"I had crossed all the lines they you say you can never cross without being destroyed, and here I was, alive and strong."
In the grand tradition of Moll Flanders and Vanity Fair, this is the story of a good girl who became a bad woman. At the old homestead her name is never spoken and her picture is turned to the wall, but in the vast world beyond everyone remembers her as the celebrated madam of the finest parlor house in San Francisco. Now, at the end of her life, after half a century of successfully hiding the details of her scarlet past, Belle has decided to reveal all her secrets.
In 1838, Arabella Godwin and her beloved younger brother, Lewis, are orphaned and shipped away from their home in New York City to live on their aunt's desolate farm upstate. The comforts she has always known are replaced with grueling work and a pair of cunning enemies in her cousins Agnes and Matthew. Amid this bleak existence, there emerges light in the form of a local boy, Jeptha Talbot. He is everything good that Arabella craves. His love saves her and becomes an obsession that will last her whole life.
Time and again she will be broken and remade. She will bear a gambler’s child, build a fortune, commit murder, leave a trail of aliases in her wake and sacrifice almost everything—though perhaps not enough--for the man whose love she cannot bear to lose. At last her destiny will take her to Gold Rush California, to riches and power.
Until the day she mysteriously disappears.
Told with unflagging wit and verve, Belle Cora brings to life a turbulent era and an untamed America on the cusp of greatness. Its heroine is a woman in conflict with her time, who nevertheless epitomizes it with her fighting spirit, her gift for self-invention, and her determination to chart her own fate.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
"Margulies strikes gold in his first novel... [his]writing never falters, and the reader will easily get lost in the world he's built. Belle's remarkable story mirrors that of her young country, on the verge of civil war, and her sharp, engaging voice brings her tale to vivid life."
-"Publishers Weekly, "Starred Review
"The charm and self-invention that served Arabella throughout her life give voice to a story that will captivate historical fiction fans as they follow her exploits during a turbulent era."
"- ""Library Journal
"
""Belle Cora" is historical fiction with a nugget of truth at its core; the heroine is based on a real 19th century madam, and the story is sprinkled with bits of genuine primary sources. The writing is clear and precise, the characters enthralling. It has a bit of a good-girl-gone-bad narrative at the center, but it's always more about the heroine's determination to survive by any means than a novel that's looking for an excuse for its characters to misbehave in a titillating fashion. Above all else, it tells a great story."
-"Bookriot"
"Phillip Margulies has taken the scant known facts about Belle and created a magnificent heroine. Although not always a sympathetic figure, her frankness about her failings and her justification for the artful actions she is often forced to take to guarantee self-preservation make her utterly compelling.
But this is far mor
"You don't just read "Belle Cora. "You live it." --Kate Alcott, author of "The Dressmaker"
"Memorable at every turn and set against the backdrop of a nineteenth century America that was, like the novel's protagonist, many different things all at once. --Edward Rutherfurd, author of "Paris
"
"An enthralling historical drama . . . told with sympathy, feeling, humor, and accuracy. Phillip Margulies is a superb writer." --Kevin Baker, author of "The Big Crowd"
"As exquisitely seductive as its enigmatic heroine. . . . Will captivate readers from start to finish." --"BookPage
"
"A rollicking novel that tracks an American Moll Flanders on her roller-coaster ride from respectability into quite profitable sin and back again." --"The San Francisco Chronicle "
"Gripping, sweeping, and tragic, "Belle Cora" is the story of an extraordinary woman making her way through an extraordinary time. . . . A character I won't soon forget. " --Anton DiSclafani, author of "The Yonahlossee Riding Camp For Girls
"
"Not only this year's best read, but last year's as well. In a can't-put-it-down historical epic filled with suspense, romance, keen wit, adventure and scandal." --"Bookreporter
"
"Bighearted. . . . Belle belongs in the ranks of literary heroines strong enough to survive illness, heartbreak, financial ruin, scandal and their own worst impulses, and her quintessentially American story makes her a memorable character." --"The Columbus Dispatch
"
"The past is a foreign country. If, like me, you long to visit nineteenth-century New York and San Francisco, I can't imagine a better time-travel substitute than "Belle Cora." This is a splendid feast of a novel." --Kurt Andersen, author of "Heyday "
"Margulies strikes gold. . . . Belle's remarkable story mirrors that of her young country, on the verge of civil war, and her sharp, engaging voice brings her tale to vivid life." --"Publishers Weekly "(starred review)
"Hard to put down." --"The New York Journal of Books "
" "
"A story to lose yourself in, by turns thrilling, witty and poignant. Phillip Margulies has given us a luminous portrayal of an unforgettable woman. You will be utterly seduced." --Margaret Leroy, author of "The Soldier's Wife
"
"A debut novel of great scope and top-level excitement." --"The Courier-Journal "(Louisville, KY)
"Enthralling. . . . Above all else, it tells a great story." --"Bookriot"
