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Varina
Varina | Charles Frazier
Inspired by the audacious and adventure-filled life of Varina Howell Davis, the second wife of President Jefferson Davis, Varina is the forcefully rendered, captivating fourth novel from Charles Frazier, returning to the time and place of his momentous first novel. Moving backward and forward in time, Varina captures this crucial period in history, the moment when Varina and her children escaped from Richmond and traveled south as rootless fugitives with bounties on their heads, an entire nation in pursuit, navigating a marriage in tatters and a country divided and on its knees. Being on the wrong side of history carries consequences, Frazier reflects as he brings vibrantly to life the chaos and devastation of the Civil War and its fallout. Lushly atmospheric and animated by a complex, completely believable set of characters, Varina is both intimate in its detailed observations of one womans life and epic in its scope and power, representing the work of an American master at his most entertaining, illuminating, and affecting.
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review
Lcsmcat
Varina | Charles Frazier
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Pickpick

Fighting a cold allowed me to do nothing today but read, and I devoured this in one day. Varina Davis, like most of us, was more complex than either side of the conflict wants to believe. Frazier‘s writing is exquisite, and I learned things I had not known - like the capital of the CSA was briefly in my hometown. Photo is from her New York days. So much of her life was controlled by others, I hope she was happy in those last years. #bookspin

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 13mo
35 likes1 comment
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Texreader
Varina | Charles Frazier
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One of a few new books from shopping the last couple of weeks. I have liked all the Frazier books I‘ve read so this was on my tbr list.

Scochrane26 I liked this one. 3y
54 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Scochrane26
Varina | Charles Frazier
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I liked this book about V, wife of Jefferson Davis. A lot of it is centered around their efforts to get to Cuba as Richmond falls, but it flashes back to other parts of her life, too. #1wordtitle @MrBook #readwithmrbook

RaimeyGallant I'm intrigued! 5y
34 likes1 comment
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Scochrane26
Varina | Charles Frazier
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Some relevant commentary from Frazier. In the book, a black man seeks out Varina, trying to remember his time with her as a child, when she raised him w/ her own kids. V tells their story to him in flashbacks. These are his thoughts. I thought this was the best passage in the book.

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Scochrane26
Varina | Charles Frazier
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“All those stories that tell us who we are-stories of exploration, freedom, slavery, and always violence. We keep clutching those things, or at least worn-out images of them, like idols we can‘t quit worshipping.”
This section stood out to me because the book I‘m reading about gun violence has a chapter about how violence & guns became part of our culture, & the idea is the same.

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Scochrane26
Varina | Charles Frazier

“Inhuman, V says. But that‘s an easy word. We‘ve been doing that sort of thing to each other all through history, back past the Pyramids. Humans are inhuman, whether it‘s by direct action action or acceptance of a horrible action as normal.”
Some interesting quotes in this book.

review
Scochrane26
Varina | Charles Frazier
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Pickpick

Stayed up late last night to finish this one. I enjoyed learning more about V, wife of Jefferson Davis. The book changes timelines a lot, so that can be confusing at first. There were parts of her life that Frazier skips that I would like to know more about. Learned about the end of the Civil War from a different perspective. Varina is a survivor, a strong woman (with the help of some opium). Using this for #ReadwithMrBook one word title. @MrBook

MrBook Nice review! 🙂 😁👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 5y
22 likes1 comment
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EmMcKee
Varina | Charles Frazier
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"A deep belief that your moment in time is the Pinnacle, the only standard of judgment extending from the creation of light until the black apocalypse, that what you believe right now is eternal truth because you believe it so fervently--those deep beliefs so crucial at the moment but none of them more permanent than a puff of air across a palmful of dry talcum."

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EmMcKee
Varina | Charles Frazier
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"Oh, Mary said, life is mostly just what happens. Choice or chance or fate, gods or not. Like it or not. Things happen, we do what we think is in our best interests or just convenient, and then we live with the consequences."

