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The Great Mrs. Elias
The author of the award-winning Sally Hemings now brings to life Hannah Elias, one of the richest black women in America in the early 1900s, in this mesmerizing novel swirling with atmosphere and steeped in history.
A murder and a case of mistaken identity brings the police to Hannah Elias’ glitzy, five-story, twenty-room mansion on Central Park West. This is the beginning of an odyssey that moves back and forth in time and reveals the dangerous secrets of a mysterious woman, the fortune she built, and her precipitous fall.
Born in Philadelphia in the late 1800s, Hannah Elias has done things she’s not proud of to survive. Shedding her past, Hannah slips on a new identity before relocating to New York City to become as rich as a robber baron. Hannah quietly invests in the stock market, growing her fortune with the help of businessmen. As the money pours in, Hannah hides her millions across 29 banks. Finally attaining the life she’s always dreamed, she buys a mansion on the Upper West Side and decorates it in gold and first-rate décor, inspired by her idol Cleopatra.
The unsolved murder turns Hannah’s world upside-down and threatens to destroy everything she’s built. When the truth of her identity is uncovered, thousands of protestors gather in front of her stately home. Hounded by the salacious press, the very private Mrs. Elias finds herself alone, ensnared in a scandalous trial, and accused of stealing her fortune from whites.
Packed with glamour, suspense, and drama, populated with real-life luminaries from the period, The Great Mrs. Elias brings a fascinating woman and the age she embodied to glorious, tragic life.
A murder and a case of mistaken identity brings the police to Hannah Elias’ glitzy, five-story, twenty-room mansion on Central Park West. This is the beginning of an odyssey that moves back and forth in time and reveals the dangerous secrets of a mysterious woman, the fortune she built, and her precipitous fall.
Born in Philadelphia in the late 1800s, Hannah Elias has done things she’s not proud of to survive. Shedding her past, Hannah slips on a new identity before relocating to New York City to become as rich as a robber baron. Hannah quietly invests in the stock market, growing her fortune with the help of businessmen. As the money pours in, Hannah hides her millions across 29 banks. Finally attaining the life she’s always dreamed, she buys a mansion on the Upper West Side and decorates it in gold and first-rate décor, inspired by her idol Cleopatra.
The unsolved murder turns Hannah’s world upside-down and threatens to destroy everything she’s built. When the truth of her identity is uncovered, thousands of protestors gather in front of her stately home. Hounded by the salacious press, the very private Mrs. Elias finds herself alone, ensnared in a scandalous trial, and accused of stealing her fortune from whites.
Packed with glamour, suspense, and drama, populated with real-life luminaries from the period, The Great Mrs. Elias brings a fascinating woman and the age she embodied to glorious, tragic life.
512 pages, Hardcover
First published February 8, 2022
About the author
Barbara Chase-Riboud
15 books154 followersAn American novelist, poet, sculptor and visual artist, perhaps best known for her historical fiction. Much of her work has explored themes related to slavery and exploitation of women.
Chase-Riboud attained international recognition with the publication of her first novel, Sally Hemings, in 1979. The novel has been described as the "first full blown imagining" of Hemings' life as a slave and her relationship with Jefferson.[1] In addition to stimulating considerable controversy, the book earned Chase-Riboud the Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize for the best novel written by an American woman and sold more than one million copies in hardcover.[2] She has received numerous honors for her work, including the Carl Sandburg Prize for poetry and the Women's Caucus for Art's lifetime achievement award.[1] In 1965, she became the first American woman to visit the People's Republic of China after the revolution.[3] In 1996, she was knighted by the French Government and received the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.[4] She divides her time between Paris and Rome.
The only child of Vivian May Chase, a histology technician and Charles Edward Chase, a contractor.[5] Chase-Riboud displayed an early talent for the arts and began attending the Fleisher Art Memorial School at the age of 8. She also excelled as an art student at the Philadelphia High School for Girls (now combined with Central High School). Between 1947 and 1954, she continued her training at the Philadelphia Museum School of Art and won an award from Seventeen for one of her prints, which was subsequently purchased by the Museum of Modern Art.[5] Chase-Riboud went on to receive a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Tyler School at Temple University in 1957. In that same year, she won a John Hay Whitney fellowship to study at the American Academy in Rome for 12 months. There, she created her first bronze sculptures and exhibited her work at the Spoleto Festival in 1957, as well as at the American Academy and the Gallery L'Obeliso the following year.[6] During this time, she traveled to Egypt, where she discovered non-European art.[6] In 1960, Chase-Riboud completed a Master of Fine Arts from Yale University.
After completing her studies, Chase-Riboud moved to Paris.
Chase-Riboud attained international recognition with the publication of her first novel, Sally Hemings, in 1979. The novel has been described as the "first full blown imagining" of Hemings' life as a slave and her relationship with Jefferson.[1] In addition to stimulating considerable controversy, the book earned Chase-Riboud the Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize for the best novel written by an American woman and sold more than one million copies in hardcover.[2] She has received numerous honors for her work, including the Carl Sandburg Prize for poetry and the Women's Caucus for Art's lifetime achievement award.[1] In 1965, she became the first American woman to visit the People's Republic of China after the revolution.[3] In 1996, she was knighted by the French Government and received the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.[4] She divides her time between Paris and Rome.
The only child of Vivian May Chase, a histology technician and Charles Edward Chase, a contractor.[5] Chase-Riboud displayed an early talent for the arts and began attending the Fleisher Art Memorial School at the age of 8. She also excelled as an art student at the Philadelphia High School for Girls (now combined with Central High School). Between 1947 and 1954, she continued her training at the Philadelphia Museum School of Art and won an award from Seventeen for one of her prints, which was subsequently purchased by the Museum of Modern Art.[5] Chase-Riboud went on to receive a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Tyler School at Temple University in 1957. In that same year, she won a John Hay Whitney fellowship to study at the American Academy in Rome for 12 months. There, she created her first bronze sculptures and exhibited her work at the Spoleto Festival in 1957, as well as at the American Academy and the Gallery L'Obeliso the following year.[6] During this time, she traveled to Egypt, where she discovered non-European art.[6] In 1960, Chase-Riboud completed a Master of Fine Arts from Yale University.