"A story that will captivate historical fiction fans as they follow her exploits during a turbulent era." --"Library Journal
"
"Phillip Margulies has taken the scant known facts about Belle and created a magnificent heroine. . . . Utterly compelling. . . . A memorable and outstanding work on many levels." --Historical Novel Society
You don t just read"Belle Cora."You live it. Kate Alcott, author of"The Dressmaker"
Memorable at every turn and set against the backdrop of a nineteenth century America that was, like the novel s protagonist, many different things all at once. Edward Rutherfurd, author of"Paris
"
An enthralling historical drama . . . told with sympathy, feeling, humor, and accuracy. Phillip Margulies is a superb writer. Kevin Baker, author of"The Big Crowd"
As exquisitely seductive as its enigmatic heroine. . . .Will captivate readers from start to finish. "BookPage
"
A rollicking novel that tracks an American Moll Flanderson her roller-coaster ride from respectability into quite profitable sin and back again. "The San Francisco Chronicle"
Gripping, sweeping, and tragic, "Belle Cora" is the story of an extraordinary woman making her way through an extraordinary time. . . . A character I won't soon forget. Anton DiSclafani, author of "The Yonahlossee Riding Camp For Girls
"
Not only this year s best read, but last year s as well.In a can t-put-it-down historical epic filled with suspense, romance, keen wit, adventure and scandal. "Bookreporter
"
Bighearted. . . . Belle belongs in the ranks of literary heroines strong enough to survive illness, heartbreak, financial ruin, scandal and their own worst impulses, and her quintessentially American story makes her a memorable character. "The Columbus Dispatch
"
The past is a foreign country. If, like me, you long to visit nineteenth-century New York and San Francisco, I can't imagine a better time-travel substitute than "Belle Cora." This is a splendid feast of a novel. Kurt Andersen, author of "Heyday "
Margulies strikes gold. . . . Belle s remarkable story mirrors that of her young country, on the verge of civil war, and her sharp, engaging voice brings her tale to vivid life. "Publishers Weekly "(starred review)
Hard to put down. "The New York Journal of Books "
""
A story to lose yourself in, by turns thrilling, witty and poignant. Phillip Margulies has given us a luminous portrayal of an unforgettable woman. You will be utterly seduced. Margaret Leroy, author of "The Soldier s Wife
"
A debut novel of great scope and top-level excitement. "The Courier-Journal "(Louisville, KY)
Enthralling. . . . Above all else, it tells a great story. "Bookriot"
A story that will captivate historical fiction fans as they follow her exploits during a turbulent era. "Library Journal
"
Phillip Margulies has taken the scant known facts about Belle and created a magnificent heroine. . . . Utterly compelling. . . . A memorable and outstanding work on many levels. Historical Novel Society"
You don t just readBelle Cora.You live it. Kate Alcott, author ofThe Dressmaker
Memorable at every turn and set against the backdrop of a nineteenth century America that was, like the novel s protagonist, many different things all at once. Edward Rutherfurd, author ofParis
An enthralling historical drama . . . told with sympathy, feeling, humor, and accuracy. Phillip Margulies is a superb writer. Kevin Baker, author ofThe Big Crowd
As exquisitely seductive as its enigmatic heroine. . . .Will captivate readers from start to finish. BookPage
A rollicking novel that tracks an American Moll Flanderson her roller-coaster ride from respectability into quite profitable sin and back again. The San Francisco Chronicle
Gripping, sweeping, and tragic, Belle Cora is the story of an extraordinary woman making her way through an extraordinary time. . . . A character I won't soon forget. Anton DiSclafani, author of The Yonahlossee Riding Camp For Girls
Not only this year s best read, but last year s as well.In a can t-put-it-down historical epic filled with suspense, romance, keen wit, adventure and scandal. Bookreporter
Bighearted. . . . Belle belongs in the ranks of literary heroines strong enough to survive illness, heartbreak, financial ruin, scandal and their own worst impulses, and her quintessentially American story makes her a memorable character. The Columbus Dispatch
The past is a foreign country. If, like me, you long to visit nineteenth-century New York and San Francisco, I can't imagine a better time-travel substitute than Belle Cora. This is a splendid feast of a novel. Kurt Andersen, author of Heyday
Margulies strikes gold. . . . Belle s remarkable story mirrors that of her young country, on the verge of civil war, and her sharp, engaging voice brings her tale to vivid life. Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Hard to put down. The New York Journal of Books
A story to lose yourself in, by turns thrilling, witty and poignant. Phillip Margulies has given us a luminous portrayal of an unforgettable woman. You will be utterly seduced. Margaret Leroy, author of The Soldier s Wife
A debut novel of great scope and top-level excitement. The Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY)
Enthralling. . . . Above all else, it tells a great story. Bookriot
A story that will captivate historical fiction fans as they follow her exploits during a turbulent era. Library Journal
Phillip Margulies has taken the scant known facts about Belle and created a magnificent heroine. . . . Utterly compelling. . . . A memorable and outstanding work on many levels. Historical Novel Society
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
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