Title: The Unexpected Diva
Author: Tiffany L. Warren
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: January 7, 2025
Rating: 💥💥💥💥💥
About The Book
"Beautifully crafted and captivating. This triumphant tale is sure to be an instant classic."--Victoria Christopher Murray, New York Times bestselling co-author of The Personal Librarian
"How do we not all know the name of Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield? The story of this brilliant singer -- a Black woman born enslaved who performed both sides of the Atlantic in the years before and during the Civil War -- is finally given its just due." --Marie Benedict, New York Times bestselling author of The First Ladies
Before the Civil War, Black opera singer Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield reigned supreme on Northern stages—even performing at Buckingham Palace. Novelist Tiffany L Warren brings this remarkable but forgotten diva’s remarkable story to life for modern readers.
Born into slavery on a Mississippi plantation, Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield has been raised in the safety of Philadelphia’s Quaker community by a wealthy adoptive mother. Sheltered and educated, Eliza’s happy childhood always included music lessons to nurture her unique gift: a glorious three octave singing voice that leaves listeners in awe. But on the eve of her twenty-fourth birthday, young Eliza’s world is thrown into a tailspin when her mother dies.
Eliza’s inheritance is contested by her mother’s white cousins, leaving her few options. She can marry her longtime beau, Lucien, though she has no desire to be a wife and mother. Or she can work as a tutor for rich families. Her mother’s dying wish was for Eliza to pursue her talent and become a professional singer, but that grand vision now seems out of reach.
When a chance performance on a steamboat to Buffalo, New York, leads to a surprising opportunity, fearless Eliza seizes her moment. Within a year she is touring America, singing to packed houses, and igniting controversy wherever she goes. In a country captivated by “the Swedish Nightingale” Jenny Lind, Eliza is billed by tour promoters as “the Black Swan.” An unlikely diva, Eliza is tall, dark-skinned, and robust of figure compared to the petite European prima donna, but even the harshest critics can’t deny Eliza’s extraordinary gift. Menaced by racist crowds, threatened by slave-catchers who kidnap free Black people, Eliza lives a public life full of risk, but one which also holds the promise of great riches, and the freedoms those buy.
From the churches of Philadelphia to Queen Victoria’s salon in Buckingham Palace, Eliza Greenfield will blaze her own path—with a voice that no listener will ever forget.
My Thoughts
With me being such a fan of historical fiction, especially when it involves black and brown authors and subjects, I knew going in I would probably enjoy the story, I just didn't know how much until I was finished with it. Starting off, there were characters that irritated me to the point where I was physically yelling at them and calling them all types of names. This book was rich in history and emotions. I was captivated by the story right up until the very end. I have been reading her books since the beginning of her career, and this book shows the tremendous growth of her writing. This year has just started, but this is going down as one of my favorites and best books of 2025
About The Author
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