Island Queen: A Novel

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Riveting and transformative...evocative and immersive...by turns vibrant and bold and wise...discovering Dorothys story is a singular pleasure.New York Times (Editors Choice)

A remarkable, sweeping historical novel based on the incredible true-life story of Dorothy Kirwan Thomas, a free woman of color who rose from slavery to become one of the wealthiest and most powerful landowners in the colonial West Indies.

Born into slavery on the tiny Caribbean island ofMontserrat, Doll bought her freedomand that of her sister and her motherfrom her Irish planter father and built a legacy of wealth and power as an entrepreneur, merchant, hotelier, and planter that extended from the marketplaces and sugar plantations of Dominica and Barbados to a glittering luxury hotel in Demerara on the South American continent.

Vanessa Rileys novel brings Doll to vivid life as she rises above the harsh realities of slavery and colonialism by working the system and leveraging the competing attentions of the men in her life: a restless shipping merchant, Joseph Thomas; a wealthy planter hiding a secret, John Coseveldt Cells; and a roguish naval captain who will later become King William IV of England.

From the bustling port cities of the West Indies to the forbidding drawing rooms of Londons elite,Island Queenis a sweeping epic of an adventurer and a survivor who answered to no one but herself as she rose to power and autonomy against all odds, defying rigid eighteenth-century morality and the oppression of women as well as people of color. It is an unforgettable portrait of a true larger-than-life woman who made her mark on history.

Reviews

Theres a beautiful intimacy in Dorothys first-person narration both in substance and expressionThough the story is epic in sweep, its genius lies in its revelation of Dollys heroism and her flaws within that subjective voiceRiley does a brilliant job. New York Times Book Review (Editors Choice) "Dazzling...compelling...Riley combines in-depth research with passionate and frank storytelling, The experiences and achievements of powerful women, especially those whose lives began among the enslaved, are too often overlooked, and Rileys richly engaging novel is a ringing reminder of how much we miss when these stories remain untold." Booklist This book is not only a one-sitting read, its a slice of history that needs to be told. Utterly brilliant, powerful, and inspiring. Kristan Higgins, New York Times bestselling author ofAlways the Last to Know Richly detailed, vividly depicted, and sweeping in scope, Island Queen is historical fiction at its absolute finest. A stunning must-read! Chanel Cleeton, New York Times bestselling author of The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba Island Queenis the magnificently reconstructed life story of Dorothy Doll Kirwan Thomas, whose fascinating legacy of grit and success desperately deserves to be better known. With lush prose and raw emotion, Riley vividly captures the complexity of bringing to life a time of rebellion and possibility. New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Stephanie Dray Riveting and transformative, evocative and immersive...by turns vibrant and bold and wise, discovering Dorothys story is a singular pleasure. New York Times Book Review (Editors Choice) "Island Queenis what you would get if you were to drop Olivia Pope and all the men who lusted after her into the 18thCentury Caribbean. . .With prose that reads like poetry, Vanessa Riley expertly steers the reader through Dollys heartbreaking lows all the way into her triumphant emergence as the richest free woman of color in the islands. Passionate, headstrong, and loyal, Rileys version of the real-life Dorothy Kirwan Thomas legend will make readers fall in love with this overlooked 'hidden' queen." Kaia Alderson, author of Sisters in Arms Rileydelivers a spirited narrative of an enslaved woman turned Caribbean power broker, based on a historical figureRiley has made a fascinating character out of Dorothy. Publishers Weekly

Author Bio

In addition to being a novelist, Vanessa Riley holds a doctorate in mechanical engineering and a master's in industrial engineering and engineering management from Stanford University. She also earned BS and MS in mechanical engineering from Penn State University. She currently juggles mothering a teen, cooking for her military-man husband, and speaking at women's and STEM events. She loves baking her Trinidadian grandma's cake recipes and collecting Irish crochet lace. You can catch her writing from the comfort of her porch in Georgia, with a cup of Earl Grey tea. Riley lives in Atlanta.