Sooner or later, history asks, which side were you on?
In his powerful new novel, Charles Frazier returns to the time and place of Cold Mountain, vividly bringing to life the chaos and devastation of the Civil War
Her marriage prospects limited, teenage Varina Howell agrees to wed the much-older widower Jefferson Davis, with whom she expects the secure life of a Mississippi landowner. Davis … whom she expects the secure life of a Mississippi landowner. Davis instead pursues a career in politics and is eventually appointed president of the Confederacy, placing Varina at the white-hot center of one of the darkest moments in American history—culpable regardless of her intentions.
The Confederacy falling, her marriage in tatters, and the country divided, Varina and her children escape Richmond and travel south on their own, now fugitives with “bounties on their heads, an entire nation in pursuit.”
Intimate in its detailed observations of one woman’s tragic life and epic in its scope and power, Varina is a novel of an American war and its aftermath. Ultimately, the book is a portrait of a woman who comes to realize that complicity carries consequences.
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Charles Frazier is a gifted wordsmith and his talent and mastery of historical fiction is in full force in “Varina,” an absorbing novel about the fascinating wife of Confederate President, Jefferson Davis. What not to like about beautiful language that not only entertains you, but enriches you as well?
I had never even thought about Varina Davis, wife of Jefferson Davis. In his remarkable way, Charles Frazier creates a tableau of her life and its conflicts and tragedies. His beautiful prose is a pleasure to read, as always. If you want a poignant look into the aftermath of the Civil War and how it affected one woman, this book will be highly satisfying.
Great
I wish I had remembered he wrote Cold Mountain, I never would bought this book. I seldom not finish reading a book but after reading half, I gave it up. I do not like the way he writes. He goes into too much detail for me.
Charles Frazier with his customary beautiful use of language has created a complex character, that of Varina Jefferson, wife of the President of the Confederacy. It’s the Civil War but from a very different point of view. I really enjoyed this book.
One of the best books I’ve ever read. Charles Frasier’s imagining of the last days of the Confederacy centering on the wife of President Jefferson Davis fleeing Richmond with her children is framed within that of a young black boy whom she took in when he was seven, and has looked her up decades later in her retirement home to find answers to his life in those boyhood years under her care. Frazier has an amazing ability to inhabit Varina, who herself became a journalist in later years, and gives the narrator a clear-eyed voice as she looks back on her childhood, her life with Davis, and what it all cost her family. voice
I learned a lot about the confederacy side of the Civil War from this book. I also learned about the limited choices a female had during that time period.
This book did not hold my interest. I did finish reading it but it was not a favorite.
I did not enjoy this book, I did not like much about this book.
Well researched. A balanced portrait of people who we have reviled showing their humanity, egotism, and how poor choices led to major consequences.
Really brought the postcivil war period to life.
I enjoyed this book about Jefferson Davis’ 2nd wife Varina. Book was about her life and relationship to an older Jeff Davis, president of the Confederacy. Well written and interesting. I would recommend this book.
I always enjoy novels that paint a historical era from an unusual point of view. Varina is an intelligent, flawed character who reveals the defeat of the South in the Civil War from the inside.
This book dealt mostly with Varuna escaping Federal troops after the war and not much on her life as First Lady of CSA. Writing style was confusing with no quotes and much moving back and forth through Varina’s life.
I could not get into this book. I tried and tried. About a quarter of the way through I got interested only to taper off again. I think one has to know more about Varina or the other characters before reading this book. I love the authors other work, so it won’t put me off reading more.
The author is incredibly talented and his descriptions are wonderful, but the entire story dragged and didn’t captivate me. I did learn a lot and am glad I read it.
I am a big fan of Charles Frazier. This was not quite as good as Cold Mountain or Thirteen Moons, but still worth a read.
This is a beautifully composed story that kept me reading from beginning to end. I would love to know more about James.
Creatively written. Great research, obviously. Best yet? Maybe.
Boring! Difficult to follow.