Varina (Frazier) - Book Reviews

Book Reviews
[S]uperb.… Frazier’s historical research generally sits lightly on the story, almost always embedded gracefully in dialogue, a small telling incident or a sharp memory of kindness or brutality. His prose is both of the characters’ time and perfectly evocative.
Mary Dorie Russell - Washington Post


Varina portrays a prescient, conflicted heroine.… Slyly paced.… When [Frazier] is at full-throttle, incredible declarations are tossed off as mere jottings.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution


Frazier’s novel is the latest to star a worthy female figure rescued from history's dustbin. And Frazier is a superb prose stylist who elevates the historical fiction genre.… Sometimes Frazier’s considerable literary talents get in his way. His writing can be breathtaking, but Varina’s fragmented narrative hopscotches all over the place. Which is a shame, because this picaresque novel’s most memorable scenes rival Gone With the Wind (and Cold Mountain) for sheer jaw-dropping Dixie drama.
USA Today


Frazier works on an epic scale, but his genius is in the details—he has a scholar’s command of the physical realities of early America and a novelist’s gift for bringing them to life.
Time


Frazier’s interjection of historical detail is richly informative, and his descriptions of the natural world of the South are lyrical. While V’s emotional reserve and stoic narration keep her from becoming a fully vibrant character, this is a sharp, evocative novel.
Publishers Weekly


(Starred review.)The unveiling of Varina's sad story piques the reader's curiosity. Much of what Frazier imagines is consistent with the incomplete historical record surrounding Varina, and he fills in the blanks to reveal a powerful personality. —Vicki Gregory, Sch. of Information, Univ. of South Florida, Tampa
Library Journal


Intelligent, outspoken, and clear-sighted but yoked to an intransigent man, the real Varina… sometimes feels elusive.… [S]he proclaims "the right side won" yet seems unable to fully grasp slavery’s ramifications. [A]powerful realization of its time….
Booklist


The most contemporary touch is the disjointed timeline, but even that isn't entirely effective. The resulting text isn't so much a coherent narrative as a series of vignettes. Intriguing subject. Uneven execution.
Kirkus Reviews