Play Book Tag discussion

The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner - 3.5 stars - My Review

Protagonist Sophie, an Irish immigrant, is living in the slums of New York in 1905 when she answers an ad for a mail order bride, which requires moving to California. Recent widower Martin Hocking tells her he wants a wife to take care of his five-year-old daughter and to keep up his image for work. During the early part of their marriage, the 1906 San Francisco earthquake hits.

The plot of this book revolves around a number of mysteries. Martin may not be what he seems. Sophie is harboring her own secrets. A pregnant woman appears at Sophie’s door, creating more questions. We know from the early chapters that a US Marshall is interviewing Sophie about her husband.

For me, the star of the book is five-year-old Kat. She is traumatized by the death of her mother. When Sophie arrives, Kat will not speak, but Sophie gradually earns her confidence. I also enjoyed the depiction of female friendships. The portions on the earthquake seem historically accurate. The epilogue ties everything up a bit too neatly. I could have done without it, especially since it contains a major anachronism. The undercurrent of tension is well done, but the author seems to be trying to pack too much into a single book.

3.5

I have this out of the library for like the third time! I’m going to get to it soon.