StartGroepenDiscussieMeerTijdgeest
Doorzoek de site
Onze site gebruikt cookies om diensten te leveren, prestaties te verbeteren, voor analyse en (indien je niet ingelogd bent) voor advertenties. Door LibraryThing te gebruiken erken je dat je onze Servicevoorwaarden en Privacybeleid gelezen en begrepen hebt. Je gebruik van de site en diensten is onderhevig aan dit beleid en deze voorwaarden.

Resultaten uit Google Boeken

Klik op een omslag om naar Google Boeken te gaan.

Bezig met laden...

Woman of Ill Fame

door Erika Mailman

LedenBesprekingenPopulariteitGemiddelde beoordelingDiscussies
317766,036 (4.17)Geen
Looking for a better life, prostitute Nora Simms arrives in Gold Rush San Francisco with a plan for success: to strike it rich by trading on her good looks. But when a string of murders claims several of her fellow women of ill fame, Nora grows uneasy with how closely linked all of the victims are to her. She must distinguish friend from foe in a race to discover the identity of the killer.… (meer)
Geen
Bezig met laden...

Meld je aan bij LibraryThing om erachter te komen of je dit boek goed zult vinden.

Op dit moment geen Discussie gesprekken over dit boek.

1-5 van 7 worden getoond (volgende | toon alle)
What a delightful character Erika Mailman has created: bawdy, funny, brave, gutsy, and imperfect. Set in Gold Rush San Francisco, the life of a prostitute, a woman of ill fame, was difficult and often short. Nora hasn't been bamboozled into this life: indeed, she sometimes quite enjoys herself. But she is determined to be her own person, beholden to no one. And determined to stay alive, since someone is killing prostitutes and each death seems linked somehow to Nora and her missing trunk...A good read! ( )
  AnaraGuard | Nov 1, 2020 |
When I was first asked if I was interested in being part of the virtual book tour for Woman of Ill Fame I have to admit I was a little hesitant. Historical novels featuring a prostitute as the central character have never really been my thing. However, since I enjoyed Erika Mailman's other historical novel, The Witches Trinity, I thought I would give Woman of Ill Fame a try, and I am glad I did!

Set in Gold Rush-era San Francisco, the heroine of this novel is Nora Simms, a free-spirited prostitute who sails from New England to California, where she hopes to make her fortune. Though she is the victim of theft almost immediately upon her arrival in San Francisco, Nora doesn't let the loss of all her worldly possessions deter her from her achieving dreams. Determined to establish herself as one of San Francisco's premier prostitutes, Nora takes steps to improve herself so she can find employment in a high-end parlour house. The murders of several "woman of ill-fame" with whom Nora had contact serve to make her doubly committed to finding herself a more reputable and safe place to practice her trade. But Nora's realization of her dream doesn't provide her with any greater safety, as the murders continue and, this time, they are even closer to home. Can Nora uncover the murderer's identify before she becomes his next victim?

In Woman of Ill Fame Erika Mailman does a great job of bringing mid-19th century San Francisco to life. Mailman's descriptions give readers a flavour for the roughness of the town, a place where just about anything goes as people aspire to make their fortunes. While I enjoyed the novel's setting, it is the heroine that truly makes this book shine. In Nora Simms, Erika Mailman has created a character who readers will immediately fall in love with and who will stay with them long after the final page has been read. Nora is a kind-hearted soul who always seeks to help others, especially those less fortunate than she, expecting nothing in return for doing so. She is unashamed of her chosen profession and seeks to get ahead on her own merits rather than accepting handouts from friends. Nora's also smart, sassy, and laugh out loud funny. Her relationships with Mehitabel, her first landlord, and Abe, a former miner turned stable hand, showcase Nora's tender side. While I guessed the true identity of the murderer fairly early in the novel, following Nora as she attempted to uncover the truth proved entertaining and suspenseful nonetheless.

