The Nature of Fragile Things

Written by Susan Meissner

Narrated by Alana Kerr Collins and Jason Culp

April 18, 1906: A massive earthquake rocks San Francisco just before daybreak, igniting a devouring inferno. Lives are lost, lives are shattered, but some rise from the ashes forever changed.

Sophie Whalen is a young Irish immigrant so desperate to get out of a New York tenement that she answers a mail-order bride ad and agrees to marry a man she knows nothing about. San Francisco widower Martin Hocking proves to be as aloof as he is mesmerizingly handsome. Sophie quickly develops deep affection for Kat, Martin's silent five-year-old daughter, but Martin's odd behavior leaves her with the uneasy feeling that something about her newfound situation isn't right.

Then one early-spring evening, a stranger at the door sets in motion a transforming chain of events. Sophie discovers hidden ties to two other women. The first, pretty and pregnant, is standing on her doorstep. The second is hundreds of miles away in the American Southwest, grieving the loss of everything she once loved.

The fates of these three women intertwine on the eve of the devastating earthquake, thrusting them onto a perilous journey that will test their resiliency and resolve and, ultimately, their belief that love can overcome fear.

From the acclaimed author of The Last Year of the War and As Bright as Heaven comes a gripping novel about the bonds of friendship and mother love, and the power of female solidarity.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Audio
• Release date: Feb 2, 2021
• ISBN: 9780593346945

Susan Meissner

Susan Meissner is a USA TODAY bestselling author with more than three-quarters of a million books in print in eighteen languages. Her novels have been named to numerous "best of" lists, including Publishers Weekly, Booklist, Goodreads, and Real Simple magazine. A former newspaper editor, Susan attended Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego and lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and their yellow Lab, Winston. When she's not writing, Susan loves long walks, good coffee, and reading bedtime stories to her grandchildren. Visit her online at susanmeissnerauthor.com; Instagram: @susanmeissnerauthor; Twitter: @SusanMeissner; Facebook: @susan.meissner; and Pinterest: @SusanMeissner.

Reviews for The Nature of Fragile Things

[booklover1801 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In 1903, nineteen-year-old Sophie Whalen arrives in America and for nearly two years lives in Lower Manhattan in filthy and overcrowded conditions. In 1905, she answers a newspaper advertisement for a mail-order bride. When the arrangements are finalized, she moves to San Francisco and marries a man she has never met, Martin Hocking, the father of a five-year-old girl named Kat. In some ways, Sophie has bettered herself, since she now has decent food to eat, a nice bed in which to sleep, money for new clothing and, best of all, a child to care for. In other ways, however, she has jumped from the frying pan into the fire. Martin is aloof and enigmatic, Kat barely speaks a word, and on April 18, 1906, an earthquake levels a substantial portion of the city.

Susan Meissner's "The Nature of Fragile Things" is an engrossing and well-researched novel that is cleverly constructed and evocatively narrated by Sophie, a sensitive and courageous heroine. In her native Ireland, she had been emotionally and physically scarred by a series of tragic events. Therefore, she is wiser in the ways of the world than most individuals her age. However, her past experiences did not fully prepare her for life with a deceitful husband.

The complex plot involves secrets that are hidden and later revealed. In addition to riveting scenes of intrigue and suspense, Meissner effectively underscores the vulnerability of lower-class females in the early twentieth century. It is heartwarming to observe women in distress making sacrifices for one another during tough times. The dialogue rings true, and the author's evocative descriptive passages add to the book's power. It is a pleasure to root for the good-hearted and resilient Sophie who, despite having endured so much heartache, retains her ability to love. This imaginative and poignant tale will resonate with fans of beleaguered but stalwart heroines who, after being brought down by circumstances not of their own making, pick themselves up and continue to pursue their dreams.

[jillhannah-910468 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is such a wonderful story of a woman (Sophie) who has been dealt a handful of tragedies in life, yet continues to do all she can for a better life.
When she answers the call for a mail-order bride of sorts, it pulls her out of a destitute situation and into a beautiful home where she wants for nothing, other than love from her new husband.
Sophie becomes endeared to his young, quiet daughter, and they form a bond. The author paints realistic characters and settings, dropping the reader into San Francisco in 1906, and the tragic earthquake. It's just one of the many obstacles Sophie must work through to hang on to the family she's come to love, and the family that's created from deceit by her husband.
I loved learning more about the famous earthquake and enjoyed the journey of Sophie's fight and perseverance to create a new life for herself and those she loves.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this great historical read!

