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sharper's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
hailskp's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Put me in a slump. The last one hundred pages were good. But frankly it was boring in the middle. A good book on identity, being black, and a woman. I enjoyed but it was hard to get through.
vrobert's review
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
catcrowcandle's review
Made it about 60%, was due back at the library before I could finish.
lifelivedbooked's review
3.0
This is really a 2.5 out of 5 star read for me, but I rounded up just because I loved the story.
Cathy Williams is a slave when General Sheridan of Union forces frees her and takes her on to be an assistant cook during the Civil War. When the Civil War ends, Cathy decides to disguise herself as a man and join the U.S. Army, believing this to be her best opportunity to leave the South and truly be free. Based on a real woman, this historical fiction account of the Civil War and the years after were tied in nicely with true historical figures and events. The novel is clearly well researched; I was most fascinated by the Army's dealing with Native Americans after the Civil War.
I found the writing to be a bit clunky. Told in first person, Cathy's dialect did not read easily and also wasn't terribly consistent. While first person narration is not typically a problem for me, I didn't feel it worked very well in this novel. I also felt that this book is about 100 pages too long; some of the Civil War stuff I found redundant and unnecessary.
Overall, a fine read and an interesting story from the Civil War period that might not have been told otherwise. I received a free review copy of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review..
Cathy Williams is a slave when General Sheridan of Union forces frees her and takes her on to be an assistant cook during the Civil War. When the Civil War ends, Cathy decides to disguise herself as a man and join the U.S. Army, believing this to be her best opportunity to leave the South and truly be free. Based on a real woman, this historical fiction account of the Civil War and the years after were tied in nicely with true historical figures and events. The novel is clearly well researched; I was most fascinated by the Army's dealing with Native Americans after the Civil War.
I found the writing to be a bit clunky. Told in first person, Cathy's dialect did not read easily and also wasn't terribly consistent. While first person narration is not typically a problem for me, I didn't feel it worked very well in this novel. I also felt that this book is about 100 pages too long; some of the Civil War stuff I found redundant and unnecessary.
Overall, a fine read and an interesting story from the Civil War period that might not have been told otherwise. I received a free review copy of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review..
rozereads's review
2.0
Liked the topic -- based on a true story of a woman that served with the Buffalo Soldiers -- but the telling was GOOFY!! The language was goofy -- for example when a curse word was implied the word, blank, was used. Yet they used the sexually derogatory word that starts with "p." The thinking and talking of the characters was often "juvenile." (poorly written)
amiewilson's review
4.0
A powerful book based upon an African-American woman who served as a Buffalo Soldier in the United States Army disguised as a man. This fictionalized account of the life of Cathy Williams is fascinating. I have to admit, I was constantly worried she would be caught and I carried a sense of dread throughout the book. The descriptions of the life of a soldier, especially recently freed slaves' lives, are eye-opening and interesting. It was refreshing to read about an angle of the Civil War and post Civil War era that hasn't been written about frequently, it made the story fresh and interesting.
julesg's review
5.0
Epic story, set in the time past the American Civil War, following the life of Cathy Williams, born a slave, freed by the Union army and later disguised herself as a man to fight in the army with the Buffalo Soldiers.
This book is a that takes the few details known about Cathy Williams and turns them into a wonderful, believeable story of her life.
This book is a that takes the few details known about Cathy Williams and turns them into a wonderful, believeable story of her life.
tonstantweader's review
4.0
Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen is a historical novel imagining the life of Cathy Williams, the African-American who served as a buffalo soldier after the Civil War. Taking the known facts of Williams’ life, Sarah Bird imagines how she came to have such extraordinary courage and grit.
The story begins with the plantation where Cathy works as a slave, along with her mother and sister. She thinks herself apart from the rest of the slaves because her mother has taught her she is a captive, not a slave. They speak their ancestral language Fon and remember the stories of Africa, old by her grandmother who had been a Queen before she was capture. Cathy is the daughter of the daughter of a queen and will not be broken.
When the plantation is burned, the Union Army “liberates” them by putting them to work supporting the Army. Cathy is separated from her family and assigned to help General Sheridan’s cook. The first part of the book is her service until the end of the Civil War, then her service as a buffalo soldier, and finally, a short section on her post-military life.
This is a fast-paced engrossing story of adventure and bravery that I read pretty much straight through. Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen sees Cathy not only as brave and bold, but as witty and clever, so there is plenty of sly humor and hilarity. Humor, though, is not the focus. There’s the jeopardy of being black in a racist country and the double jeopardy of being a woman. There’s the fear of being discovered and the “otherness” attached to her while in the Army, fear of the enemies and her fellow soldiers. But then, there is also friendship and romance. It’s a rich book full of excitement and adventure.
Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen will be released September 4th. I received an e-galley from the publisher through NetGalley
Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen at St. Martin’s Press | Macmillan
Sarah Bird author site
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2018/08/19/9781250193162/
The story begins with the plantation where Cathy works as a slave, along with her mother and sister. She thinks herself apart from the rest of the slaves because her mother has taught her she is a captive, not a slave. They speak their ancestral language Fon and remember the stories of Africa, old by her grandmother who had been a Queen before she was capture. Cathy is the daughter of the daughter of a queen and will not be broken.
When the plantation is burned, the Union Army “liberates” them by putting them to work supporting the Army. Cathy is separated from her family and assigned to help General Sheridan’s cook. The first part of the book is her service until the end of the Civil War, then her service as a buffalo soldier, and finally, a short section on her post-military life.
This is a fast-paced engrossing story of adventure and bravery that I read pretty much straight through. Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen sees Cathy not only as brave and bold, but as witty and clever, so there is plenty of sly humor and hilarity. Humor, though, is not the focus. There’s the jeopardy of being black in a racist country and the double jeopardy of being a woman. There’s the fear of being discovered and the “otherness” attached to her while in the Army, fear of the enemies and her fellow soldiers. But then, there is also friendship and romance. It’s a rich book full of excitement and adventure.
Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen will be released September 4th. I received an e-galley from the publisher through NetGalley
Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen at St. Martin’s Press | Macmillan
Sarah Bird author site
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2018/08/19/9781250193162/
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