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Quiver of the Pure Heart
Quiver of the Pure Heart: Love, Corruption & Gentrification Collide; as New Novel Uncovers Family ‘Secrets’ During Heroine’s San Francisco Displacement.
Burnita Bluitt’s ‘Quiver of the Pure Heart’ is one of the few novels on the market to shine a very urgent real-world spotlight on the topic of gentrification and urban displacement. However, heroine Blis Dumas quickly learns that she faces things that are far more complicated than just relocation. The discovery of family secrets reveals that the problems being created by the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency are chillingly personal, with forgiveness and compassion about to become her weapons of choice.
San Francisco, CA – In 1948, San Francisco’s Fillmore District was designated a redevelopment area, sparking tumultuous decades in which, according to city officials, 883 businesses were shuttered, 4,729 households were forced out, and roughly 2,500 Victorian homes were demolished. While this unfortunate gentrification may sound like a historical mistake, metro cities across the nation are currently facing similar fates. It’s a subject that rarely makes it into fiction, but one Burnita Bluitt tackles with gusto in her latest novel.
‘Quiver of the Pure Heart’ is intimately told through the eyes of Blis Dumas, a young San Francisco woman who discovers she is forced to sell her home to the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency. But all isn’t as it seems; and emotions are about to run higher than she could ever have expected as her family’s past comes back to haunt her.
Synopsis:
Twenty-eight year old Blis Dumas’ peaceful life and sense of security becomes the target of a well-crafted scheme. The setting is 1989 San Francisco, and Blis fears a repeat of the 1950-60s, redevelopment that took place displacing primarily African-American residents from the Western Addition’s Fillmore District, their “Harlem of the West.” Her world crumbles as she is notified that her own Victorian home, inherited from her grandfather, is in jeopardy of demolition by the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency and she must sell to them…or so she thinks. She uncovers family secrets that reveal her problem is much closer to home.
Blis fights to save the home she adores; fights the temptation of an incorrigible former lover; and fights the threat to a tender, new, budding romance. Blis loves San Francisco, but like any love relationship, it is where her emotions will be tested, where passions will live and die, and where people are not always as they seem. QUIVER OF THE PURE HEART will appeal to readers that appreciate domestic settings to illuminate the universal themes of forgiveness, compassion, and letting go.
“Blis is a microcosm of the fear, pain and love that exists in everyone, along with their innate ability to overcome it,” explains Bluitt. “These emotions and coping strategies are called on by everyone falling victim to gentrification, and I believe my novel is the first to depict love and loss from this unique perspective.”
Continuing, “It’s a historical and present epidemic in many areas and presents a huge test to each individuals’ tenacity and strength. Those who thought they had neither often discover that they are incredibly strong and resilient. But I’m not saying it’s easy; far from it. I hope my work raises awareness of the grassroots struggles faced by those being displaced. It’s a toxic issue rarely addressed.”
Burnita Bluitt’s ‘Quiver of the Pure Heart’ is one of the few novels on the market to shine a very urgent real-world spotlight on the topic of gentrification and urban displacement. However, heroine Blis Dumas quickly learns that she faces things that are far more complicated than just relocation. The discovery of family secrets reveals that the problems being created by the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency are chillingly personal, with forgiveness and compassion about to become her weapons of choice.
San Francisco, CA – In 1948, San Francisco’s Fillmore District was designated a redevelopment area, sparking tumultuous decades in which, according to city officials, 883 businesses were shuttered, 4,729 households were forced out, and roughly 2,500 Victorian homes were demolished. While this unfortunate gentrification may sound like a historical mistake, metro cities across the nation are currently facing similar fates. It’s a subject that rarely makes it into fiction, but one Burnita Bluitt tackles with gusto in her latest novel.
‘Quiver of the Pure Heart’ is intimately told through the eyes of Blis Dumas, a young San Francisco woman who discovers she is forced to sell her home to the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency. But all isn’t as it seems; and emotions are about to run higher than she could ever have expected as her family’s past comes back to haunt her.
Synopsis:
Twenty-eight year old Blis Dumas’ peaceful life and sense of security becomes the target of a well-crafted scheme. The setting is 1989 San Francisco, and Blis fears a repeat of the 1950-60s, redevelopment that took place displacing primarily African-American residents from the Western Addition’s Fillmore District, their “Harlem of the West.” Her world crumbles as she is notified that her own Victorian home, inherited from her grandfather, is in jeopardy of demolition by the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency and she must sell to them…or so she thinks. She uncovers family secrets that reveal her problem is much closer to home.
