What I’m Reading.
January 2025
Island Queen- Vanessa Riley
Continuing with the theme of rebirth, growth and new beginnings this month; I felt like Island Queen was the perfect fit. This book is about remarkable life of Dorthy Kirwan Thomas.
Dorothy was born in the late 1700s as a slave on the island of Montserrat. By pure determination as an entrepreneur she was able to buy her freedom as well as her mothers and sisters. She overcame many tragedies and continued building her wealth thus leaving a legacy that can be studied and envied today.
Vanessa does a wonderful job tackling the complexities of Dorothy’s life. It starts pretty bleak, with a child born into servitude and dealing with abuse both physical and sexual which results in a pregnancy. It ends with a free woman claiming power and wealth and protecting her loved ones.
I like that the book is broken up into different parts which coincide with the current events in Dorothy’s life. This really illustrates how she grows and matures as a person. We the reader get to see her gracefully age from child to grandmother. Although this book can be quite heavy because sensitive topics that are endured by the protagonist, I truly learned so much about slavery and hierarchy in the Caribbean. I highly recommend this book!
