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A review by lit_vibrations
Sister Mother Warrior by Vanessa Riley
4.0
When I first started reading the book I was so skeptical. The pacing was blah in the beginning and because I used audio while reading the narrator’s accent took awhile to get used to. I’m glad I pushed through because I ended up enjoying the story a lot more than I expected.
Gran Toya was by far the most remarkable character she created in the book. While the novel is based on the true stories of two women during the Haitian Revolution the author truly gave the characters life in her own way. The first Empress of Haiti, Marie-Claire Bonheur, and Gran Toya, a West African-born warrior helped lead the rebellion that drove out the French and freed the enslaved people of Haiti.
Gran Toya was my favorite character because of her bravery and defiance to master Duclos. Sis was a real warrior and didn’t hesitate to let that be known. I think Master Duclos was kind of scared of her lol. In modern times she’d be the definition of a true boss and a leader. Chosen by the King of Dahomey but later betrayed by an enemy who stood at the King’s side Toya was kidnapped and sold into slavery. But she didn’t go down by herself. Her dear sister friend Egosha and her enemy Nosakhere were also sold into bondage.
Gran Toya was brave, loyal, and fierce. She took care of Egosha’s son after she passed and he later grew up to become the revolutionary Jean-Jacques Dessalines. We’ll call him lover boy cause if nothing more he loved women and had babies everywhere.
Even after marrying Marie-Claire who was already a free woman of color she wasn’t enough for him. For awhile she had the “that’s my man and I’m gone stick beside him” vibe until she found out he didn’t die and had other kids across the land. It wasn’t until the end that I finally understood why Marie-Claire’s mother wanted her to marry a white man and not Janjak. During that time being with a Blanc man as they called them provided protection something a colored man couldn’t do.
Overall, it was a decent story with a tremendous amount of history woven through out. Whether the book is 100% factual or not I think the author did well capturing the time period and what may or may not have happened between the characters. It’s not an easy book to get through I didn’t really find my flow until I was halfway in. I only recommend because I enjoyed it but be advised it’s not for everyone!!!
Rating: 3.75/5⭐️
Gran Toya was by far the most remarkable character she created in the book. While the novel is based on the true stories of two women during the Haitian Revolution the author truly gave the characters life in her own way. The first Empress of Haiti, Marie-Claire Bonheur, and Gran Toya, a West African-born warrior helped lead the rebellion that drove out the French and freed the enslaved people of Haiti.
Gran Toya was my favorite character because of her bravery and defiance to master Duclos. Sis was a real warrior and didn’t hesitate to let that be known. I think Master Duclos was kind of scared of her lol. In modern times she’d be the definition of a true boss and a leader. Chosen by the King of Dahomey but later betrayed by an enemy who stood at the King’s side Toya was kidnapped and sold into slavery. But she didn’t go down by herself. Her dear sister friend Egosha and her enemy Nosakhere were also sold into bondage.
Gran Toya was brave, loyal, and fierce. She took care of Egosha’s son after she passed and he later grew up to become the revolutionary Jean-Jacques Dessalines. We’ll call him lover boy cause if nothing more he loved women and had babies everywhere.
Even after marrying Marie-Claire who was already a free woman of color she wasn’t enough for him. For awhile she had the “that’s my man and I’m gone stick beside him” vibe until she found out he didn’t die and had other kids across the land. It wasn’t until the end that I finally understood why Marie-Claire’s mother wanted her to marry a white man and not Janjak. During that time being with a Blanc man as they called them provided protection something a colored man couldn’t do.
Overall, it was a decent story with a tremendous amount of history woven through out. Whether the book is 100% factual or not I think the author did well capturing the time period and what may or may not have happened between the characters. It’s not an easy book to get through I didn’t really find my flow until I was halfway in. I only recommend because I enjoyed it but be advised it’s not for everyone!!!
Rating: 3.75/5⭐️