[maydacat_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Sophie is a young Irish immigrant, eager to get out of New York. She answers an ad for a mail order bride, and moves to San Francisco to become the wife of a widower, Martin, and the mother to his young child. There is no love or even affection between husband and wife, but Sophie soon comes to love the child, Kat. One evening, while Martin is away on a business trip, a woman shows up, seeking information about her husband, who was doing a favor for Martin. A chance look around Sophie’s house is the beginning of a startling chain of events that will tie these two women together, and lead them to a third woman, unknown to either of them. In the midst of this personal turmoil, an even bigger disaster is about to happen: the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. This complex and well executed novel is a gripping account of the disaster superimposed over the heart wrenching deceit that was forced on these women. The characters come to life on the page, living in a real disaster as they cope with their shattered lives. The novel illustrates that true friendships can be born out of adversity, and that love can be the catalyst behind acts of bravery. And not all acts of bravery would stand up in a court of law. This well written novel is highly recommended

[bookofsecrets · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

THE NATURE OF FRAGILE THINGS is a wonderful and absorbing story of survival, friendship, and motherhood. Set during the time of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, this work of historical fiction weaves together a bit of mystery and an emotional family drama with characters I won’t soon forget.

Sophie is an Irish immigrant who answers a mail-order bride ad placed by a man in San Francisco. It seems like widower Martin Hocking can provide her with the life she craves — a comfortable home far away from the slums in New York City, and a child to raise named Kat, the young daughter of Martin and his deceased wife.

Sophie’s relationship with her new husband is odd, and sometimes his behavior is unusual, but she has security and a family, and that’s what matters. That is, until a very pregnant woman named Belinda shows up at her house the night before the great earthquake. The lives Sophie, Kat, and Belinda have known are about to come crashing down figuratively & literally!

I won’t go further into the plot, but just know that if you’re a fan of 20th century historical fiction, I highly recommend THE NATURE OF FRAGILE THINGS. Susan Meissner is a gifted story teller who creates complicated characters readers will understand and enjoy. — ?????

“It is the nature of the earth to shift. It is the nature of fragile things to break. It is the nature of fire to burn.”

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[kristelh_15 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Reason Read: read for LHBC
This is second book by the author that I have read. She writes historical fiction and this is set in San Francisco during the earthquake of 1906 and involves the lives of four females; 3 adult women and one child and portrays "friendship, mother love and power of female solidarity". I rate it a B-.

[janismack · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I liked this book. The main character was endearing and the setting of the San Francisco earthquake made the whole story interesting. Recommended.

[cassprout · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent story! A wonderful telling of the big earthquake in San Francisco but mostly a delightful read. Finally, a main female character who is not weak despite living in a time when women were still second-class citizens.

[castlelass · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

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

[eliz12_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I don't understand the raves for this. I gave it two stars because the beginning was interesting enough. But I could hardly drag myself through the remaining 3/4 of the story and I started skimming, and even that was almost more than I could take. (I felt I had to do this because an acquaintance gave it terrific reviews.) Really not for me.

[maryreinert · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Sophie is an immigrant girl from Ireland living in a filthy New York tenement when she answers an ad from a man in San Francisco looking for a wife to be a mother to his young daughter. She travels across the continent and is married immediately to Martin who treats her with respect but is very distant to her and to young Kat. The house, however, is lovely, and she is well provided for. Kat, who has not spoken for a long time, slowly warms up to Sophie and Sophie begins to think of her as her child.

When a pregnant woman shows up at her door, she learns that Martin has another wife and that Candice, the mother of Kat, is not dead as she has been told. Martin returns to the house just when the San Francisco earthquake occurs.

The earthquake provides much of the setting for the rest of the story as Sophie, Brenda (who gives birth), and Kat maneuver the earthquake and finally manage to get to a neighboring town where Brenda is running an inn.

During all this Sophie is also hiding a secret from her time in Ireland which isn't revealed until the very end. All in all the plot is very believable and the characters are likeable; the bond of female friendship is beautifully drawn. Good read.

[nyiper · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I can't believe this the first book I have read by Meissner! I have so many more to look forward to now. What a fascinating tale so creatively tied into the California earthquake of 1906---so much history mixed in with a story that kept uncovering more and more layers! Truly, I read for hours and finished it in record time....very hard to put down!!!!

[tsmom1219 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The story was predictable, the characters were flat, and the writing style wasn't my favorite. I did a lot of skimming.

[okies-600424 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a riveting story, and as an historical thriller, moves along nicely, But I felt I didn't learn enough about the lead characters - Sophie and Martin. How did Sophie become so brave and independent? to take charge of the post earthquake calamity, the discovery of Martin's duplicity, and to try to make right Martin's wrongs. Were Martin's dastardly deeds motivated simply by greed? or was he a sociopath? I didn't get close to knowing.

