another edition

5.0

What a pleasure to read! Many thanks to NetGalley and Scribnerbooks for the opportunity to read and review this novel. This is my first read by author Carol Edgarian but it will not be the last.

Our novel centers on the hero Vera Johnson and her life in the early 1900’s. Vera is a scrappy survivor who I instantly began rooting for. At just 15 years old, Vera survives the unimaginable, the great San Francisco earthquake and must learn to rebuild her life. An amazing cast of characters, of whom Dr. Sugarman was by far my favorite, supports Vera.

The main theme running through the work was Vera’s desire to be seen, heard and loved. Growing up with her foster family and all but abandoned by her mother Rose, SF’s more reputable madam, Vera struggles to find her place and purpose. There were two scenes, one with Morie in her room one night, and another with Rose in Part 3 that ripped my heart apart.

I highly recommend this book.

lyndsmarie321's review

3.0

Full disclosure: I won this book in a giveaway. If I hadn't won it, I probably would've never read it. I felt that the story progressed slowly and the pinnacle of the story wasn't too exciting. In the beginning, it was very hard to keep track of characters. It was a multi-layered coming of age story & good descriptions of the setting throughout the book.

annels789's review

4.0

An enjoyable, well-written story with a very interesting setting: the great San Francisco earthquake and fires in the early 1900’s. I knew so little about this part of history that I set the book down several times to Google more information about or pictures of the actual people and places mentioned.

Thank you to Goodreads Giveaways for providing me with this free copy to review.

kuyakojo's review against another edition

5.0

From the first page of this compelling historical novel, you can tell that title character Vera is a force to be reckoned with. She is confident in speech, well liked by her "sister" and well aware of the roles of the people she meets while navigating her city. She is also blissfully unaware of the great challenges she will face when her world, the San Fransisco of 1906, is literally shaken to it's core.
This well paced story has secrets to reveal, puzzles to solve and obstacles to overcome. Well worth the read. Thanks #Netgalley for the opportunity!

samantha_shain's review

2.0

Relatively unremarkable novel with a few spectacular paragraphs of writing. Overall, I found most characters underdeveloped and the author reticent about how to incorporate suspense.