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hsrudolph's review
3.0
Solid “I liked it” three star rating. Interesting coming of age story about a 15 year old girl who survives the 1906 California earthquake. Vera, the illegitimate daughter of SF’s legendary madam, is forced to forge a way forward in the aftermath of catastrophe. Excellent historical information, tight writing and a good story.
drleary's review against another edition
3.0
I honestly don’t know much about the San Francisco fire in 1906 so I learned a lot about that - I love when a book teaches me things like this! But I didn’t love the main character, she just really got on my nerves… like not even the flash forward part made me like her…
jennifermreads's review
4.0
Fifteen-year-old Vera is the illegitimate daughter of Rose, a wealthy, famous madam being raised in the hand-to-mouth home of another woman & her daughter. In the aftermath of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, those two worlds clash and Vera & her “sister” struggle to survive.
Prior to the quake, we meet Vera and feel her pain at wanting to be accepted, acknowledged, and loved by her mother. Instead, her rare meetings with Rose are always in the dark of night deep in Rose’s mansion. Vera’s adoptive mother makes no secret that Vera remains just so she and her daughter Pie are well kept without the mother having to lift a finger. It is a sad, painful existence. When the quake hits and Vera & Pie find themselves on their own, Vera becomes resilient. At 15, she has the behaviors and decision-making ability of someone older – but those young, naïve moments come through as well. This novel is full of aching pain, glimpses of blissful happiness, and passion to survive & succeed.
In accounts of the earthquake, the devastating fire that destroyed the city is often forgotten and goes unmentioned. Carol Edgarian does not leave that fire out of this tale and readers get a true sense of the terror the residents felt as, after the shaking “calmed” to aftershocks, they still fled as the fire raced through the city. The fire becomes extra important in Vera’s story, as she truly is, as mentioned by the author, a phoenix: she rises from the ashes and thrives.
Prior to the quake, we meet Vera and feel her pain at wanting to be accepted, acknowledged, and loved by her mother. Instead, her rare meetings with Rose are always in the dark of night deep in Rose’s mansion. Vera’s adoptive mother makes no secret that Vera remains just so she and her daughter Pie are well kept without the mother having to lift a finger. It is a sad, painful existence. When the quake hits and Vera & Pie find themselves on their own, Vera becomes resilient. At 15, she has the behaviors and decision-making ability of someone older – but those young, naïve moments come through as well. This novel is full of aching pain, glimpses of blissful happiness, and passion to survive & succeed.
In accounts of the earthquake, the devastating fire that destroyed the city is often forgotten and goes unmentioned. Carol Edgarian does not leave that fire out of this tale and readers get a true sense of the terror the residents felt as, after the shaking “calmed” to aftershocks, they still fled as the fire raced through the city. The fire becomes extra important in Vera’s story, as she truly is, as mentioned by the author, a phoenix: she rises from the ashes and thrives.
carleighjw's review
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
bethanie22's review
3.0
This book was just okay for me. I didn't hate it, I didn't love it. Everytime I thought it may pick up steam it just didn't. I felt very monotone to me.
creaseinthespinebooks's review
5.0
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.
This story surprised me in all the best ways. I was propelled forward by sharp writing and vividly-sketched characters facing catastrophe and making the best of it. I couldn't get enough of this book
This story surprised me in all the best ways. I was propelled forward by sharp writing and vividly-sketched characters facing catastrophe and making the best of it. I couldn't get enough of this book
valgiroux's review
4.0
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway, thanks!! I really enjoyed this book. It felt unique; like an actual new story I hadn't read before. The characters were engaging and flawed and you rooted for them, even when you wanted to shake some sense into them. I tore through this book in a few days, which is always a good sign. My only critique is that I felt like it skipped so much! You get super invested and then it skips to the end. I would have loved it to be longer. I will definitely read more by this author in the future!
55_sallymander's review
5.0
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 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.
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 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.
sonia_reppe's review
5.0
If you like Historical Fiction with quirky characters, this is for you. This takes place during and after the great quake of 1906. The main character is a plucky teen girl whose birth mom is a successful madam who gets badly hurt during the quake. The city is flung into disarray. Based on actual events.