All in all, Woman of Ill Fame is a highly entertaining novel that features a truly memorable heroine, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book to any fan of historical fiction.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Source: I received a digital copy of this novel as part of Erika Mailman's virtual book tour in exchange for a fair and honest review. ( )
  Melissa_J | Jan 16, 2016 |
Women of Ill Fame is a term used to describe prostitutes in the late 1800's. Nora Simms is one of these women in San Francisco during the Gold Rush era. A women who accepts her lot in life as a 'loose woman' but does want to better herself. Instead of staying in the crib row houses where she plies her trade, she wants to work in a parlor house where the clientele is a little more refined, or so Nora thinks.

When she leaves Boston and arrives in San Francisco, Nora's trunk is stolen. At first she is rather upset with the fact that she lost what was left of her money and her clothing. She resigns herself to the fact that the trunk is gone, but when murdered prostitutes are turning up and each of these women are wearing an item of hers from her trunk, she thinks she may know who is doing the killing.

Nora is finally able to get a position in a parlor house and is able to wear nice clothing, but she is still worried about the fate of her fellow workers back in the cribs. She warns the women and does what she can to protect them from ending up like the murdered women.

I usually do not read a lot about this time in American history, I would rather read about medieval history but as I read this book I realized that even though times were tough for women back then and it was a hard life for the lower class people, women like Nora were able to take what life threw at them and go on to the best of their abilities. It was a fight or die type of situation for some of these women of ill fame and I really enjoyed reading this tale. I loved the inner dialogue that Nora has and the descriptions of the men she encounters is hilarious at times.

I loved the character of Nora because she is a women who will tell it like it is but at the same time knows that she also, in order to get ahead, will do what the client wants and not be ashamed that she is a prostitute. She has a very matter of fact way of looking at her life and does make the most of it. The mystery of who the murderer is crucial to the story in the fact that the reader is pulled into the story of this type of life and can hope that the person is found and dealt with.

The historical aspects of the story seem to be accurate for the time period and the author knows of what she writes. The novel is written in such an easy manner that it can be read in a few sittings. If you love American Historical novels then you are sure to enjoy this one. ( )
  celticlady53 | Dec 19, 2013 |
From the first page of this delightful, delicious novel, our heroine Nora Simms makes no bones about who she is. A teenaged prostitute from Boston, Nora has moved to San Francisco in search of gold of her own, and she works hard to improve her standing in life.  As prostitutes are murdered, however, Nora finds herself doing a little organizing and crime-fighting in hopes of living long enough to enjoy her earnings.

There's a rave quote on the cover from Diana Gabaldon, and I have to say, it's no hyperbole: this novel is wonderful (it's just upset my top ten of 2013 list!).

This book has everything for a diverting historical read: great sense of place (19th-century San Francisco, back when it was a frontier town!), standout characters (Nora, our prostitute narrator; Mehitabel Ashe, her tender-hearted landlady; Abe, her simple-minded client); and various plot threads that are dramatic and fun (self improvement, murder mystery, and a search for a kind of happy ending).

Nora tells us her story, and she's a charming and warm narrator. And though Nora is funny and wry in her narration, Mailman doesn't use quippy banter to make light of the real desperation of Nora's life and situation. Nora is trying to improve herself, but she's not a self-loathing woman swayed by Christian reform. No, Nora wants to work in a parlor house and refashion herself a kind of courtesan rather than a common street woman.  When faced with real threats on her life and those around her, Nora acts with courage and cleverness. (Why yes, I'm not a Nora Simms fangirl for life!)

Mailman's inclusion of historical detail is wonderful. With first person narrators, infodumps can be especially awkward, what with our narrator lecturing us, but Mailman never lectures. Nora shares small tidbits about 19th century San Francisco in a way that felt authentic and effortless, and I felt immersed in that dirty, grimy, frontier city.  Mailman doesn't whitewash Nora's work, so those who are uncomfortable with the realities of sex workers might want to pass, but the scenes are presented without salaciousness.  They were grim, hilarious, adorable, sexy, discomforting, scary, and weird, and they helped me get a sense of Nora and her world.

