
The American Queen
An Award-Winning Historical Fiction Novel about the Real-Life Black Woman Who Ruled a Kingdom on American Soil
- 384 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
The American Queen
An Award-Winning Historical Fiction Novel about the Real-Life Black Woman Who Ruled a Kingdom on American Soil
About this book
A WOMAN EVOLVE BOOK CLUB PICK | A NORTH CAROLINA READS PICK | A Christy Award WINNER | A 2024 American Fiction Award WINNER | A 2025 Audie Awards WINNER | Best Historical Fiction of 2024 (She Reads) | FEATURED IN GMA, WASHINGTON POST, AND ESSENCE | There is only one known queen who truly ruled a kingdom on American soil. Meet the queen of Happy Land in this riveting novel from USA TODAY bestselling author Vanessa Miller.
"This powerful story must be told and retold." --GMA 15 New Books to Read (Good Morning America)
"A hidden gem in American history." --Publishers Weekly
"This marvel of a novel transported me." --Sadeqa Johnson, NYT bestselling author
"A story [about] . . . the indomitable spirit of a woman." --Lisa Wingate #1 NYT bestselling author
"Inspirational and unforgettable." --Kim Michele Richardson, NYT bestselling author
"A triumph." --Adriana Trigiani, bestselling author
Transformative and breathtakingly honest, The American Queen is based on actual events that occurred between 1865 - 1889 and shares the unsung history of a Black woman who built a kingdom in Appalachia as a refuge for the courageous people who dared to dream of a different way of life.
Over the twenty-four years she was enslaved on the Montgomery Plantation, Louella learned to feel one thing: hate. Hate for the man who sold her mother. Hate for the overseer who left her daddy to hang from a noose. Hate so powerful there's no room in her heart for love, not even for the honorable Reverend William, whom she likes and respects enough to marry.
But when William finally listens to Louella's pleas and leads the formerly enslaved people off the plantation, Louella begins to replace her hate with hope. Hope that they will find a place where they can live free from fear. Hope that despite her many unanswered prayers, she can learn to trust for new miracles.
Soon, William and Louella become the appointed king and queen of their self-proclaimed Kingdom of the Happy Land. And though they are still surrounded by opposition, they continue to share a message of joy and goodness--and fight for the freedom and dignity of all.
The American Queen weaves together themes of love, hate, hope, trust, and resilience in the face of great turmoil. With every turn of the page, you will be transported to a pivotal period in American history, where oppressed people become extraordinary heroes.
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Information
Table of contents
- Dedication
- Contents
- Map
- A Note from the Author
- Part 1: The Hard Knocks of Emancipation
- Chapter 1
- Chapter 2
- Chapter 3
- Chapter 4
- Chapter 5
- Chapter 6
- Chapter 7
- Chapter 8
- Chapter 9
- Part 2: The Journey
- Chapter 10
- Chapter 11
- Chapter 12
- Chapter 13
- Chapter 14
- Part 3: A New BeginningāBuilding the Kingdom
- Chapter 15
- Chapter 16
- Chapter 17
- Chapter 18
- Part 4: A Kingdom Rises in the South
- Chapter 19
- Chapter 20
- Chapter 21
- Chapter 22
- Chapter 23
- Chapter 24
- Chapter 25
- Chapter 26
- Chapter 27
- Chapter 28
- Chapter 29
- Chapter 30
- Chapter 31
- Chapter 32
- Chapter 33
- Part 5: Cracks in the Kingdom
- Chapter 34
- Chapter 35
- Chapter 36
- Chapter 37
- Chapter 38
- Chapter 39
- Chapter 40
- Chapter 41
- Chapter 42
- Chapter 43
- Chapter 44
- A Closing Note from the Author
- Discussion Questions
- Acknowledgments
- References
- About the Author
- Praise for Vanessa Miller
- Also by Vanessa Miller
- Copyright