After completing her studies, Chase-Riboud moved to Paris.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
September 27, 2021
The Great Mrs. Elias brings to life a fascinating figure of Hannah Elias, one of the richest black women in America in early 1900s.
NYC, 1903. A bullet meant for Hannah Elias takes a life of Andrew H. Green – known as the Father of Greater New York. His murder makes the headlines across the newspapers and Hannah worries that her previous name and life will be revealed as it’s being connected to the murder of Andrew H. Green. Hannah is also worried about a third man.
Philadelphia, 1876. The story goes back in time and reveals who Hannah Elias truly is and what shaped her life. Bessie Davis at eleven helps her mother and takes care of her younger siblings. Her mother taught all her children manners early so that they could find jobs in the mansions. Bessie, after attending a school to learn more skills, gets hired as a downstairs maid. She spends her long commutes on reading books. Her favorite inspiration is Cleopatra and with her imagination inflamed, her well-done duties as a maid promote her to ladies’ maid. She takes a special care with her mistresses’ wardrobe as she has a weakness for beautiful clothes. One such beautiful dress gets her in trouble.
After her prison time, she doesn’t have much choice as no one wants to hire someone with jail record. Thus, she joins a certain “sisterhood”. One of her clients is a banker and she learns how to invest her money. She is smart with her money, but then the Panic of 1893 happens and much more.
Bessie’s life’s struggles are vividly portrayed, how life’s events shaped her. She went through some tough experiences that would break down many, but not Bessie. Extremely strong woman, who learned things quickly, including police corruption and blackmail and because of her skin color she was a target for some to bring her down.
The time period is vividly presented from rough neighborhoods of NYC to the most expensive ones, including the most famous restaurant of Delmonico’s which was the first public dining room in the US. “It had laid the foundation for the entire American restaurant industry.”
The novel is skillfully woven, connecting the past with the present, her climb to success and then an effort of some to bring her down. It is presented with a crisp prose, caring the story constantly forward with an engaging protagonist. It’s plotted with such skill that you constantly feel something clouding over the heroine and want to find out how her story ends.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review originally posted at mysteryandsuspense.com
NYC, 1903. A bullet meant for Hannah Elias takes a life of Andrew H. Green – known as the Father of Greater New York. His murder makes the headlines across the newspapers and Hannah worries that her previous name and life will be revealed as it’s being connected to the murder of Andrew H. Green. Hannah is also worried about a third man.
Philadelphia, 1876. The story goes back in time and reveals who Hannah Elias truly is and what shaped her life. Bessie Davis at eleven helps her mother and takes care of her younger siblings. Her mother taught all her children manners early so that they could find jobs in the mansions. Bessie, after attending a school to learn more skills, gets hired as a downstairs maid. She spends her long commutes on reading books. Her favorite inspiration is Cleopatra and with her imagination inflamed, her well-done duties as a maid promote her to ladies’ maid. She takes a special care with her mistresses’ wardrobe as she has a weakness for beautiful clothes. One such beautiful dress gets her in trouble.
After her prison time, she doesn’t have much choice as no one wants to hire someone with jail record. Thus, she joins a certain “sisterhood”. One of her clients is a banker and she learns how to invest her money. She is smart with her money, but then the Panic of 1893 happens and much more.
Bessie’s life’s struggles are vividly portrayed, how life’s events shaped her. She went through some tough experiences that would break down many, but not Bessie. Extremely strong woman, who learned things quickly, including police corruption and blackmail and because of her skin color she was a target for some to bring her down.
The time period is vividly presented from rough neighborhoods of NYC to the most expensive ones, including the most famous restaurant of Delmonico’s which was the first public dining room in the US. “It had laid the foundation for the entire American restaurant industry.”
The novel is skillfully woven, connecting the past with the present, her climb to success and then an effort of some to bring her down. It is presented with a crisp prose, caring the story constantly forward with an engaging protagonist. It’s plotted with such skill that you constantly feel something clouding over the heroine and want to find out how her story ends.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review originally posted at mysteryandsuspense.com
February 16, 2022
Hannah Elias, having experienced some very painful circumstances in Philadelphia made her way to NYC determined never to go to prison again and to never be poor again.
Starting out in a brothel until she was able to go her own way Hannah was savvy enough to learn from her rich NY clients the ways of finance and took full advantage of this knowledge making her one of the richest women in NYC 1900’s, that is until a murder investigation landed her in the limelight.
A fascinating story about a fascinating, little known, coloured woman claiming to be Cuban and able to pass for white.
I was totally engaged in Hannah’s life until Chapter 24 when the story started to veer off and include all manner of details that I found boring.
Chapter 24 through 33 could have been condensed considerably.
Starting out in a brothel until she was able to go her own way Hannah was savvy enough to learn from her rich NY clients the ways of finance and took full advantage of this knowledge making her one of the richest women in NYC 1900’s, that is until a murder investigation landed her in the limelight.
A fascinating story about a fascinating, little known, coloured woman claiming to be Cuban and able to pass for white.
I was totally engaged in Hannah’s life until Chapter 24 when the story started to veer off and include all manner of details that I found boring.
Chapter 24 through 33 could have been condensed considerably.
October 30, 2021
I was given an advanced copy of this from Netgalley in exchange for my fair review. And since it is an advanced copy for a book not scheduled to be published until February, it has not completed all its edits which could go a long way in making this an excellent book. It is a fascinating look at a woman who created great wealth for herself at a time and in a manner that was uncommon. The fact that she was a black woman made it even more extraordinary.
