For this week’s Book Bite, we are looking at one of the most gripping pieces of historical fiction I have read in years.
Sarah Forbes Bonetta is a figure who gets mentioned as a trivia fact often (much like Maharaja Sir Duleep Singh) but is not given much more attention. And that is incredibly sad, as her life was so much more than a question in a pub quiz. Denny S. Bryce’s novel is a complex and moving look at Bonetta’s life and relationship with the British Royal Family that is a must-read for anyone interested in the Victorian period, or the modern BRF. Let’s get into The Other Princess by Denny S. Bryce.
The Other Princess: A Novel of Queen Victoria’s Goddaughter, Denny S. Bryce
With a brilliant mind and a fierce will to survive, Sarah Forbes Bonetta, a kidnapped African princess, is rescued from enslavement at seven years old and presented to Queen Victoria as a “gift.” To the Queen, the girl is an exotic trophy to be trotted out for the entertainment of the royal court and to showcase Victoria’s magnanimity. Sarah charms most of the people she meets, even those who would cast her aside. Her keen intelligence and her aptitude for languages and musical composition helps Sarah navigate the Victorian era as an outsider given insider privileges.
But embedded in Sarah’s past is her destiny. Haunted by visions of destruction and decapitations, she desperately seeks a place, a home she will never run from, never fear, a refuge from nightmares and memories of death.
From West Africa to Windsor Castle to Sierra Leone, to St. James’s Palace, and the Lagos Colony, Sarah juggles the power and pitfalls of a royal upbringing as she battles racism and systematic oppression on her way to living a life worthy of a Yoruba princess.
Based on the real life of Queen Victoria’s Black goddaughter, Sarah Forbes Bonetta’s story is a sweeping saga of an African princess in Victorian England and West Africa, as she searches for a home, family, love, and identity.
Why You Should Read This…
This book was an interesting read for me for a few reasons. I fully admit, this is not a lighthearted book in any way- Bonetta had a difficult life with several different traumatic events and moments. And Bryce handles them thoughtfully but does not shy away from exploring the hardships that she faced. However, I think that this made the book that much more touching and left me thinking on it for months after reading it. And there are few pieces of fiction that stick with me for that long.
The other reason I found The Other Princess particularly fascinating was Bryce’s treatment of the BRF. Many authors will still take a somewhat worshipful tone when describing Queen Victoria and her family members. However, Bryce presents them as realistic and flawed people who very often presented obstacles for Bonetta rather than being a sort of saviour as has long been held. She also doesn’t sugarcoat the fact that Queen Victoria actually spent very little time with Bonetta, despite the enduring myth that she was like a second mother.
Nneka Okoye’s narration for the audiobook is some of the most moving I’ve heard. She gives voice to so many complex and heartbreaking emotions without feeling dramatic or over-the-top, and she brings this story to life so beautifully.
Is The Other Princess on your to-read list?
Cheers,
The Historian
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