Blis fights to save the home she adores; fights the temptation of an incorrigible former lover; and fights the threat to a tender, new, budding romance. Blis loves San Francisco, but like any love relationship, it is where her emotions will be tested, where passions will live and die, and where people are not always as they seem. QUIVER OF THE PURE HEART will appeal to readers that appreciate domestic settings to illuminate the universal themes of forgiveness, compassion, and letting go.
“Blis is a microcosm of the fear, pain and love that exists in everyone, along with their innate ability to overcome it,” explains Bluitt. “These emotions and coping strategies are called on by everyone falling victim to gentrification, and I believe my novel is the first to depict love and loss from this unique perspective.”
Continuing, “It’s a historical and present epidemic in many areas and presents a huge test to each individuals’ tenacity and strength. Those who thought they had neither often discover that they are incredibly strong and resilient. But I’m not saying it’s easy; far from it. I hope my work raises awareness of the grassroots struggles faced by those being displaced. It’s a toxic issue rarely addressed.”
- GenresRomantic Suspense
268 pages, ebook
First published July 1, 2014
630 people want to read
About the author
Burnita Bluitt
1 book56 followersBurnita Bluitt writes and resides in the San Francisco Bay Area. Now retired from working in the administration of Silicon Valley companies such as McKinsey & Co., Merrill Lynch, and Google, she indulges her love for, and curiosity about, San Francisco’s rich history and architecture. Her debut novel, Quiver of the Pure Heart, began as a love-letter to San Francisco’s painted ladies. However, after uncovering the Western Addition Victorian’s dark history, she felt compelled to shine a light on their unsavory past, and on the forces that left an indelible impact on the Fillmore community which is still felt today.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 23, 2015
This book was not for me. The story took place in the 80's but I felt like I was in the 50's. I found the characters to be unrealistic and the story flat. A bigger fan of Chick Lit may enjoy this.
Note: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
December 17, 2015
I have to say that I really enjoyed this book by Burnita Bluitt. From the cover, I wasn’t sure what to expect but when I hunkered down to read, I quickly discovered that the story was a combination of things: romance, history, and a tad bit thriller. I enjoyed the language and the detailed description of San Francisco made me feel like I was there at times. There were some surprises along the way that really kept my interest piqued. Readers who enjoy diverse women’s fiction should definitely check this one out.
February 4, 2015
I received this book as a first reads winner.
I was interested in reading this book because the GoodReads description said it "is one of the few novels on the market to shine a very urgent, real-world spotlight on the topic of gentrification and urban displacement." I'm fascinated by those topics and was excited to dig in deeper. Unfortunately, the GoodReads description could not have been farther from the truth. In fact, except for a some peppered in comments from the narrator and a brief "Mmm-hmm...you tell 'em, girlfriend!" town hall meeting, this book didn't even address these issues. The book merely acknowledged that gentrification and urban displacement was a thing that happened in the book's universe. Then the narrator went out for another fancy dinner in another fancy dress. In other words, the book seemed more to be about the narrator's love life and growing mental instability than about anything promised in the GoodReads description. So that was disappointing.
Also disappointing is the fact that the author did not seem to know what type of book she was wanting to write. This book was thriller, chick lit and historical fiction all rolled into one, and it was not a very successful amalgam. The characters were odd to the point of being poorly written. A perfect example of this poor character definition is a mousy friend of the narrator who, apropos of nothing, tells her friends she has herpes, then never brings it up again. I found myself sitting there the entire rest of the book thinking, "Now, why in the world would an author give that poor girl herpes?!" I also found the dialogue stilted and jarring. Characters frequently cycled through three or four emotions over the course of what would have been, in real life, a ten minute conversation, shifting wildly between them. The characters were also constantly yelling and screaming during conversations, including at times it would be entirely inappropriate to do so, to the point that it began to seem the author just used the world "yell" as a synonym for "say." Maybe this wouldn't bother other people, but when I'm trying to picture what is happening in a story, it is odd to have an otherwise calm character just start yelling about whatever seemingly innocuous topic of conversation is at hand. Especially when that character then goes straight back to being calm after the outburst.
All in all, there may be people who can get around the slapdash plot, sloppy character development, or careless dialogue to find some real merit here, but I'm just not one of them.