I have always been interested in that San Francisco earthquake and it is so fascinating to have it brought to life by doing San Francisco's famous free walking tours. Several of them touch on the event, and there is one completely on the earthquake.

And can't remember the name of the book, but I have read another novel that gave a lot more details about the earthquake - I think it was a popular book, so someone might remember the name?

I haven't read or heard of Susan Meissner before, but will read more.

[jacsun · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I didn't know what to expect from this book but heard good reviews. Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down.

It's about a woman, Sophie, who crosses the Atlantic from Northern Ireland to start a new life in New York in the early 1900s with her brother, Mason. He meets a woman, moves to Canada and she is now alone and miserable.

Sophie is desperate for a better life and finds an ad from a man in San Francisco seeking to marry a woman to help raise his five-year-old daughter, Kat. He appears almost too perfect: handsome, successful as a traveling salesman, beautiful home in the downtown area and owner of a car. He lets her spend money on clothes, toys for their daughter and basically anything she needs. Life seems to be pretty darn perfect until she discovers that the man she has just married has a questionable past. Can she accept it and look the other way?

The author cleverly writes a plot that moves quickly that includes the San Francisco earthquake on April 18, 1906 with a grueling outlook. It is so vivid in my mind and makes me fear for what could happen again. There are plenty of hints of a marriage with misgivings but only when you get to end, the questions are answered.

It's on my list of favorites.

[dianekeenoy · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very well done historical fiction about the fates of three women during the earthquake of 1906 in San Francisco.

[gbelik_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A great story, set well in its historical moment.

[pdebolt_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In this historically interesting and intriguing novel set in 1905, Sophie Whalen is an Irish immigrant living in NYC in a crowded tenement when she reads about a widowed man with a small daughter wanting to marry a woman to provide a home for them in San Francisco. She sees a way out of her dreary existence, and immediately responds. When she arrives in San Francisco, they are immediately married and she then meets his daughter, Kat, and they all move into a nicely-appointed home. Martin Hocking is a traveling man with abundant secrets. By the time these secrets are exposed, Sophie is completely devoted to 5-year old Kat, who has selective mutism.

In 1906, the San Francisco earthquake devastates the entire city, and ends Sophie's life as she knew it. She leaves behind her home that contains a lethal secret, but takes with her documents incriminating Martin, along with her beloved Kat and another woman who fell under Martin's spell in his involved schemes to profit. The depth of deceptions by Martin Hocking are numerous and far-reaching. Sophie also has secrets of her own, which propelled her into a marriage of convenience. This novel contains actual events of the horrific earthquake and its aftermath in San Francisco.

[lisa2013_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love that I started this book on 4/18/21 since that is the 115 year anniversary of the 1906 San Francisco great quake and fire and that event is part of this book’s story.

I loved the writing style.

It was a page-turner for me and hard to put down.

I loved the narrator/new wife & mother character and the character of the little girl Kat. I loved or (appropriately detested) many other characters.

This one surprised me. In went in an unexpected direction. I’m glad I knew as little as I did when I started the book. I loved the twists and turns from first page to last page.

There was a bit too much hinting of the mystery of Sophie’s background though I think that much of it is easily guessed.

I appreciated that in the author’s note and discussion questions at the end of the book she reveals that there will be major spoilers and suggests that the reader read the book first.

Great historical fiction story and San Francisco story. Good story about motherhood, friendships, friends as family, lives reinvented, and survival. I loved it.

4-1/2 stars

I simultaneously read a Kindle e-edition book and Overdrive audiobook both borrowed from the library.

[wagner5sarah35 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The life of Sophie, an Irish mail order bride, is upended by the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Before the earthquake, Sophie is married to a secretive man and is the adoptive mother of a silent young girl. After, she starts to unravel the lies her husband told and discovers her marriage was never what she thought. This tale is fascinating, heartfelt, and deeply rooted in the history of the 1906 earthquake. It makes for a good escape and I loved the focus on female relationships and friendships rather than romance.