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Lcsmcat
Varina | Charles Frazier
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Back home from vacation, and as many books as I took, I came home with more. 🤷🏻‍♀️ These were purchased on the island. #bookhaul #1of3 #sorrynotsorry

megnews I‘ve been wanting to read Varina for awhile. 5y
Lcsmcat Me too. Then I saw someone reading it “in the wild” and decided not to wait. 😀 5y
Graciouswarriorprincess I want to read Varina too. 5y
54 likes1 stack add3 comments
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NatalieR
Varina | Charles Frazier
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Pickpick

Attending an author event soon with Silas House 💕 in conversation w/ Frazier so I bought Varina. The audiobook was available so I gave it a listen. I‘m torn about my review; the writing is beautiful but I struggled to stay engaged with the story. I easily got lost with the time jumps in the story. I got distracted when discussing war politics. I‘m still excited about the author event. #ReadingUSA2019 #Virginia

Librarybelle I‘m looking forward to reading this. She sounds like a very interesting woman, from what I‘ve read about her in nonfiction books. It would be interesting to see her portrayal in fiction. 6y
Eggs Beautiful 6y
NatalieR @Librarybelle I hope you enjoy it. She‘s definitely interesting and portrayed as very independent and strong. 6y
See All 8 Comments
NatalieR @Eggs Thank you! 😊 6y
Kaye Too bad you didn‘t like the book a bit more. The only one I‘ve read from this author is Cold Mountain. I remember at the time, everyone was making a fuss about how good it was but it didn‘t do much for me , which was a disappointment. I usually love Southern fiction. 6y
Erofan Your pictures are always so beautiful! 😍 6y
NatalieR @Kaye Yes, I really wanted to love it. Especially since I‘ve recently become a fan of historical fiction. Oh well. 🙂 6y
NatalieR @Erofan Thank you! I try. 😊 6y
123 likes1 stack add8 comments
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Princess-Kingofkings
Varina | Charles Frazier
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I bailed out before the first paragraph was finished ~ not because of content but due to the robotic narrator. It was awful! I waited weeks to listen to that? No way! I listened to 91.3 instead on the way to work.

2 likes1 stack add
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Princess-Kingofkings
Varina | Charles Frazier
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I love Cold Mountain but the reviews I'm seeing for Varina seem to mount up on the negative ~ don't even bother ~ side. It will be several weeks before I have a chance to voice my opinion but for now I'll continue to joyfully anticipate.

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MrBook
Varina | Charles Frazier
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#TBRtemptation post 2! In this his 4th book, Frazier returns to the time and place of Cold Mountain. Teenaged Varina marries much-older widower Jefferson Davis, expecting a secure Mississippi landowner's life. She'll wind up in the center of America's darkest moment, First Lady of the CSA. This novel follows her escape from Richmond with her children and becoming fugitives. #blameLitsy #blameMrBook 😎

73 likes1 stack add
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BridgetteM
Varina | Charles Frazier
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Without a doubt the worst book I read in 2018 was Varina by Charles Frazier. I listened to the audio, so maybe that affected my opinion, but it was boring and tedious. #worstreads

Crinoline_Laphroaig Overdrive's Big Library Read of Cowboy Pride. It was a Western Retelling of Pride and Prejudice. The main characters name was Rob Darcy. Just one of the many cringeworthy things about it. 6y
BridgetteM @Crinoline_Laphroaig That does sound cringeworthy! 6y
Purrfectpages Mine is the one most fresh in my mind... 6y
BridgetteM @Purrfectpages That is one of my BOTM picks that I haven‘t gotten to yet. I‘ve been seeing a lot of not so great reviews. 😐 6y
Eggbeater I got bored and bailed on it for now. 6y
69 likes5 comments
review
Abby2
Varina | Charles Frazier
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Pickpick

Exquisite writing with lush details. A very interesting story about a little known woman.

