Reviews

The American Queen by Vanessa Miller

jennamalena's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

txsweetheart's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

fina44's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

lacea's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

treberry's review against another edition

hopeful tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

whit807's review against another edition

5.0

This book was AHMAZING!!! I love the way the author wrote this like I could easily picture and feel the emotions of everyone. I loved that she didn’t have detailed triggering scenes in the story, given the time period we know that our people were treated like savages. The fact that this is a true story makes me want to learn so much more about this community and the founders story! I’m mad that this story isn’t well known and I hope to be able to find a documentary about it somewhere. This was my first book by the author definitely won’t be the last!

elanorh's review against another edition

emotional informative 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? Yes

5.0

I liked this book a great deal and recommend it to those who enjoy learning about history. While it is historical fiction, it's based on a real story/location, and with my history background I can say that the plot points within the story are based on historical situations which have been well-documented (ie former enslaved people being forced to work for free by their former owners, or by communities when they couldn't support themselves since no one would pay them, etc.).  

My one quibble would be - I'm not sure whether the emphasis on women as equals, as an almost instinctive response from Mama Sue and from the protagonist, Louella, would have been accurate? I don't know enough to be sure, but it felt very modern as I was reading it .... Obviously there were and are cultures where women and men were/are much more equal (then and now) compared to the South in the 1860-1880's. 

nikischmidt's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

ellemartindale's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional informative inspiring medium-paced

5.0

teapot_of_unique's review

dark emotional hopeful informative reflective 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? No

4.0