Genre Fiction
![Vanessa Riley - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_a_vanessa_riley.jpg)
Island Queen: A Novel
"Riveting and transformative…evocative and immersive...by turns vibrant and bold and wise…discovering Dorothy's story is a singular pleasure."-New York Times (Editors' Choice)
A remarkable, sweeping historical novel based on the incredible true-life story of Dorothy Kirwan Thomas, a free woman of color who rose from slavery to become one of the wealthiest and most powerful landowners in the colonial West Indies.
Born into slavery on the tiny Caribbean island of Montserrat, Doll bought her freedom-and that of her sister and her mother-from her Irish planter father and built a legacy of wealth and power as an entrepreneur, merchant, hotelier, and planter that extended from the marketplaces and sugar plantations of Dominica and Barbados to a glittering luxury hotel in Demerara on the South American continent.
Vanessa Riley's novel brings Doll to vivid life as she rises above the harsh realities of slavery and colonialism by working the system and leveraging the competing attentions of the men in her life: a restless shipping merchant, Joseph Thomas; a wealthy planter hiding a secret, John Coseveldt Cells; and a roguish naval captain who will later become King William IV of England.
From the bustling port cities of the West Indies to the forbidding drawing rooms of London's elite, Island Queen is a sweeping epic of an adventurer and a survivor who answered to no one but herself as she rose to power and autonomy against all odds, defying rigid eighteenth-century morality and the oppression of women as well as people of color. It is an unforgettable portrait of a true larger-than-life woman who made her mark on history.
Editorial Reviews
"There's a beautiful intimacy in Dorothy's first-person narration both in substance and expression…Though the story is epic in sweep, its genius lies in its revelation of Dolly's heroism and her flaws within that subjective voice…Riley does a brilliant job." - New York Times Book Review (Editors' Choice)
"Dazzling...compelling...Riley combines in-depth research with passionate and frank storytelling, The experiences and achievements of powerful women, especially those whose lives began among the enslaved, are too often overlooked, and Riley's richly engaging novel is a ringing reminder of how much we miss when these stories remain untold." - Booklist
"This book is not only a one-sitting read, it's a slice of history that needs to be told. Utterly brilliant, powerful, and inspiring." - Kristan Higgins, New York Times bestselling author of Always the Last to Know
"Richly detailed, vividly depicted, and sweeping in scope, Island Queen is historical fiction at its absolute finest. A stunning must-read!" - Chanel Cleeton, New York Times bestselling author of The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba
"Island Queen is the magnificently reconstructed life story of Dorothy ‘Doll' Kirwan Thomas, whose fascinating legacy of grit and success desperately deserves to be better known. With lush prose and raw emotion, Riley vividly captures the complexity of bringing to life a time of rebellion and possibility." - New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Stephanie Dray
"Riveting and transformative, evocative and immersive...by turns vibrant and bold and wise, discovering Dorothy's story is a singular pleasure." - New York Times Book Review (Editors' Choice)
"Island Queen is what you would get if you were to drop Olivia Pope and all the men who lusted after her into the 18th Century Caribbean. . . With prose that reads like poetry, Vanessa Riley expertly steers the reader through Dolly's heartbreaking lows all the way into her triumphant emergence as the richest free woman o...
