Island Queen

Vanessa Riley read Jane Austen’s unfinished novel Sanditon, and was enthralled and curious about Miss Lambe, a wealthy West Indian woman of color. Riley wondered if Miss Lambe was based on a historical figure, or how many wealthy female West Indians existed in the early 19th century.In her research, Riley stumbled upon a fascinating Black woman born in the mid 18th century whose life transverses Montserrat, Demerara (British Guyana), Dominica, Grenada, and England. Riley gathered up the threads of facts available on Dorothy Kirwan Thomas (aka Dolly), and intertwined strands of fiction—characters, dialogue, scenes, plots, descriptions—to weave together a stunning tapestry of a life well lived. Thomas did live a good life, despite trauma; cruel, selfish, irresponsible men; rebellions; and the oppressive forces of slavery, racism, and misogyny.The dialogue is English, Irish, and Creole; the settings range from simple thatch-covered homes, to endowed schools, mansions, ships, and palaces. The characters are as diverse as the settings: Irish and English; free and enslaved; rich and poor; young and old; African and West Indian; loving and cruel.Remarkably, many characters embody several of these seemingly incompatible characteristics in their lifetime. For example, Dorothy Kirwan Thomas is both Irish and African, free and enslaved, poor and rich at various points in her long and remarkable life. Almost all the characters are well-drawn, complex, and at times refreshingly unpredictable.Dorothy Kirwan Thomas emerges from this tapestry as a smart, entrepreneurial, resilient, cunning, strategic, loving, resourceful woman. An enslaved woman who purchases her freedom; a business woman who supports her family; mother, lover, wife, and sister who will do anything for those she loves and against those she hates.Dorothy Kirwan Thomas survives slavery, rape, abandonment, the births of 11 children and accompanying post-partum depression (birthing sadness); displacement; slave rebellions; and unpredictable and cruel men. She has love affairs with several white men, including Prince William, Duke of Clarence.Here are a few of my favorite lines to entice you to read the book:“A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right” (107).“Yes, I can tell a lot by listening and looking, caressing” (190).“There was no need to wait on a mouthy prince when a dedicated solicitor stood at the ready” (237).“I hoped by glass-blown heart was safe in his rugged hands” (241).“Warming each other in the slow allemande we’d agreed upon, a prince of England and an island queen found the perfect embrace” (327).I highly recommend Island Queen.

Being from the islands this book gives me a glimpse in what my ancestors may have went through. Very addictive read…

This novel is very well researched and woven into a compelling story. The beginning was very difficult to read, but then I couldn’t put it down -wanting to know what happened next!

This story of Dorothy Kirwan's journey was a well written 1 that Get kept me intrigued. Knowing that it was based on a real woman and her family made it powerful for me. Dorothy loved her family with all her heart and she talked them to run her businesses and to know they were worthy of the best no matter what the color of your skin was. I enjoy reading about Dorothy strength her passion and determination to be a wealthy woman.Vanessa Riley thank you for All your hard work did you put into this book, it was very good book.

The telling of this story will take you through a rollercoaster of emotions. This novel is so well written it will grab your attention and make it difficult to put down. The characters are well developed to the point where you will actually find yourself sympathizing and rooting for the main character as you travel with her through her many struggles.