It is interesting that this book and the Personal Librarian would cover two unknown black women at same time period and near the same New York social tiers. In both cases, the authors do a fantastic job of creating an inner world for two women who were very private and of whom little is really known. In the case of Mrs. Elias, there is perhaps more known due to the murder and scandal but still a lot of mystery.
The book introduces the reader to the turn-of-the-century, the many new inventions and the people who populated New York at the time. It also offers a glimpse into the upper echelons of the sex world, giving more humanity to this world than many books normally give. Unfortunately, the author strays from her story of Mrs. Elias at times to share historic facts that seem unnecessary and a tangent. In one case, she deliberately places a historic person as a key character in Mrs. Elias life, when the two actually never met. It feels like she is trying to make sure we learn about this figure so imposes him into the story.
I will be honest in saying that I did not read this book cover to cover and found myself skimming sections. I also have not read any of Ms Chase-Riboud's other books but do applaud her for bringing these unknown and historic figures to life. For people who enjoy history with a touch of fiction and want to understand the turn-of-century better, this can be an enjoyable book for them.
It is interesting that this book and the Personal Librarian would cover two unknown black women at same time period and near the same New York social tiers. In both cases, the authors do a fantastic job of creating an inner world for two women who were very private and of whom little is really known. In the case of Mrs. Elias, there is perhaps more known due to the murder and scandal but still a lot of mystery.
The book introduces the reader to the turn-of-the-century, the many new inventions and the people who populated New York at the time. It also offers a glimpse into the upper echelons of the sex world, giving more humanity to this world than many books normally give. Unfortunately, the author strays from her story of Mrs. Elias at times to share historic facts that seem unnecessary and a tangent. In one case, she deliberately places a historic person as a key character in Mrs. Elias life, when the two actually never met. It feels like she is trying to make sure we learn about this figure so imposes him into the story.
I will be honest in saying that I did not read this book cover to cover and found myself skimming sections. I also have not read any of Ms Chase-Riboud's other books but do applaud her for bringing these unknown and historic figures to life. For people who enjoy history with a touch of fiction and want to understand the turn-of-century better, this can be an enjoyable book for them.
December 1, 2021
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 for all the research. The life story of this real life person Hannah Elias, one of the richest Black women of her day, was interesting to find out about. And she sure rises from out of poverty as a sex worker to a landlord to eventually owning a mansion on Central Park West.
The author gives good flavor for the times and the amount of brothels and saloons that were rampant at the start of the 20th century and the precariousness of Black lives during this time.
It's a long saga with much material as Hannah becomes involved in a murder trial. All in all, Hannah seems quite a resilient figure though she remains a bit elusive.
The author gives good flavor for the times and the amount of brothels and saloons that were rampant at the start of the 20th century and the precariousness of Black lives during this time.
It's a long saga with much material as Hannah becomes involved in a murder trial. All in all, Hannah seems quite a resilient figure though she remains a bit elusive.
September 19, 2022
I love books of real stories about the darker side of my city. Especially, I love stories about things I didn’t know. This book was not only exciting, it covered ground I was only barely familiar with.
It tells the story of Hannah Elias (née Bessie Davis), a young black woman sex worker, who rises from “nowhere” to become the richest real estate speculator of her day by listening to her clients talk about their financial dealings. Although often accused of “passing” for white, the closest she ever came was letting people believe she was a Cuban national.
One of the most important parts of the book for me was the reminder of just how historically racist New York City actually was — contrary to what many native New Yorkers believe. Yes, it’s uncomfortable to look at, but ignoring or forgetting it will only lead to its perpetuation.
Thank you Ms. Chase-Riboud, for this very exciting look at one of the great failures of my city.
It tells the story of Hannah Elias (née Bessie Davis), a young black woman sex worker, who rises from “nowhere” to become the richest real estate speculator of her day by listening to her clients talk about their financial dealings. Although often accused of “passing” for white, the closest she ever came was letting people believe she was a Cuban national.
One of the most important parts of the book for me was the reminder of just how historically racist New York City actually was — contrary to what many native New Yorkers believe. Yes, it’s uncomfortable to look at, but ignoring or forgetting it will only lead to its perpetuation.
Thank you Ms. Chase-Riboud, for this very exciting look at one of the great failures of my city.
March 27, 2022
This book was recommended to me because Belle da Costa Greene, protagonists of The Personal Librarian, makes a cameo appearance in this story. J. P. Morgan from that story appears here as well. Both are based on true stories and take place during the same time frame in NYC, late 1800s through early 1900s, so it makes sense.
While I loved The Personal Librarian a bit more, this story was really good as well. If you love historical fiction, any stories that take place in NYC, I highly recommend both books.
While I loved The Personal Librarian a bit more, this story was really good as well. If you love historical fiction, any stories that take place in NYC, I highly recommend both books.
January 6, 2022
I started reading this last year and put it down because I needed to read a few other things but I picked it up earlier this week and could not stop reading it. A juicy historical fiction that I truly enjoyed.
February 1, 2022
From the same author who gave us wondrously, imagined stories about popular women in history whose voices are lost or were silenced due to their unfortunate circumstances: Sarah Baartman, Sally Hemmings, and Aimée du Buc de Rivéry. Her latest focuses on Hannah Elias, America’s richest Black woman in the early twentieth century. For me, this was very informative, as I’d never heard of her and after reading her story, I realize why. Her wealth was acquired by “using what she had to get what she wanted” - so to celebrate a (black) woman (who could pass as Cuban or white) who leveraged prostitution to reinvent herself, attain wealth and status to the level that exceeded many a white man - is not necessarily the blueprint that history wants to promote or publicize. A crazed admirer sets off a series of events that exposes her vast real estate portfolio and fortune. In an era where women and Negroes “had a place,” she had clearly overstepped. “The Establishment” was determined to put her in her place and teach her a lesson. Jealousy and envy reigned; and as a result, she was scandalized, villainized, and arrested. The details surrounding the trial and its outcome are what kept me turning pages.
Unfortunately, I found the novel quite repetitive and overburdened with extraneous details that reflect the author’s extensive research into historical real estate and banking transactions. These tidbits bogged down the story to the point I found myself skimming over those sections. It had been established early on in multiple segments how she was a naturally astute businesswoman, and it was equally burdensome to reiterate the same techniques by which she amassed her wealth. There were also a LOT of characters to keep up with – again, the research was stellar, but factoring in the names of so many characters wasn’t necessary, in my opinion. The entire second act of the novel was tedious to plod through, but the third act/conclusion was worth the wait.
Overall, I enjoyed the tale and learned a lot about the history of New York (including the corruption, greed that fueled expansion and industry), and the many lovers and life of Bessie Davis/Hannah Elias. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review.
Unfortunately, I found the novel quite repetitive and overburdened with extraneous details that reflect the author’s extensive research into historical real estate and banking transactions. These tidbits bogged down the story to the point I found myself skimming over those sections. It had been established early on in multiple segments how she was a naturally astute businesswoman, and it was equally burdensome to reiterate the same techniques by which she amassed her wealth. There were also a LOT of characters to keep up with – again, the research was stellar, but factoring in the names of so many characters wasn’t necessary, in my opinion. The entire second act of the novel was tedious to plod through, but the third act/conclusion was worth the wait.
Overall, I enjoyed the tale and learned a lot about the history of New York (including the corruption, greed that fueled expansion and industry), and the many lovers and life of Bessie Davis/Hannah Elias. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review.
September 3, 2021
Barbara Chase-Riboud definitely found a compelling subject for her historical novel, and a story worth telling.
Because the protagonist, Mrs. Elias, was an historical figure I was unfamiliar with , I found myself reading this as a biography, more than a novel. ( and, i know that is my personal issue, not the author’s).
I suspect my unfamiliarity with where fact and fiction separate in this book makes me err on the side of generosity in reviewing this book. Mrs. Elias’s early life, and struggle to escape poverty was vividly presented and it was easy for me to understand her “career path,” but less easy to bond with her character.
Chase-Riboud has written an ode to freedom . Every chapter, and every decision of Mrs. Elias’s seems to be justified by the author because of the suffering and oppression women in poverty were subjected to. This, in essence, may be true, but I found the character unsympathetic in many ways and felt that her strength was lionized and her short-comings shrugged off. Nonetheless, it was a compelling story and Hannah Elias may now emerge as an important business figure during the early 20 th Century.
Netgalley provided me a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a candid review.
Because the protagonist, Mrs. Elias, was an historical figure I was unfamiliar with , I found myself reading this as a biography, more than a novel. ( and, i know that is my personal issue, not the author’s).
I suspect my unfamiliarity with where fact and fiction separate in this book makes me err on the side of generosity in reviewing this book. Mrs. Elias’s early life, and struggle to escape poverty was vividly presented and it was easy for me to understand her “career path,” but less easy to bond with her character.
Chase-Riboud has written an ode to freedom . Every chapter, and every decision of Mrs. Elias’s seems to be justified by the author because of the suffering and oppression women in poverty were subjected to. This, in essence, may be true, but I found the character unsympathetic in many ways and felt that her strength was lionized and her short-comings shrugged off. Nonetheless, it was a compelling story and Hannah Elias may now emerge as an important business figure during the early 20 th Century.
Netgalley provided me a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a candid review.
February 25, 2022
Brilliant! Well-researched, wonderfully written!
January 17, 2022
This is my first Barbara Chase-Riboud book. She has introduced me to history I had not known.
Hannah Elias was a black woman who amassed great wealth. She was born poor, abused, used, sent to prison and abandoned by her family. She went from a prostitute to a rich woman living amongst those in high society.
Andrew Green was shot and killed because he resembled her lover. Because of this, the DA manipulates a case against her for bribery. Her main offense is being black. She never said she was white.
The story is fictionalized but gives interesting facts about the time. I was fascinated by the life she led. I found the story of the subway system interesting.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.
Hannah Elias was a black woman who amassed great wealth. She was born poor, abused, used, sent to prison and abandoned by her family. She went from a prostitute to a rich woman living amongst those in high society.
Andrew Green was shot and killed because he resembled her lover. Because of this, the DA manipulates a case against her for bribery. Her main offense is being black. She never said she was white.
The story is fictionalized but gives interesting facts about the time. I was fascinated by the life she led. I found the story of the subway system interesting.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.
February 8, 2022
It is often said that life is stranger than fiction – in this case that extraordinary life becomes fiction. The Great Mrs. Elias, is a fiction novel based on real life events and people set in the dynamic early 1900’s of New York City. The story revolves around a black woman that went from absolute poverty to unfathomable riches but found herself in the center of a huge murder inquiry that shook the upper echelons of New York City and captured the masses imaginations. We follow Hannah Elias’ progression from the poorest areas of Philadelphia to her mansion on the Upper West Side with a view of Central Park. Elias weaves her way through the highest of society and into a scandal that resulted in the murder of the “father of New York City.” Now I don’t want to take away from Mrs. Elias’ story, on its own it is one of resilience, determination and intelligence. However, often her story got lost or was overshadowed by 1903-1904 New York City, to the point I sometimes thought that was the focus of the novel. The entire novel is a tribute to exhaustive research into turn of the century New York. So many historical relevant people and their many achievements brought the excitement and vibrancy of that time alive. I had to constantly restrain myself from running down the many rabbit trails the story incorporated throughout the book.
I often say an indication of great historical fiction is if it makes the reader want to learn more about the subject or event being discussed. So based on that one characteristic you would conclude that this is a great piece of historical fiction. However, there are other characteristics that are at play regarding historical fiction, and I felt these areas did not work as well in this novel. It is always a fine line when depicting historical figures in a fictionalized manner. When a relationship, action or event was fictionalized, well it was jarring and would catch my attention. Even the main character played very two dimensional, not fully fleshed out and her actions/verbalizations/thoughts at times were confusing. Creating a story that flows and moves forward is expected when reading fiction. Remember those rabbit trails I spoke of earlier, well often the author went down those rabbit trails interrupting the overall flow and pacing of the story. Granted these trails were very interesting but I felt they detracted from the primary story being told.
Summary:
Overall, I walked away wondering if the fictionalization of the story has hindered the impact of this story of murder and the woman in the center of it all. Instead, I think a non-fiction book based on the story of Hannah Elias could have been a strong commentary on the many social injustices, inequalities and prejudices of that time while maintaining the draw to the story. Perhaps a non-fiction book based around the murder and subsequent trial, which could have included Hannah’s story would have been both intriguing and impactful. The story and people are fascinating, and anyone interested in this time period and New York City will find plenty to enjoy and learn in this book.
I often say an indication of great historical fiction is if it makes the reader want to learn more about the subject or event being discussed. So based on that one characteristic you would conclude that this is a great piece of historical fiction. However, there are other characteristics that are at play regarding historical fiction, and I felt these areas did not work as well in this novel. It is always a fine line when depicting historical figures in a fictionalized manner. When a relationship, action or event was fictionalized, well it was jarring and would catch my attention. Even the main character played very two dimensional, not fully fleshed out and her actions/verbalizations/thoughts at times were confusing. Creating a story that flows and moves forward is expected when reading fiction. Remember those rabbit trails I spoke of earlier, well often the author went down those rabbit trails interrupting the overall flow and pacing of the story. Granted these trails were very interesting but I felt they detracted from the primary story being told.
Summary:
Overall, I walked away wondering if the fictionalization of the story has hindered the impact of this story of murder and the woman in the center of it all. Instead, I think a non-fiction book based on the story of Hannah Elias could have been a strong commentary on the many social injustices, inequalities and prejudices of that time while maintaining the draw to the story. Perhaps a non-fiction book based around the murder and subsequent trial, which could have included Hannah’s story would have been both intriguing and impactful. The story and people are fascinating, and anyone interested in this time period and New York City will find plenty to enjoy and learn in this book.
Want to read
December 5, 2020From the publisher:
The author of the award-winning Sally Hemings now brings to life Hannah Elias, one of the richest black women in America in the early 1900s, in this mesmerizing novel swirling with atmosphere and steeped in history.
The death of her lover at the hands of an old paramour brings the police to Hannah Elias’ glitzy, five-story, twenty-room mansion on Central Park West. It is beginning of an odyssey that moves back and forth in time and reveals the dangerous secrets of a mysterious woman, the fortune she built, and her precipitous fall.
Born in Philadelphia in the late 1800s, light-skinned Hannah Elias has done things she’s not proud of to survive. Secretly married to a white man whom she divorces before relocating to New York, the ambitious woman dreams of becoming as rich as a robber baron. Passing as a Southern European, she quietly invests her alimony in the stock market, and begins to grow her fortune with the help of white businessmen. As the money pours in, Hannah hides her millions in two merchant banks, spreading it across 129 private accounts. Finally attaining the life she’s always dreamed, she buys a mansion on the Upper West Side and decorates it in Egyptian designs, gold, and fine décor, inspired by her idol, Cleopatra.
But her lover’s murder turns Hannah’s world upside down and threatens to destroy everything she’s built. When the truth of her racial identity is uncovered, thousands of protestors gather in front of her stately home. Hounded by the salacious press, the very private Mrs. Elias finds herself alone, ensnared in a scandalous trial, and accused of stealing her fortune from whites.
Packed with glamour, suspense, and drama, populated with real-life luminaries from the period, The Great Mrs. Elias brings a fascinating woman and the age she embodied to glorious, tragic life.
The author of the award-winning Sally Hemings now brings to life Hannah Elias, one of the richest black women in America in the early 1900s, in this mesmerizing novel swirling with atmosphere and steeped in history.
The death of her lover at the hands of an old paramour brings the police to Hannah Elias’ glitzy, five-story, twenty-room mansion on Central Park West. It is beginning of an odyssey that moves back and forth in time and reveals the dangerous secrets of a mysterious woman, the fortune she built, and her precipitous fall.
Born in Philadelphia in the late 1800s, light-skinned Hannah Elias has done things she’s not proud of to survive. Secretly married to a white man whom she divorces before relocating to New York, the ambitious woman dreams of becoming as rich as a robber baron. Passing as a Southern European, she quietly invests her alimony in the stock market, and begins to grow her fortune with the help of white businessmen. As the money pours in, Hannah hides her millions in two merchant banks, spreading it across 129 private accounts. Finally attaining the life she’s always dreamed, she buys a mansion on the Upper West Side and decorates it in Egyptian designs, gold, and fine décor, inspired by her idol, Cleopatra.
But her lover’s murder turns Hannah’s world upside down and threatens to destroy everything she’s built. When the truth of her racial identity is uncovered, thousands of protestors gather in front of her stately home. Hounded by the salacious press, the very private Mrs. Elias finds herself alone, ensnared in a scandalous trial, and accused of stealing her fortune from whites.
Packed with glamour, suspense, and drama, populated with real-life luminaries from the period, The Great Mrs. Elias brings a fascinating woman and the age she embodied to glorious, tragic life.
December 18, 2021
This book is a fascinating glimpse into an historical character that I had not previously heard of. Set during a time period we often hear about, but only from the perspectives of the rich patriarchal captains of industry and robber barons that were running it (and profiting from it), it was a refreshing change of pace to see a story featuring a black woman from a poor family as the heroine.
The inciting incident of this book is a murder that happens right next to Mrs. Elias, killing the man she was with, who is not actually the intended mark of the shooter. Immediately, Mrs. Hannah Elias begins to plot how she will escape the scrutiny that the murder investigation will bring with it as we learn that she is not who she has presented herself to be, or at least, no one really knows how she got here. From there, we begin to learn the heroine's entire story...
Largely, I enjoyed this book. Hannah is a fascinating character and her story is interesting enough to be the central point of this book. My only critique would be that the way that she was presented, at the beginning at least, she was a sympathetic underdog, but she wasn't very likable, especially by the end. In a story centering on themes about the power a black woman holds in society, I did find it ironic and a little disappointing that I was not rooting for her.
The inciting incident of this book is a murder that happens right next to Mrs. Elias, killing the man she was with, who is not actually the intended mark of the shooter. Immediately, Mrs. Hannah Elias begins to plot how she will escape the scrutiny that the murder investigation will bring with it as we learn that she is not who she has presented herself to be, or at least, no one really knows how she got here. From there, we begin to learn the heroine's entire story...
Largely, I enjoyed this book. Hannah is a fascinating character and her story is interesting enough to be the central point of this book. My only critique would be that the way that she was presented, at the beginning at least, she was a sympathetic underdog, but she wasn't very likable, especially by the end. In a story centering on themes about the power a black woman holds in society, I did find it ironic and a little disappointing that I was not rooting for her.
November 24, 2021
I won this in a goodreads giveaway.
Hannah Elias was born in the late 1800’s to a poor black family in Philadelphia. Over the course of her lifetime she did many things she was not proud of. Her goal in life was to become, wealthy, never having to depend on anyone and to live the lifestyle of her idol Cleopatra. By the early 1900’s she had achieved her goals. Suddenly an unsolved murder threatens the life she has built.
This novel is based on the real Hannah Elias.
I found the story itself fascinating but the writing style was just not to my taste. I felt there were too many minor details that were not important to the story and made the reading drag on. I also found there were some details that were repeated more than once.
Hannah Elias was born in the late 1800’s to a poor black family in Philadelphia. Over the course of her lifetime she did many things she was not proud of. Her goal in life was to become, wealthy, never having to depend on anyone and to live the lifestyle of her idol Cleopatra. By the early 1900’s she had achieved her goals. Suddenly an unsolved murder threatens the life she has built.
This novel is based on the real Hannah Elias.
I found the story itself fascinating but the writing style was just not to my taste. I felt there were too many minor details that were not important to the story and made the reading drag on. I also found there were some details that were repeated more than once.
February 28, 2023
This Fascinating novel is the fifth installment in Barbara Chase-Riboud's "Invisible" women of color series which begins with Sally Hemings. This author brings readers into the glitzy World of Hannah Elias in the early 1900s. In New York City, she was then known as the richest black woman in America. And, one night change many Things...
This novel will make you reminisce of those Days w "Passing" familiarly common. A very Remarkable Story! It's extremely delightful to read a novel of a Hidden Story such a this Jewel. We Appreciate You!!
This novel will make you reminisce of those Days w "Passing" familiarly common. A very Remarkable Story! It's extremely delightful to read a novel of a Hidden Story such a this Jewel. We Appreciate You!!
July 18, 2022
Had this been literary fiction, it would be a fascinating book on the resourcefulness and self-reliance of a woman dealt a hard lot in life. The fact that it is historic fiction based on the life of the protagonist makes it a compelling read. Chase-Riboud weaves in many historic facts and figures which, while historically interesting, sometimes tend to be a bit too detailed, distracting from the action of the story. Now added to my To Read list, is Sally Hemmings, also by this author.
January 20, 2023
Too good, perfect read is a must-read for anyone interested in historical fiction.
April 12, 2022
13 of #20BooksByBlackWomen
April 13, 2022
Unexpectedly inspirational.
April 8, 2022
3.5. An entertaining book about a hidden figure who is also profiled in the book Black Fortunes.
March 22, 2022
Last year, I read "The Great Mistake" by Jonathan Lee, an excellent and true to the facts historical fiction piece about Andrew Haswell Green, known as the "father of New York" for his incredible accomplishments relating to the creation of Central Park, the NY Public Library, making the five boroughs one city and more. His death was bizarre in that he was shot by a Cornelius Williams, a Black man who mistook him for the very wealthy John Pratt. The Great Mrs. Elias opens with this murder, because the murderer accused Green (who he thought was Pratt) of keeping Bessie Davis from him. Bessie Davis, a Black woman born into poverty in Philadelphia, was now a very wealthy brothel owner with a home on Central Park West. John Pratt was extremely involved with Hannah Elias, loaning her money and giving her money for her businesses and real estate. I assume the book is about to turn to the blackmail case his kids made him bring against Hannah. Just read Newspapers.com about this or Wikipedia. It's way more interesting than this overly long and overly fictionalized version of Hannah Elias's life to the extent I could stand to listen to it.
I just turned off the audible version of it. I do not like the narrator, her phrasing or her intonations. I know, because I read a book that stayed true to the Elias/Davis story, that there are SO many liberties taken with her life that it is wrong to call it historical fiction. I want to know that the facts in a historical fiction novel are not so far off that if I say something about an event or person in history, I'm not falsifying things. And this book is WAY too long. The stuff that is accurate is the stuff that sound boring against the author's imaginary relationships and events she used to fill things in. It's all about her learning about how to invest money and accumulate wealth. And sure, a sex worker's life is going to be salacious, but so much is thrown into this book gratuitously, like a love/hate relationship with a famous Black inventor who she probably never met. I can't tell you if I'd have liked this a little better if I hadn't already read an accurate depiction of Hannah Elias in Mr. Lee's book, followed by reading newspaper articles of the day because it was all so interesting. NOTHING could make me listen to this for another seven hours when there are so many good books out there begging to be read. Just. NO! (I'm not angry: You're angry)
I just turned off the audible version of it. I do not like the narrator, her phrasing or her intonations. I know, because I read a book that stayed true to the Elias/Davis story, that there are SO many liberties taken with her life that it is wrong to call it historical fiction. I want to know that the facts in a historical fiction novel are not so far off that if I say something about an event or person in history, I'm not falsifying things. And this book is WAY too long. The stuff that is accurate is the stuff that sound boring against the author's imaginary relationships and events she used to fill things in. It's all about her learning about how to invest money and accumulate wealth. And sure, a sex worker's life is going to be salacious, but so much is thrown into this book gratuitously, like a love/hate relationship with a famous Black inventor who she probably never met. I can't tell you if I'd have liked this a little better if I hadn't already read an accurate depiction of Hannah Elias in Mr. Lee's book, followed by reading newspaper articles of the day because it was all so interesting. NOTHING could make me listen to this for another seven hours when there are so many good books out there begging to be read. Just. NO! (I'm not angry: You're angry)
March 27, 2022
Great historical figure; Learned much; well written.
January 1, 2022
The Great Mrs. Elias
Barbara Chase-Riboud
Release date: 08 Feb 2022
Synopsis:
"A murder and a case of mistaken identity brings the police to Hannah Elias’ glitzy, five-story, twenty-room mansion on Central Park West. This is the beginning of an odyssey that moves back and forth in time and reveals the dangerous secrets of a mysterious woman, the fortune she built, and her precipitous fall.
Born in Philadelphia in the [mid] 1800s, Hannah Elias has done things she’s not proud of to survive. Shedding her past, Hannah slips on a new identity before relocating to New York City to become as rich as a robber baron. Hannah quietly invests in the stock market, growing her fortune with the help of businessmen. As the money pours in, Hannah hides her millions across 29 banks. Finally attaining the life she’s always dreamed, she buys a mansion on the Upper West Side and decorates it in gold and first-rate décor, inspired by her idol Cleopatra.
The unsolved murder turns Hannah’s world upside-down and threatens to destroy everything she’s built. When the truth of her identity is uncovered, thousands of protestors gather in front of her stately home. Hounded by the salacious press, the very private Mrs. Elias finds herself alone, ensnared in a scandalous trial, and accused of stealing her fortune from whites.
Packed with glamour, suspense, and drama, populated with real-life luminaries from the period, The Great Mrs. Elias brings a fascinating woman and the age she embodied to glorious, tragic life."
Review:
What happened to Hannah Elias? She disappeared and is still a mystery! According to Wikipedia, not much is written about Hannah other than "was an American sex worker and landlord who became one of the richest Black women in the world during her lifetime." The author did a wonderful job in describing Elias's life in great detail. Hannah had to do what she did in order to survive in New York City society, a society dominated by powerful white men.
Great read - highly recommend. Please add to your TBR list!
I was gifted this advance copy by NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
Barbara Chase-Riboud
Release date: 08 Feb 2022
Synopsis:
"A murder and a case of mistaken identity brings the police to Hannah Elias’ glitzy, five-story, twenty-room mansion on Central Park West. This is the beginning of an odyssey that moves back and forth in time and reveals the dangerous secrets of a mysterious woman, the fortune she built, and her precipitous fall.
Born in Philadelphia in the [mid] 1800s, Hannah Elias has done things she’s not proud of to survive. Shedding her past, Hannah slips on a new identity before relocating to New York City to become as rich as a robber baron. Hannah quietly invests in the stock market, growing her fortune with the help of businessmen. As the money pours in, Hannah hides her millions across 29 banks. Finally attaining the life she’s always dreamed, she buys a mansion on the Upper West Side and decorates it in gold and first-rate décor, inspired by her idol Cleopatra.
The unsolved murder turns Hannah’s world upside-down and threatens to destroy everything she’s built. When the truth of her identity is uncovered, thousands of protestors gather in front of her stately home. Hounded by the salacious press, the very private Mrs. Elias finds herself alone, ensnared in a scandalous trial, and accused of stealing her fortune from whites.
Packed with glamour, suspense, and drama, populated with real-life luminaries from the period, The Great Mrs. Elias brings a fascinating woman and the age she embodied to glorious, tragic life."
Review:
What happened to Hannah Elias? She disappeared and is still a mystery! According to Wikipedia, not much is written about Hannah other than "was an American sex worker and landlord who became one of the richest Black women in the world during her lifetime." The author did a wonderful job in describing Elias's life in great detail. Hannah had to do what she did in order to survive in New York City society, a society dominated by powerful white men.
Great read - highly recommend. Please add to your TBR list!
I was gifted this advance copy by NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
December 12, 2021
Hannah Elias became a prominent and notorious figure in 1900's New York. She grew up in poverty and abuse using her wits and female charm to become one of the wealthiest women of the city and the only black woman to do so. From prison to poorhouse to a mansion off the park Hannah took in the advice of her gentlemen friends and capitalized on prime real estate. Her adult life was not without grief, pain and deceit which culminated in her arrest and public judgement in a murder trial. As a woman she was target for social outcry but as a black woman she was subjected to the worst jails in the city. This book reads more like a biography than historical fiction. Filled with background facts on the robber barons of New York as well as corruption and the inner workings of bordellos/boardinghouses , this is a fascinating look at the city and a stunning example of strong women of color finding success not only in a man's world but a white man's world. Fans of now famous women of color as well as those who love New York City during this time period will find much to enjoy here. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.
March 9, 2022
The Great Mrs. Elias, by Barbara Chase-Riboud, is a masterpiece, and deserves a prominent and revered place in the genres of historical fiction, women's fiction and African American fiction. She tells the story of Hannah Elias, whose early life is punctuated by betrayal, abuse, poverty and prison. Yet, she managed to accumulate enormous wealth by means of her own intelligence and industry. Like so many men whose wealth was similarly derived, she capitalized "women's" work. When attacked by the most powerful forces of New York City, Hannah managed to survive and thrive.
Chase-Riboud takes the bare facts of old newspaper stories, and sculpts a nuanced, multidimensional character that triumphs over the combined burdens of poverty, gender, and racism. Her writing is spare but vivid, and brings to life the Gilded Age of New York.