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BridgetteM
Varina | Charles Frazier
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So I listened to Varina on Scribd recently and really didn‘t like it. One of my least favorite reads of 2018 so far. As I was browsing through my unread ebooks on my Kindle, look what I found. Turns out I had already purchased Varina at some point. I wish I could go back in time and save myself the trouble and the money. 🤦‍♀️

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litenthusiast
Varina | Charles Frazier
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Spending some time this evening beginning this book. #Tuesdayreads #historicalfiction

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Sydsavvy
Varina | Charles Frazier
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Third time may be the charm. I‘ve struggled with this. Don‘t know that I want to know or sympathize with Varina Davis. Yet I love and trust Charles Frazier. So, picked it up a 3rd time and something grabbed me. I know I‘ll at least read it-verdict is out as to the rest. Will it be best to let sleeping Dragons lie?

Birdsong28 I did this for my English lit course about 10 years ago and I really struggled with it as well, the movie helped but to me it's a literary version of watching paint dry. Hope you have a better time than me with it this time round. 😀📚📖 6y
Sydsavvy @Birdsong28 did you do Cold Mountain? I loved it, though admittedly the first read was difficult. I generally do better with odysseys the second time around. I haven‘t figured out his structure yet with this new book though. 6y
Birdsong28 @Sydsavvy Yes I did. I saw Charles Frazier and the words Cold Mountain and got carried away sorry my fault. I am sure this won't be as bad and that you finally get through it. Again I'm sorry for not looking, that will teach me 😀📚📖 6y
Sydsavvy @Birdsong28 I love your enthusiasm though! 🙌🏻😎🍒 6y
39 likes3 stack adds4 comments
review
Nitpickyabouttrains
Varina | Charles Frazier
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Pickpick

Historical fiction about a woman I had never thought about before - the wife of Jefferson Davis. It covers pre civil war, but focuses on her life after the war. The writing was a little dense, but I liked it.

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KikiLovesBooks
Varina | Charles Frazier
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Pickpick

I adored Cold Mountain. I wasn‘t so wild about Nightwoods, and had no interest for some reason, in Thirteen Moons. But Varina is beautifully written glimpse into an amazing character. Varina was Jefferson Davis‘ second wife and they lived much of their lives apart, both before and after the Civil War. Frazier brings Varina and her personality to life. Challenged and brilliant, she lived life on her terms. Was she a Thief of Life? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Reviewsbylola This sounds excellent. 7y
13 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Crazeedi
Varina | Charles Frazier
Panpan

Dont even bother. I stuck it out because there were flashes that I thought might turn into a good book. But alas it was not to be. The book is the story of Jefferson Davis wife Varina. She looks back on her life in a tale told to a man she rescued from the street in Richmond, a black man who came to see her and find his history, when she was 86 or so. Like I said, it could have been a great story.

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Crazeedi
Varina | Charles Frazier
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I'm not getting much reading done the last few days, too busy working outside in the dirt!

Scurvygirl Yes! I just tossed all my seedlings outside last night! 7y
Crazeedi @Scurvygirl mine are getting transplanted into bigger pots tomorrow! 7y
Scurvygirl @Crazeedi so awesome! I‘m hoping our weather holds and I can just plant next weekend. If I get a frost I will cover them. 7y
See All 6 Comments
Crazeedi I won't be planting till memorial day, too much risk where I live and we are going to be away for a while 7y
RaimeyGallant My other fave hobby. 7y
24 likes6 comments
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KikiLovesBooks
Varina | Charles Frazier
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So much of this novel is a conversation and it‘s wonderful and lovely and sad all at once.

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Crazeedi
Varina | Charles Frazier
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Started this last eve. Not sure yet what to think

23 likes1 stack add
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KikiLovesBooks
Varina | Charles Frazier
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Fun fact: Varina Davis wrote an etiquette column for the New York World while she lived there in the 1890s. This is the same paper that the villain in Time and Again by Jack Finney works for! Varina also enjoyed a daily carriage ride through Central Park. When she died in NYC at age 80, she received a funeral procession through the streets of NYC before her coffin was taken by train to Richmond, VA for a burial with honors by Confederate veterans

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PimentoAnn
Varina | Charles Frazier
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“...they had made bad choices one by one ... choices of convenience and conviction ...following the general culture. Never acknowledging that the general culture is often stupid or evil and would vote out God in favor of the Devil if he fed them back hate and fear in a way that made them feel righteous.”