I was interested in reading this book because the GoodReads description said it "is one of the few novels on the market to shine a very urgent, real-world spotlight on the topic of gentrification and urban displacement." I'm fascinated by those topics and was excited to dig in deeper. Unfortunately, the GoodReads description could not have been farther from the truth. In fact, except for a some peppered in comments from the narrator and a brief "Mmm-hmm...you tell 'em, girlfriend!" town hall meeting, this book didn't even address these issues. The book merely acknowledged that gentrification and urban displacement was a thing that happened in the book's universe. Then the narrator went out for another fancy dinner in another fancy dress. In other words, the book seemed more to be about the narrator's love life and growing mental instability than about anything promised in the GoodReads description. So that was disappointing.
Also disappointing is the fact that the author did not seem to know what type of book she was wanting to write. This book was thriller, chick lit and historical fiction all rolled into one, and it was not a very successful amalgam. The characters were odd to the point of being poorly written. A perfect example of this poor character definition is a mousy friend of the narrator who, apropos of nothing, tells her friends she has herpes, then never brings it up again. I found myself sitting there the entire rest of the book thinking, "Now, why in the world would an author give that poor girl herpes?!" I also found the dialogue stilted and jarring. Characters frequently cycled through three or four emotions over the course of what would have been, in real life, a ten minute conversation, shifting wildly between them. The characters were also constantly yelling and screaming during conversations, including at times it would be entirely inappropriate to do so, to the point that it began to seem the author just used the world "yell" as a synonym for "say." Maybe this wouldn't bother other people, but when I'm trying to picture what is happening in a story, it is odd to have an otherwise calm character just start yelling about whatever seemingly innocuous topic of conversation is at hand. Especially when that character then goes straight back to being calm after the outburst.
All in all, there may be people who can get around the slapdash plot, sloppy character development, or careless dialogue to find some real merit here, but I'm just not one of them.
June 6, 2015
What an exciting, thought provoking, intelligent, and oh so interesting novel! From start to finish this was an engaging read with realistic and well-documented issues that the author didn't sugarcoat. She has a true gift to paint striking and memorable pictures in your mind of current and emotional events. I have never been to San Francisco and with this fantastic book it was like I was there, breathing the air, visiting all different places,being a part of the community and culture.
I stayed up way too late reading because I was so invested in Blis. It was easy to relate to her story and emotional struggles, and see her work through her issues and move forward. There is no way that you can read this book without getting thoroughly emotional as you read!
All-in-all, it is a great read and I highly recommend it!
I stayed up way too late reading because I was so invested in Blis. It was easy to relate to her story and emotional struggles, and see her work through her issues and move forward. There is no way that you can read this book without getting thoroughly emotional as you read!
All-in-all, it is a great read and I highly recommend it!
June 1, 2015
Quiver of the Pure Heart is absolutely one of the most beautiful stories I've read in a very long time. The writing is very well put together with just the right amount of romance, drama, and suspense that kept me captivated with every page turn. I loved all of the characters as they were very unique and well put together but Blis was my absolute favorite. This was the first time I read anything by Burnita Bluitt but I have to say I am very impressed. Her writing style is very intriguing with a sense of realness to it. A great read especially for woman.
September 29, 2015
I received this book through Goodreads First Reads.
I'm sorry, I just couldn't get into this one. I found the story a bit on the boring side. I had considered not finishing on more than one occasion, but I hate not finishing a book. The last few chapters were the most interesting and I still found them to be a bit hoaky.
I'm sorry this book just wasn't my cup of tea.
It has a beautiful book cover though.
I'm sorry, I just couldn't get into this one. I found the story a bit on the boring side. I had considered not finishing on more than one occasion, but I hate not finishing a book. The last few chapters were the most interesting and I still found them to be a bit hoaky.
I'm sorry this book just wasn't my cup of tea.
It has a beautiful book cover though.
July 24, 2015
This was a novel set in 1989 San Francisco that follows the 28 year old Blis Dumas as he becomes a victim of a real estate scheme. As he fights to keep the home, the story explores many different issues as well as details about his personal life. A thoughtful and nicely written story that outlines the issues of gentrification and displacement in the modern day. I am glad I got to read this one, highly recommended.
June 7, 2015
I received this book free through Goodreads First Reads promotions in exchange for an honest review.
I found Burnita Bluitt writing style/story witty and clever with a touch of humor.
I found Burnita Bluitt writing style/story witty and clever with a touch of humor.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews