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Madam: A Novel of New Orleans
Madam: A Novel of New Orleans
Madam: A Novel of New Orleans
Audiobook9 hours

Madam: A Novel of New Orleans

Written by Cari Lynn and Kellie Martin

Narrated by Hillary Huber

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

()

About this audiobook


New Orleans, 1900. Mary Deubler makes a meager living as an "alley whore." That all changes when bible-thumping Alderman Sidney Story forces the creation of a red-light district that's mockingly dubbed "Storyville." Mary believes there's no place for a lowly girl like her in the high-class bordellos of Storyville's Basin Street, where champagne flows and beautiful girls turn tricks in luxurious bedrooms. But with gumption, twists of fate, even a touch of voodoo, Mary rises above her hopeless lot to become the notorious Madame Josie Arlington.

Filled with fascinating historical details and cameos by Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong, and E. J. Bellocq, Madam is a fantastic romp through The Big Easy and the irresistible story of a woman who rose to power long before the era of equal rights.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateFeb 25, 2014
ISBN9781452686158
Madam: A Novel of New Orleans
Author

Cari Lynn

Cari Lynn is a journalist and the author of five books of nonfiction, including Leg the Spread and The Whistleblower (with Kathryn Bolkovac). Lynn has written for O, The Oprah Magazine; Health; the Chicago Tribune; and Deadline Hollywood. She lives in Los Angeles.

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Reviews for Madam

Rating: 4.182692273076923 out of 5 stars
4/5

52 ratings16 reviews

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  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    When you hear New Orleans, what comes to mind? Mardi Gras and Bourbon Street, right? Even today, we tend to think of New Orleans as a city that's more than a little naughty, a boozy, raucous red light district of a city. Of course, there was once an actual red light district there and although it didn't last long, it has left a permanent stamp on this city of masquerades and reinvention. Cari Lynn and Kellie Martin have chosen to write a novel, based on a true story, about the creation of Storyville, that storied red light district and one madam who started with nothing and rose to the pinnacle of her profession in Madam: A Novel of New Orleans.In the late 1890s, New Orleans was rife with crime and vice. One city alderman, Alderman Sidney Story, wanted to restrict the city's prostitutes to one district, keeping them out of sight of the other good citizens of the city. His goal would eventually lead to the creation of The District, nicknamed Storyville after the crusading alderman and much to his chagrin. But the pious Story didn't know much of the women, the pimps, and the criminals who made up the population he wanted to hide away from view. In fact, he seemed unable to acknowledge the extent to which the "good" people of the city, including the politicians and the justices who were supposed to serve New Orleans, were in bed, literally and figuratively, with the unsavory side. Mary Deubler, one of the women Story would never have occasion to know, was one of the alley whores whose livelihood depended on the lax enforcement of the laws against prostitution. Born to a mother who was also a prostitute and who died when Mary was still quite young, Mary is pimped out herself at only 12 years old. Prostitution is Mary, her brother, and her brother's young, pregnant wife's main means of support. She is intelligent (she can read) and wily enough to try and better her situation when a chance comes her way but the poverty and conditions in which she plies her trade are inescapable until she comes to the attention of the kingpin of the New Orleans underworld, a man who will assist her in her transformation into Josie Arlington, exclusive madam.The main narrative is framed by apologetic letters from her niece to a now deceased Josie/Mary. Both of the letters are dated from the same time period and they essentially say the same thing, giving the novel a strange repetitive circularity. After the introduction of the first letter, the novel jumps in time to 1907, when Mary, as Josie, was clearly in her prime and wildly successful. She's drawn as melancholy and lonely as she avoids a celebration of her birthday for reasons that never do become clear in the novel. This brief glimpse of her as a successful madam is short-lived though and the bulk of the story takes place a good ten years prior, when Mary is no more than an unremarkable alley whore trying to make enough money to feed her family. Mary's an interesting character, alternately jaded and naive, and she will be raised through the agency of someone else rather than by her own strength. Unfortunately, why she above any others would have been singled out remains a question throughout the novel.The legal and political machinations behind the creation of Storyville are interesting to read and Mary's hard early life is fleshed out quite convincingly but there is nothing beyond her meteoric rise besides that small glimpse at the beginning of the novel. Lynn and Martin sprinkle historic characters throughout the novel as they allude to the birth of jazz, the uneasiness of race relations in the district, and the disenfranchised who people Mary's world. There is a surprising lack of place here, especially given how unique New Orleans has always been, descriptions of the underworld are often times glamorized, and the whole thing feels sanitized somehow, even if the main character is a prostitute. Hints of voodoo weave through an otherwise fairly straightforward story, presaging some of the eventual action. The writing is sometimes clunky and awkward, especially at the beginning, the missing chunks of time in the narrative are frustrating, and none of the characters besides Mary/Josie are fully realized. Despite the problems with the novel, this manages to be a quick and colorful read. Lynn and Martin do do a good job showing that the political wranglings affected those without a voice and without any other means of support and that the women of Storyville were just trying to make a living the best and only way they could. People who enjoy tales of New Orleans, those who like rags to riches stories, and those who have a bit of a prurient interest in the underside of history might find this worthwhile in spite of its flaws.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    When vice had a legal home and jazz was being born—the captivating story of an infamous true-life madam New Orleans, 1900. Mary Deubler makes a meager living as an “alley whore.” That all changes when bible-thumping Alderman Sidney Story forces the creation of a red-light district that’s mockingly dubbed “Storyville.” Mary believes there’s no place for a lowly girl like her in the high-class bordellos of Storyville’s Basin Street, where Champagne flows and beautiful girls turn tricks in luxurious bedrooms. But with gumption, twists of fate, even a touch of Voodoo, Mary rises above her hopeless lot to become the notorious Madame Josie Arlington. Filled with fascinating historical details and cameos by Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong, and E. J. Bellocq, Madam is a fantastic romp through The Big Easy and the irresistible story of a woman who rose to power long before the era of equal rights.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I truly loved this book. The authors take you inside the life of a prostitute in New Orleans in the late 1800's. I actually learned a lot about this fascinating world. Although the story is called Madam, it really tells the story of Mary Deubler up until she became Josie Arlington, the madam. It stops before her life as a madam really began. I would love, love, love to read a sequel- to see what her life was like as madam and how it changed. This is a fascinating look at a different side of New Orleans . It was very hard to put down.Read this book if:*You love novels set in New Orleans*you love stories of Storyville and the seedier side of the city*you love historical fiction with a true basis
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    *contains spoilers*First off, I really enjoyed the book. At times I could barely put it down. The premise was fascinating. The authors really did their research: the setting had enough details to convince the reader they were really in N'awlins in 1897. The characters all seemed real and developed.A few things seemed disjointed:1) Anna's opening and closing letters seemed to make little contribution to the book. They give the reader an idea of what happened to Storyville in the end, but Storyville's lifespan isn't the point of the story. They could have easily been left out.2) The opening prologue with Josie in 1907 doesn't connect with the rest of the story. It presents a disolusioned and bitter Josie. The main story tells of her rise to 'stardom' but it doesn't lead the reader to understand how she became the woman of 1907. Even the Josie of 1898 seems disconnected to the main person of the book. I guess I wanted to know more about life in Storyville and her as a madam.3) Lobrano and his search for treasure seemed to leave an open end as opposed to tying one up. He could have just run from Tater with his comment about rocks and the reader would have been in the same boat as Josie: is he really alive? Dead? The treasure hunt is pointless to the story.Overall I recommend this to readers interested in New Orleans, feminism, and anyone who routesfor the underdog.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    When the red-light district of Storyville opens in New Orleans, Mary Deubler transforms herself into an alley whore into a thriving prosperous madam. I found this book utterly fascinating. It was well written and the characters were life like and realistic. It used New Orleans slang, which was I found highly entertaining. Overall, a hit. Highly recommended.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Late 1800's and Marie Dauber is an alley whore who remakes herself into Jessie Arnold a Madame at one of the most notable houses of prostitution in Storyville. I love New Orleans and have long been fascinated by this city's colorful history.The red light district of New Orleans came about when Alderman Story, a staunch man who abhorred prostitution and wanted the women moved to the back of the city away from all the outstanding citizens of New Orleans. That the new district took his name, appalled him and amused me.The novel is full of many of the notable personages of the time, highlights the social and political upheavals of the day, as well as the racial tension between whites and blacks. It has the wonderful flavor that is this cities mantra, from jazz and Buddy Bolden, to the notorious parties and spectacles that is the hallmark of this city and of course the voodoo and voodoo priestesses.Yet this novel, which includes many wonderful pictures is mainly the story about a young Mary who becomes a power in the city and the talk of the town. It is well researched and well told. Upon her death, her grave became such a tourist attraction that it had to be moved.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Madam is based on the true story of Mary Deubler and her transformation to become Madam Josie Arlington. This story is about New Orleans at the turn of the century. The description of the city, people and times transports you there. Mary becomes an orphan at the age of 12. She and her brother are "looked after" by their nasty uncle who "pimps" Mary out to make money. The authors tell of Mary's struggle to make some money to survive and provide for her brother. Some of the officials of New Orleans and people are tired of having the Red Light District near their homes and corrupting their children by the site of them. One Alderman, Sidney Story, comes up with the idea of moving these "working" women to the back of the city. This becomes a legalized district known as Storyville, after the Alderman. This is a very interesting book about the life and times of the people of New Orleans and also mentions some of the famous people who were involved in music during that time, i.e. Jelly Roll Morton and Louis Armstrong.A great read! This was an ARC copy and this is my honest opinion of the book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I found this to be a compelling story which takes place around the turn of the century in New Orleans. It is a fictionalized account of the story of a very real person, Mary Dreubler, an orphan at twelve, who became Madam Josie Arlington, head of the Arlington House Bordello in Storyville. The book is filled with true to life colorful characters and paints a very real, sad picture of the of the few choices available to women at that time. It is also a story of survival, through the grimmest of circumstances and almost insurmountable odds. I found it to be a colorful, sobering and fascinating time in history, the characters almost leaping from the pages into my imagination! A highly recommended work of historical fiction at it's best and most vivid!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Madam: A Novel of New Orleans was just that; a story of New Orleans. From the first page I felt as if I was transported back to New Orleans at the turn of the century. Back to Venus Alley where Mary Deubler turns tricks on her kip which she must carry back and forth from her humble home to the shack in the Alley. Mary tries to make the best of her situation, scrimping and saving money for something better for herself, her brother and his wife who is with child. We are there for Mary's struggles as she goes to "work" everyday with hopes and dreams unrealistic of someone in her position. The book was very well written and as I said, transported me back. I felt as if I was on the streets with Mary. As the story progressed Mary gets her chance to change her fate. Did Voodoo help her or her prayers? My only disappointment in the story was that it ended when it did. I wish we could have seen the transformation that took place when Mary got her dream.I was excited to have some pictures, expecially of Mary to go along with my reading journey. A true historical fiction novel. So grateful I was one of the Early Reviewers to get a copy.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Historical Fiction at Its Most Riveting Based on the life of Marie Deubler, eventually known as Josie Arlington, a famed brothel madam in the infamous 1900’s turn of the century Storyville, New Orleans, ‘Madam’ starts the young Marie’s story when she is working as a prostitute carrying her mattress on her back and earning quarters while alternating shifts with another prostitute in a broken down shack each day in Venus Alley as she simply attempts to survive. The book ties in the creation of Storyville, intended by city alderman Sydney Story to separate the wicked women who tempt the upstanding men of the time by herding them into a designated area of the city where they would work at licensed brothels and not be allowed to work outside those limits. Marie is one of the few women working in Venus Alley who realizes this back alley of shacks where she works will be torn down as soon as Storyville opens across town and there is no provision made for where these broken down women will go. Under the dirt and malnutrition Marie is a smart and attractive young woman who is kept down by fate and circumstance but she is also determined and will not give up in trying to improve her life. Marie isn’t trying to fly too high she just wants to make her life better using her intelligence and grabbing at any opportunity she can get. Along the way other real life historical figures appear such as Tom Anderson, saloon owner, Josie’s backer in Storyville and eventually a two time state legislator, E. J. Bellocq, the eccentric photographer who left a pictorial legacy of the women of Storyville and cameos by Jelly Roll Morton and a young Louis Armstrong. The book gives an engrossing look at the time. The biased attitude between Creoles and Negros then. The political corruption that ran the city. The importance of the incoming railroad and the placement of its station. The pulsing life as jazz was making its way into the culture. It’s a harsh world for those at the bottom but there is still a vibrancy running through it. This is an amazing look into a changing time and one woman who made an impact in her time. This book is written with such respect for the women who were forced to sell the only thing they had; their bodies and it gives an engrossing look into another world. The book and its characters are well written and well developed and it is very much a compelling read. I would be interested in reading more by these authors in their debut novel/I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    MADAM is an entertaining romp through the underbelly of New Orleans on the eve of the 20th century. This book is based on the true story of Mary Deubler, a poor “alley whore” who transforms herself into Madame Josie Arlington in the new vice district. When city officials realized that it was impossible to rid New Orleans of prostitution, an alderman named Sidney Story proposed moving all prostitutes to one area of the French Quarter, and thus Storyville was born.Mary was a survivor who found the gumption to move forward in spite of her lot in life. She was an orphan left in the care of her despicable uncle, who began pimping her out as a prostitute when she was twelve. Experiencing the underworld of New Orleans through Mary’s eyes was amazing. The authors brilliantly captured the heady atmosphere of the era. Ragtime musicians, voodoo practitioners, eccentric madams, and shady politicians make an appearance in this book, all based on real historical figures.Overall, MADAM was an enjoyable read, though at the end I thought Mary’s story felt unfinished, and there were a couple loose ends that needed tying up. The book opens with a letter from Mary’s niece in 1997, then it moves back very briefly to 1907, and shows what Mary’s life had become as Madam Josie Arlington. Then it moves back again to 1897, and tells us about Mary from her alley whore days to the creation of Storyville, but what happened during the missing 10 years? What happened to her relationships and rivalries? I’m a greedy reader – I wanted more!MADAM paints a vivid portrait of New Orleans and the colorful characters who made its red-light district infamous. Highly recommended for fans of American historical fiction. I also enjoyed the vintage photographs throughout the book.Source: Review copy from the publisher
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is a really interesting story about the live of one of the best known Storyville New Orleans madams, Josie Arlington, nee Mary Deubler. It is the story of her life before she became Josie; her struggles to make a life for herself and to provide for her family. It is a mix of fact and fiction well blended. It introduces many other real life people and how they may have interacted with one another. It does a good job of not romanticizing prostitution as many books tend to do, but it doesn't condemn the women either. Mary made her choices based onthe few options she had available at the time. The author does a good job of fleshing out the characters, describing settings and really giving you a feel for the times. I had to go look up what became of Josie after finishing the book. I wish she had gone more into that part of her life but she ended it at the perfect moment if she wasn't going to do that.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    When the book arrived in the mail I was both intrigued and a little hesitant. I am not in to pornographic books, overt romantic novels, or overwrought tragedies - I need not have worried, the book is excellent and I only fear that the title and the wonderful photo of the actual Mary Deubler on the cover taken by the enigmatic Bellocq may not convey what the book really offers.Long before Nevada legalized prostitution, New Orleans had Storyville - 1898 - 1917. It was the creation of Sidney Story, a real-life crusader who thought that the way to clean up the prostitution and depravity of New Orleans was to designate an area - the District or the Tenderloin - names he preferred. The result was the elimination of indiscriminate cribs all throughout the town and the legalizing of a business. Storyville's full impact is not covered in this historic novel, only its beginnings. Later there would be terrible deeds done within the district, but in the beginning it was actually a way for women who had very little choice in how they could earn a living to find a house and an income.In this story the authors blend a lot of truth with enough fiction to hold it together as a story. It portrays the depth of depravity that existed and the hopeless and helpless situation that many poor women faced, the cruelty of the men and the fact that those in power, as is true today, loved to make pronouncements in the public while engaging in the very acts they said they deplored.I found myself constantly going back to the web to research the people and places that were mentioned in the book and have a much better appreciation for the work of the authors as a result.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Madam is an entertaining journey through New Orleans in the late 19th century. While the story focuses on Mary Deubler and her rise to become Madame Josie Arlington the secondary characters help give a full fleshed out portrait of the time. The lives of the prostitutes and the creation of Storyville take the forefront and help show the reader what life was like in 1897 New Orleans. Mary's story is tragic, hopeful and sympathetic. The authors included many historical people and events which made the book even more entertaining.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Madam: A Novel of New Orleans is a compelling piece of historical fiction focusing on prostitution at the turn of the 20th century in New Orleans. The narrative is descriptive, painting a grim scene of the life of the lowest-level prostitutes. The pacing is excellent, and the outcome is an improvement. Much of the story is based on real people and real events, with some literary license. I definitely recommend this book!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I received this book as an Early Reviewer. I have a fascination with New Orleans and it's amazing history. Madam is based on the true story of Mary Deubler, also known as Madam Josie Arlington, head of The Arlington House bordello in Storyville. This book tells the mostly-true story of her rise from orphaned 12-year-old to a queen of The District. I wish it were longer, to be honest. I loved getting lost in the streets and traditions of the city- voodoo, political corruption, music, and letting the good times roll. This is not a scandalous book in it's content- nothing salacious or offensive. It made me want to read more about the history of NOLA. I finished the book in a matter of a few hours- very easily readable. Loved it!