A Woman Called Fancy

***Men offered everything they possessed to possess her*** -- but there was only one man she wanted. From him she asked only love. ***A Woman Called Fancy, published in 1951, is Frank Yerby's first novel with a female protagonist. Set in Augusta, Georgia, the novel covers the period from 1880 to 1894*** and traces the rise of the heroine, a beautiful South Carolina woman, from poverty to prominence among Augusta's artistocrats. **Fancy fled an incestuous marriage arranged by a drunken father.** She had little education and no money. But with the priceless gifts of courage, honor and high personal integrity, Fancy won out against all odds and wrenched from life a position of respect and security.... a life that was secure against everyone except her husband. **Court Brantley, had already killed one man for her and Fancy knew that if he ever found out about Jed Hawkins he would do so again.** ***Warning:*** Many derogatory, ethnic slangs and other 'swear' words, used throughout this book. The taboo ''N'' word used to extreme, in line with the angry (now unacceptable), Post-Civil War language spoken, during that period, of more than one 'non-lily-white' race. HOWEVER, please read the entire historical novel, keeping in mind that the author/historian of this book was 1/2 African-American, 1/2 caucasian. ***_this opinion is not necessarily that of Open Library, but it is the opinion of this volunteer reviewer/editor - EDP.*** **LibraryThing Review: ***Madamxtra (3 of 5 Stars/Apr 21, 2015) Honestly, I read this book for shear diversity, something outside my usual scope***. I'm impressed; though I wasn't at first. **The repeated used of the "N" word, the whinny women and barbaric men was getting to me, though the story was thoroughly interesting.** Frank, the author surprised me be by delving into minds, heart-ships and lifestyles of 19th Century aristocrats, **would-be abolitionists and down-trodden African (Negro) Americans**. **Franks depictions of Georgia has actually put that state on my list of places to visit. As for Fancy...you go girl...SMILE!!!** **GOODREAD Reviews: **Anna (4 of 5 Stars/Jan 31, 2010 really liked it):** Kind of a "missing link" between Jane Austin / Bronte sisters and Danielle Steele. A page-turning historical romance novel (written in 1951, set in 1880s) set in the context of post American Civil War Reconstruction class conflicts. **The writer had very good insights into the male/female minds.** ***John (4 of 5 Stars/Dec 29, 2012/really liked it/historical-novel:*** I never expected to read this book because of the title but when i found here on goodreads that it was Yerby's most popular book, I decided to read it. Was Quite upset when I realized it was going to be just ***what I had expected. Another love story. But am happy to have read it as it is right up there with the best of them.*** A love pentagon or hexagon I guess, with everyone being in love with everyone who did not love them. **Well written.** ***Andrea (5 of 5 Stars/Sep 30, 2011/it was ok): An interesting look at life in the south post Civil War.*** The beginning seemed pretty dumb until I realized that it was supposed to be because the main character was so uneducated. **It was not a masterpiece but it was a entertaining story.** ***Angelina (5 of 5 Stars/Jun 06, 2012/''it was amazing''):*** I really enjoyed reading A Woman Called Fancy by Frank Yerby. It's not my normal genre but it's about a young girl being forced to grow up in the mid to late 1800s. ***Good read!*** ***Stephanie Wills (5 of 5 Stars - Mar 30, 2015 ''it was amazing''):*** I enjoyed this book. It gives a good description of how things were in the south. **It tells of the snobbery of the upper class and plight of the poor.**