Dr.Who_number10 Welcome to Litsy! Sorry for the late welcome😬😂 7y
2 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Blueberry
Varina | Charles Frazier
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This Friday!!!

Zelma I never read Cold Mountain but this sounds good! 7y
KikiLovesBooks Cold Mountain is so wonderful! 7y
44 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Tigre70
Varina | Charles Frazier
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I‘ve enjoyed all of his books and this one is a great read as well. Thank goodness for windy weather that allows me to stay indoors and read!

LitsyWelcomeWagon Welcome to Litsy! New book friends are the best! We hope you‘re loving it here! Checkout these #Litsytips: http://bit.ly/litsytips and #LitsyHowTo videos: http://bit.ly/litsyvideos There‘s so many fun things to do: book exchanges, buddy reads, photo challenges and more! Check out #LitsyHappenings for details. 7y
Wife Welcome to Litsy!🌹 7y
See All 6 Comments
CarolynM Welcome to Litsy🌼 7y
asiriusreader Welcome to Litsy! 7y
Eggs Welcome to Litsy 😊 7y
11 likes6 comments
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southernbooklady
Varina | Charles Frazier
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Oh boy! I want to drop everything for this.

Jess7 Welcome to Litsy! I‘ll start the #whotofollow train off for you by tagging @TheLibrarian @JoScho @LitsyBuddyRead @britt_brooke and @MinDea - hopefully they will tag some more! 7y
JoScho Thanks for the tag @Jess7 welcome to Litsy! I hope you love it 💕 here are a few more littens to follow @Kaye @SilversReviews @GarthRanzz @Cinfhen @LeahBergen @Craftylikefox @laundry_piles @thereadingowlvina 7y
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Pamwurtzler Welcome! 7y
Kaye Welcome 😊 7y
Craftylikefox Welcome to Litsy!!! 🤗 thanks for the tag @JoScho 7y
GypsyKat Welcome to Litsy! 🎉📚 7y
Crazeedi Welcome! Oh I want to read this!!!! 7y
thereadingowlvina Welcome to this awesome book family!!! 📚🙋 Thanks for the tag @JoScho ! 😊 7y
wanderinglynn Welcome to the bookish fun! 🎉👋🏻🙌🏻🎇🎆📚 And thanks for the tag @thereadingowlvina 😀 7y
Christine11 Thank you for the tag @thereadingowlvina 💕😊 and welcome to Litsy @southernbooklady 📚🎉🌸🎉 7y
Sophoclessweetheart Welcome. Xx 7y
Swe_Eva Welcome!! 7y
Librarybelle Welcome to Litsy! I want to read this book...she was such an interesting woman! And, thank you for the tag @SilversReviews ! 7y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Welcome to Litsy!! 🎊🎉🙌🏻 7y
Samplergal @thereadingowlvina Why thank you! 7y
LeahBergen Hello, @southernbooklady 👋🏻 and thanks for the tag, @JoScho ! 😘 7y
asiriusreader Welcome to Litsy! 7y
23 likes19 comments
review
Jillsmith
Varina | Charles Frazier
Mehso-so

I liked the history - learning more about Varina Davis and her life post Civil War - but I felt it really went a little too far in trying to make her sympathetic, and I didn‘t quite buy it. Lovely writing, although referring to her as “V” throughout the book started to annoy me.

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PJPeski
Varina | Charles Frazier
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What if the little mixed_race boy known as Jimmy Limber who lived with the Jefferson Davis family during the Civil War came to visit Varina Davis in her old age to share memories and learn about each other‘s lives? Based on snippets of fact from Varina Davis‘ memoir of her husband, and extant photos of the boy.