The Nature of Fragile Things (original 2021; udgave 2021)

THE NATURE OF FRAGILE THINGS by Susan Meissner
The devastating San Francisco Earthquake is the backdrop for this tale of marriage, lies, love, desperation, hope, secrets, murder, and justice. Sophie, an Irish immigrant with secrets, answers an advertisement for a mail order bride and becomes mother to a silent 5-year-old as well as wife to a man who becomes more secretive each day.
The aftermath of the earthquake upends Sophie’s materially satisfying, though lonely and confusing, life. As her home is destroyed, she finds out one of her husband’s secrets. Sophie and Kat try to make a new life amid loss, fear, and more secrets.
Meissner’s ability to combine great research with actual events and wonderful characters into a thrilling tale reveals a devious and intriguing plot that is satisfying resolved. Lots here for a lively book group discussion.
5 of 5 stars ( )

Once again Susan Meissner has written another heart-wrenching, heart-stopping historical novel that has managed to truly depict the events of the day, in this case, the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Through her marvelous characters who wrap you up in their situations and emotions, her remarkable descriptions of this tragic event, and the unexpected finale, Ms. Meissner puts one in that fateful time and place walking over the rubble and seeing the sights as they must have been experienced by the sufferers of the devastation. The story she folds into the mix is original as well as inventive. After reading one of her novels, I am always searching for words to express what I am feeling. However, I always come up short. I guess that is why she is the writer and I am the reader! ( )

Pandemic read. Online book club read set during the era of the 1906 earthquake. We are not always what we seem. ( )

The Nature of Fragile Things
By Susan Meissner

A captivating story of resilience placed Amidst the devastating 1906 San Francisco earthquake

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SUMMARY
Sophie Whalen is a young Irish immigrant desperate to get out of a squalid New York tenement. She answers a mail order bride advertisement and agrees to marry a man she's never met who lives in San Francisco. When she arrives in San Francisco the widower Marvin Hocking proves to be elusive, disappearing for work for days at a time and rarely has much to say when he is home. Despite that, Sophie quickly develops a deep affection for Kat, Martin's silent five-year-old daughter. Martin's odd behavior leaves her with the uneasy feeling that something about her situation isn't quite right.

Early one spring evening Belinda Bigelow, a young pretty pregnant women knocks on Sophie’s door looking for her husband, James. Sophie soon discovers she has something in common with Belinda as well as with another woman, Candace who is sick with consumption and lives hundreds of miles away in Arizona.

The fate of these three women are intertwine forever on the eve of a devastating earthquake that will test their resiliency and resolve.

“It is the nature of the earth to shift. It is the nature of fragile things to break. It is the nature of fires to burn. And just as it is the nature of men and women to build, it is also in our nature to begin again after disaster.

REVIEW
The Nature of Fragile Things is a must-read captivating book placed amidst the devastation of 1906 San Francisco earthquake. The earthquake toppled not only the city, the but newly built life that Sophia had just created. The man that she married was not who he said he was. Secrets abound in this immersing and delightfully descriptive historical fiction novel.

Author Susan Messiner has drawn a powerful portrait of a strong and smart woman with filled with perseverance and resilience in the character of Sohpie. This is a unique and fascinating story that expands the definition of family and the bonds of friendship. It is perfectly paced, creatively constructed and emotionally intense. Highly Recommended.

Susan Meissner is the author of numerous novels most recently including The Last Year of the War (2019) and As Bright as Heaven (2018),

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Publisher Berkley
Published February 2, 2021
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com ( )

historical-novel, historical-places-events, historical-research, historical-setting, early-20th-century, family-dynamics, friendship, loss, love, Ireland, California*****

She came from Ireland to New York to get away, then went to San Francisco to get away, then left 'Frisco to get away. Along the way she acquired a mail order husband, a lovely but emotionally scarred step-daughter, and some very interesting friends. And the professional attention of a US Marshall. The characters are impressively portrayed and the descriptives are awesome. But the flow and emotional impact of the story is what will remain. Already bought the audio.
I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley. Thank you! ( )