[beckyhaase · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

THE NATURE OF FRAGILE THINGS by Susan Meissner
The devastating San Francisco Earthquake is the backdrop for this tale of marriage, lies, love, desperation, hope, secrets, murder, and justice. Sophie, an Irish immigrant with secrets, answers an advertisement for a mail order bride and becomes mother to a silent 5-year-old as well as wife to a man who becomes more secretive each day.
The aftermath of the earthquake upends Sophie’s materially satisfying, though lonely and confusing, life. As her home is destroyed, she finds out one of her husband’s secrets. Sophie and Kat try to make a new life amid loss, fear, and more secrets.
Meissner’s ability to combine great research with actual events and wonderful characters into a thrilling tale reveals a devious and intriguing plot that is satisfying resolved. Lots here for a lively book group discussion.
5 of 5 stars

[khoyt-43756 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Once again Susan Meissner has written another heart-wrenching, heart-stopping historical novel that has managed to truly depict the events of the day, in this case, the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Through her marvelous characters who wrap you up in their situations and emotions, her remarkable descriptions of this tragic event, and the unexpected finale, Ms. Meissner puts one in that fateful time and place walking over the rubble and seeing the sights as they must have been experienced by the sufferers of the devastation. The story she folds into the mix is original as well as inventive. After reading one of her novels, I am always searching for words to express what I am feeling. However, I always come up short. I guess that is why she is the writer and I am the reader!

[bookczuk · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Pandemic read. Online book club read set during the era of the 1906 earthquake. We are not always what we seem.

[jetangen4571 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

historical-novel, historical-places-events, historical-research, historical-setting, early-20th-century, family-dynamics, friendship, loss, love, Ireland, California*****

She came from Ireland to New York to get away, then went to San Francisco to get away, then left 'Frisco to get away. Along the way she acquired a mail order husband, a lovely but emotionally scarred step-daughter, and some very interesting friends. And the professional attention of a US Marshall. The characters are impressively portrayed and the descriptives are awesome. But the flow and emotional impact of the story is what will remain. Already bought the audio.
I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley. Thank you!

[fredreeca · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Sophie has become a mail order bride. She could not take the tenements in NYC anymore. So, she answers the ad and moves to San Francisco. She meets and marries her new husband, Martin Hocking. He is a handsome man but he is very aloof. However, he has the sweetest little girl named Kat. Sophie begins to be very attached to Kat and when her relationship with this little girl is threatened, Sophie stops at nothing to protect her.

Sophie is a strong woman fallen on hard times. She takes a risk to change her stars. Little does she know that her husband is not who he says he is. She finds this out right before the earthquake changes her and Kat’s life.

Wow! This is a super good read. It is twisted, heartbreaking and intense all at the same time. I adored Sophie. She is a lady of integrity and strength. This is proven time and time again during this read.

This is a story you will not stop once you start. It is captivating and powerful! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

[bettytaylor56 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

“It’s the nature of fragile things to break.” Three women, one child, one man. Who among them is fragile? Who will stand strong as the earth shifts at their feet? Uncovered secrets will destroy some, but others will emerge stronger than before the quake. Suspenseful, heartbreaking, perfectly paced, this story of strong female friendships, a mother’s love, and resilience will grab you and not let go until the shocking ending.

Susan Meissner takes us to the April 1906 earthquake that destroyed much of San Francisco. Sophie Hocking is devastated as she learns of the complexities of the lies from the man she married. Three women will find their lives suddenly intertwined. And Sophie has her own secrets that she prays will never be revealed.

Having spent a lot of time in San Francisco, I enjoyed the visit back to one of my favorite cities. My heart broke as little Kat had to deal with too much loss for a young child. I was so happy as Sophie began breaking through Kat’s silence, but then my breath was taken away as I realized that Kat could lose Sophie. This book evoked so many emotions in me, that it left me emotionally spent.

[kris_anderson-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner transports readers to San Francisco, California in 1905 where Sophie Whalen has agreed to marry Martin Hocking. Sophie was living in New York after immigrating from Ireland when she saw Martin’s advertisement for a bride and mother for his daughter, Kat. They marry the day Sophie arrives in San Francisco, and she quickly adjusts to her new role. Martin travels for work leaving Kat and Sophie alone. One April evening, Sophie is surprised by the visitor. This woman sets in motion a chain of events that will change their lives and that of another woman with a connection to them. The next morning a devastating earthquake hits the San Francisco area forcing the women to flee. The Nature of Fragile Things is a well-written and crafted historical novel. The authors descriptive writings captured the time-period and events. She really captured the earthquake and its devastation with her word imagery. I could visualize the scenes and what our characters were experiencing. I could tell that Susan Meissner did her research for this book. The characters were developed and at the heart of the story. It was fascinating how it all tied together with the amazing “oh my goodness” moment near the end. I especially appreciated the epilogue that nicely wrapped up this fascinating tale. I do not want to say too much and ruin this captivating story for you. I have read all of Susan Meissner’s novels and I found this one better yet different from her other books (such as Lady in Waiting). The Nature of Fragile Things has secrets, love, lies, loss, friendships, betrayal, a mother’s love, and justice. Now we must wait another year for Susan Meissner’s next novel (sigh).