Title: The Other Princess
Author: Denny S. Brice
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: October 3, 2023
Rating: 💥💥💥💥💥
About the Book:
A stunning portrait of an African princess raised in Queen Victoria’s court and adapting to life in Victorian England—based on the real-life story of a recently rediscovered historical figure, Sarah Forbes Bonetta.
With a brilliant mind and a fierce will to survive, Sarah Forbes Bonetta, a kidnapped African princess, is rescued from enslavement at seven years old and presented to Queen Victoria as a “gift.” To the Queen, the girl is an exotic trophy to be trotted out for the entertainment of the royal court and to showcase Victoria’s magnanimity. Sarah charms most of the people she meets, even those who would cast her aside. Her keen intelligence and her aptitude for languages and musical composition helps Sarah navigate the Victorian era as an outsider given insider privileges.
But embedded in Sarah’s past is her destiny. Haunted by visions of destruction and decapitations, she desperately seeks a place, a home she will never run from, never fear, a refuge from nightmares and memories of death.
From West Africa to Windsor Castle to Sierra Leone, to St. James's Palace, and the Lagos Colony, Sarah juggles the power and pitfalls of a royal upbringing as she battles racism and systematic oppression on her way to living a life worthy of a Yoruba princess.
Based on the real life of Queen Victoria’s Black goddaughter, Sarah Forbes Bonetta’s story is a sweeping saga of an African princess in Victorian England and West Africa, as she searches for a home, family, love, and identity.
My thoughts
Some books are so good, it takes me longer than I would like to do the review because I don't want to spoil how much I enjoyed the book. This was one of those books. I'm no stranger to the author's writing and she knocked it out of the park with this book. The way this story took on so many surprises and twists and turns that had me wanting to slow down because I didn't want it to end, but also me wanting to hurry up because I really wanted to know what happened next. This was such an emotional read and an important part of black history that for the most part has been forgotten. The fact that it was also based on a true person made this book all the more enjoyable. This was such a phenomenal story and we need more like these written by marginalized authors. The story will be one of those that will forever be etched in my memory.
About the Author
Denny S. Bryce is a best-selling, award-winning author of historical fiction. A former dancer and public relations professional, Denny is an adjunct professor in the MFA program at Drexel University, a book critic for NPR, and a freelance writer whose work has appeared in USA Today and Harper’s Bazaar. She is also a member of the Historical Novel Society, Women’s Fiction Writers Association, and Tall Poppy Writers. Originally from Ohio, she likes to call Chicago her hometown but currently resides in Savannah, Georgia. You can find her online at DennySBryce.com.
Nalini Akolekar, Spencerhill Associates, represents her.
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