I should mention that Chase-Riboud is herself iconic. To the best of my knowledge, she was the first writer to bring Sally Hemings to life. Much of what she wrote as a novel was verified as true. Her poetry is published in several languages. She is a renowned artist whose work is in museums and galleries all over the world. We should all know her contributions to our culture and our understanding of history and the human condition.
Thank you to NetGalley and Amistad Publishing for allowing me to read a digital ARC. It was a privilege.
Chase-Riboud takes the bare facts of old newspaper stories, and sculpts a nuanced, multidimensional character that triumphs over the combined burdens of poverty, gender, and racism. Her writing is spare but vivid, and brings to life the Gilded Age of New York.
I should mention that Chase-Riboud is herself iconic. To the best of my knowledge, she was the first writer to bring Sally Hemings to life. Much of what she wrote as a novel was verified as true. Her poetry is published in several languages. She is a renowned artist whose work is in museums and galleries all over the world. We should all know her contributions to our culture and our understanding of history and the human condition.
Thank you to NetGalley and Amistad Publishing for allowing me to read a digital ARC. It was a privilege.
March 20, 2022
Thoroughly enjoyed. I wondered what the author had planned for the second half of book.
March 12, 2022
This novel is based on a true story, and what a story it was! And what a wonderful telling this book is! No fiction has more twists and turns, ups and downs, and characters who are both good and bad. The protagonist's story is inspiring in a strange and amazing way because one cannot help but admire her dedication and tenacity in pursuit of her dream of wealth and status. Along the way we learn much interesting historical information and somehow her personal mission also mutates into a story of racial injustices and the battle for women's rights found at the time. This is a fantastic story brought to us thanks to painstaking research and wonderful writing and embellishments by Barbara Chase-Riboud. I strongly recommend this book.
February 11, 2022
3.5⭐️ rounded up
This was a great mixture of history, fiction, and mystery!
This book opens with a murder - a rich white man, Andrew H. Green, the Father of Greater New York is shot in broad daylight by a Black man. We are left to figure out a) why did this man kill Green & b) who was this woman that our killer was deeply in love with.
We then meet our main character, Hannah Elias, and find out why our murderer was shouting her name, Bessie to the police. We are then rushed back to the formative years of Hannah when she was known as Bessie Davis and follow her through many experiences - jail, prostitution, childbirth, familial issues, and sexual assault - that have shaped who she currently is. I also really enjoyed some of the historical information related to the development of New York City in the early 1900s.
My only issue was A LOT was packed into this story and while I understand that her backstory is relevant to the current day murder mystery, I found myself checking out on certain parts just because of the length of the novel. Overall, this was a very informative read that will ultimately lead me to google everything and anything I can find out about The Great Mrs. Elias. Definitely pick this one up if you love history and mysteries.
Thank you to Netgalley, Barbara Chase - Riboud, and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This was a great mixture of history, fiction, and mystery!
This book opens with a murder - a rich white man, Andrew H. Green, the Father of Greater New York is shot in broad daylight by a Black man. We are left to figure out a) why did this man kill Green & b) who was this woman that our killer was deeply in love with.
We then meet our main character, Hannah Elias, and find out why our murderer was shouting her name, Bessie to the police. We are then rushed back to the formative years of Hannah when she was known as Bessie Davis and follow her through many experiences - jail, prostitution, childbirth, familial issues, and sexual assault - that have shaped who she currently is. I also really enjoyed some of the historical information related to the development of New York City in the early 1900s.
My only issue was A LOT was packed into this story and while I understand that her backstory is relevant to the current day murder mystery, I found myself checking out on certain parts just because of the length of the novel. Overall, this was a very informative read that will ultimately lead me to google everything and anything I can find out about The Great Mrs. Elias. Definitely pick this one up if you love history and mysteries.
Thank you to Netgalley, Barbara Chase - Riboud, and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
January 14, 2022
The Great Mrs Hannah Elias lived the most opulent life turn of the century Manhattan ever knew, but
the scions of the city living in neighboring mansions and making fortunes alongside her in real estate and banking had no idea she was also known as Bessie Davis, a slum girl born the day the Civil War ended, sixth of 11 children in a bi-racial family in Philadelphia's Seventh Ward.
Barbara Chase-Riboud is an incredibly talented writer, artist, and researcher. I like how she weaves facts and tidbits about celebrities, from Al Jolson to Henri de Rothschild, and the etymology of words like "cocktail" and "hobo" into her sparkly descriptions of the upper West Side. But I think I would have liked the whole book better if I'd been made aware that this character was based on a real life person, something I didn't realize until the afterward! There were some rather unbelievable circumstances, like a lawyer successfully cracking a safe, the prison break out, and the Japanese servant speaking to a doctor in Mandarin, but all of that pales in comparison to the very greatness of Mrs Elias, and author Chase-Riboud's pointy points like this:
Calumny? Wasn't that the crime made against every woman of color in the United States?
the scions of the city living in neighboring mansions and making fortunes alongside her in real estate and banking had no idea she was also known as Bessie Davis, a slum girl born the day the Civil War ended, sixth of 11 children in a bi-racial family in Philadelphia's Seventh Ward.
Barbara Chase-Riboud is an incredibly talented writer, artist, and researcher. I like how she weaves facts and tidbits about celebrities, from Al Jolson to Henri de Rothschild, and the etymology of words like "cocktail" and "hobo" into her sparkly descriptions of the upper West Side. But I think I would have liked the whole book better if I'd been made aware that this character was based on a real life person, something I didn't realize until the afterward! There were some rather unbelievable circumstances, like a lawyer successfully cracking a safe, the prison break out, and the Japanese servant speaking to a doctor in Mandarin, but all of that pales in comparison to the very greatness of Mrs Elias, and author Chase-Riboud's pointy points like this:
Calumny? Wasn't that the crime made against every woman of color in the United States?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews