Reviews

Island Queen by Vanessa Riley

themillennialjareads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

thepagelady's review against another edition

4.0

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.

This was an incredible and inspiring story based on the real life of Dorothy Kirwan Thomas. And what a life it was!

Dolly was determined to make something of her life in a time that didn’t make it easy for women! Hearing how she achieves these goals is just as fascinating as her personal life! It wasn’t all gumballs and rainbows either. She had struggle and heartache. You can’t help but admire Doll for her strength, courage and the length she was willing to go for her family. Even if you don't always agree with how she does something.

Vanessa Riley did a fabulous job bringing Dorothy's story to life! It always amazes me when you can feel the time and dedication an author puts into a book, that alone can make a story come alive. Happy reading everyone!

alyssa_max's review against another edition

3.0

I had high hopes for this book and ultimately thought it was just okay. I enjoyed learning about Dorothy Kirwan’s life and Caribbean history; however, I agree with other reviews that the book could have been much more tightly edited. It also seemed like an odd narrative choice to have a book about a strong, independent businesswoman focus so much on her lovers rather than her business empire.

Trigger warnings: rape, incest, abuse, loss of a child

carriewnettles's review

reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

ronsavjr's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative inspiring tense 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? Yes

5.0

the_milof's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Actually much better and much more engaging than I expected! The short chapters helped to move the story along

goldberg_sara6's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

nalian's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

bookishkoala's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

daisydil's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75