My only complaint is a lack of Historical Note (something I depend on now to help me separate the imaginary from the factually historical).  Otherwise, this novel is flawless -- a real delight.

Highly recommended, Woman of Ill Fame will appeal to those who enjoy stories of the American West and the women who tamed it, as well as those who enjoy novels with a strong voice.  This is a can't-put-it-down-once-you-start-it read, so splurge and hope for a snow day! ( )
  unabridgedchick | Dec 17, 2013 |
San Francisco is the setting of Erika Mailman's exciting historical mystery WOMAN OF ILL FAME, which takes place during the madness of the California Gold Rush. The story is told through the eyes of a young prostitute named Nora who has just arrived from Boston seeking her own fortune. Nora becomes wrapped up in a gruesome murder mystery when the bodies of prostitutes are found around the city with their throats slashed, and all the victims have a connection to Nora.

I couldn't help but love Nora from the very beginning. She was strong, resourceful, clever, and unapologetic of her lot in life. She was also rather forward-thinking when it came to sex and protecting herself from the dangers of her profession. Nora's journey was an eye-opening experience for me. From her tiny crib in the "cowyard" to an elegant room in the best parlor house in the city, Nora gave readers a vivid picture of daily life for "soiled doves" of the time.

WOMAN OF ILL FAME was a well-researched and engaging novel that presents San Francisco's Gold Rush Era with richness and realism. Nora is an unforgettable heroine who reminds readers that women of ill fame were an integral part of the time. Highly recommended to fans of historical fiction and mystery alike!

Source: Review copy provided for participating in the author's book tour. ( )
  bookofsecrets | Dec 17, 2013 |
1-5 van 7 worden getoond (volgende | toon alle)
Je moet ingelogd zijn om Algemene Kennis te mogen bewerken.
Voor meer hulp zie de helppagina Algemene Kennis .
Gangbare titel
Informatie afkomstig uit de Engelse Algemene Kennis. Bewerk om naar jouw taal over te brengen.
Oorspronkelijke titel
Alternatieve titels
Oorspronkelijk jaar van uitgave
Mensen/Personages
Informatie afkomstig uit de Engelse Algemene Kennis. Bewerk om naar jouw taal over te brengen.
Belangrijke plaatsen
Informatie afkomstig uit de Engelse Algemene Kennis. Bewerk om naar jouw taal over te brengen.
Belangrijke gebeurtenissen
Verwante films
Motto
Opdracht
Eerste woorden
Citaten
Laatste woorden
Ontwarringsbericht
Uitgevers redacteuren
Auteur van flaptekst/aanprijzing
Oorspronkelijke taal
Gangbare DDC/MDS
Canonieke LCC

Verwijzingen naar dit werk in externe bronnen.

Wikipedia in het Engels

Geen

Looking for a better life, prostitute Nora Simms arrives in Gold Rush San Francisco with a plan for success: to strike it rich by trading on her good looks. But when a string of murders claims several of her fellow women of ill fame, Nora grows uneasy with how closely linked all of the victims are to her. She must distinguish friend from foe in a race to discover the identity of the killer.

Geen bibliotheekbeschrijvingen gevonden.

Boekbeschrijving
Haiku samenvatting

Actuele discussies

Geen

Populaire omslagen

Snelkoppelingen

Waardering

Gemiddelde: (4.17)
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3 1
3.5 1
4 6
4.5 1
5 3

Ben jij dit?

Word een LibraryThing Auteur.

 

Over | Contact | LibraryThing.com | Privacy/Voorwaarden | Help/Veelgestelde vragen | Blog | Winkel | APIs | TinyCat | Nagelaten Bibliotheken | Vroege Recensenten | Algemene kennis | 203,242,947 boeken! | Bovenbalk: Altijd zichtbaar