Review: Sister Mother Warrior

Sister Mother Warrior by Vanessa Riley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely love reading historical fiction, especially amazing black women from the past who rock and rocked history. Author Vanessa Riley does so using her unique writing style. First with Island Queen and now with, Sister Mother Warrior. One thing you can be sure of is that you are going to get a well-researched topic and you're going to learn some history you might not have known before.

In Sister Mother Warrior, we meet two phenomenal women who were crucial in Haiti gaining its independence from France: Marie Claire and Gran Toya. Gran Toya was a Dahoney warrior from West Africa who was enslaved but who also helped raise Jean Jacques Dessalines, the leader of the Haitian Revolution. Marie Claire is the love of his life and a powerful woman in her own right - helping to nurse and help all, regardless of their race, in the war.

It was a deep read for me and the author does not shy away from the tough truths of the past. Her descriptive writing style made me picture the gruesome torture but also the triumph of overcoming captivity. This literary work lingers with you after the end. It did take me some time to read but the heartfelt conclusion was worth it.

Thank you, #Netgalley and #WilliamMorrowBooks for this ARC.

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