"Dazzling...compelling...Riley combines in-depth research with passionate and frank storytelling, The experiences and achievements of powerful women, especially those whose lives began among the enslaved, are too often overlooked, and Riley's richly engaging novel is a ringing reminder of how much we miss when these stories remain untold." - Booklist
"This book is not only a one-sitting read, it's a slice of history that needs to be told. Utterly brilliant, powerful, and inspiring." - Kristan Higgins, New York Times bestselling author of Always the Last to Know
"Richly detailed, vividly depicted, and sweeping in scope, Island Queen is historical fiction at its absolute finest. A stunning must-read!" - Chanel Cleeton, New York Times bestselling author of The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba
"Island Queen is the magnificently reconstructed life story of Dorothy ‘Doll' Kirwan Thomas, whose fascinating legacy of grit and success desperately deserves to be better known. With lush prose and raw emotion, Riley vividly captures the complexity of bringing to life a time of rebellion and possibility." - New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Stephanie Dray
"Riveting and transformative, evocative and immersive...by turns vibrant and bold and wise, discovering Dorothy's story is a singular pleasure." - New York Times Book Review (Editors' Choice)
"Island Queen is what you would get if you were to drop Olivia Pope and all the men who lusted after her into the 18th Century Caribbean. . . With prose that reads like poetry, Vanessa Riley expertly steers the reader through Dolly's heartbreaking lows all the way into her triumphant emergence as the richest free woman o...
Readers Top Reviews
AnnabJan JewellSp
One of the best historical novels I’ve read in a long time. I was tired of the same themes this was set in the islands and had a totally different theme than any I’ve read before. I was also getting tired of all the WWII novels lately some were very good but just tired of the depressing war.
MarcieAnnabJan Je
This historical story on Dorothy Kirwan Thomas was very well written. If you love historical novels, I do, on Black peoples lives in the 1700 and 1800's, then this is a must read! Loved the details Vanessa Riley gave us on how Dorothy grew her wealth even among the horrible obstacles of slavery. How and why she had to own slaves because the white man continued putting obstacles in her way trying to keep her from succeeding in building her hotels with man power to do it!! She did not want ownership of slaves, but she taught them how to work toward their freedom by saving their earnings to buy their freedom! Yes, she paid her slaves!! She did what she had to. Her observations in her travels were amazing because she brought back what she learned and incorporated them in her businesses which helped her prosper even more! Loved her intelligence, her strength, her love of family and how she helped them all. She was a teacher in her own right, training her housekeepers on how she expected them to clean the white folks homes. How she taught her children to run her businesses was so smart because she was determined to make sure they knew how to survive during that time. I can go on and on, but I will let you find out for yourself what a STRONG BLACK WOMAN can do with sheer determination. I recommend this book highly. Thank you Vanessa for this book. I loved 😍 ♥ it.
Courtney NCourtne
I just finished this book and my heart is so full. What a woman Mrs. Dorothy Kirwan Thomas was. What a magnificent, flawed force of nature with an indomitable spirit. Vanessa Riley made me cheer so hard for this woman. This was the kind of book where on one page I was pumping my fist going, "YES girl, you TELL him!" And ten pages later I was reaching for the Kleenex, and my husband was going, "Um, Courtney? Are you ok???" But my point is, you will feel ALL of the feelings with this one. I congratulate Ms. Riley because this is a triumph. I am so glad Mrs. Dorothy Kirwan Thomas's story has been told, has been finally been brought to the forefront where it belongs. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
Courtney NCour
Believable. Emotional. Triumphant. Vulnerable. Authentically, Imperfectly perfectly Human and all woman with the tenacity, wherewithal, determination and passion to prove it. Dorothy and the cast of friends and relatives that surround her all possess the messy complexities that much us Homo sapiens and because of that, you feel anger, concern, celebration, hate, fear, pride and everything in between as you read this story. For that reason and all the #blackgirlmagic #ownvoices beauty that rises through the lens and heart of this author’s pen, I am thrilled Dorothy Kirwan’s Thomas is being shared with the world. It’s obvious lots of research and study has went into this historical fiction. For such a large body of work, this story has great pacing.
Toni BonitaToni B
Island Queen is five hundred fifty-seven pages of joy, love, pain, forgiveness, perseverance, and I made it. Ms. Riley delved deep into our history giving us a story that each of us as women can relate to. This Historical Fiction based on the real facts and life of Ms. Dorothy Kirwan Thomas is a road map for women in the 21st century. Thank you to NetGalley and Vanessa Riley for the opportunity to read and give an honest review. #Cillasbookmaniace #MamaToni'sbooknook
