A woman born a slave, but the granddaughter of an African Queen, freed by the Union Army, and ends up pretending to be male so she can join the Buffalo Soldiers and go west to fight the Plains tribes. It was well-nigh irresistible when it turns out to be based on the true life woman, Cathy Williams, who was the first to serve in the US Army as a female Buffalo Soldier.

The story starts with the home where Cathy is a slave invaded by General Sheridan and her Amazon-size person being mistaken for a man and hauled off from her mother and sister to work as a cook’s assistant in Sheridan’s army. She sets them straight, gets put in her place, and then she saves Sheridan’s contraband and soldiers with her sharp-shooting skills. Meanwhile, she falls in love with a dying soldier, loses him, and then falls in love again, only to lose this one after the war is over. At this point, she makes the momentous decision to disguise herself, enlist with the Buffalo Soldiers and go fight out West.

I confess that I went into this with mixed emotions. High anticipation was the big one, but I was also wary because I knew my heart would take a hit knowing that this woman would not have led even close to a happy life under such circumstances. I wanted to see her courageously face the challenges, but I was already cringing at those challenges (slavery, dubious freedom, faking her gender, fighting Native Americans… and that was just the beginning). I was right to worry and I got worked up several times on her behalf, but I also was awed by her grit and courage as she did what she had to do. Each time she picked herself up, life knocked her down. And, each time I held my breath thinking she was caught out, fate intervened. Her outspokenness and then her hiding her identity got her in trouble many times, of course.

Life was hard and the book didn’t stint on that which was why the fictional romance made her struggles even more amazing (b/c in realsies the romance didn’t exist and she still did many of her exploits). She was brave and outspoken, pragmatic about doing what she had to do, and also vulnerable. It was tough to read about those awful times of the latter part of the Civil War and then the Indian Wars out west, but also fascinating to learn how the African American soldiers coming out of slavery could go out and fight Native Americans. So much to digest in this one.

I know its always an interesting balance when it comes to historical fiction between what was fact and what was creative interpretation when the facts weren’t there. This one has a big piece that wasn’t fact and I suspect several smaller ones, too. Still, the story flowed well and I was glad to learn about the Buffalo Soldiers and their part of the frontier war, women in this time and war, and this particular woman.

One niggle, and it might have been a choice of cutting details to keep the story flow, but I felt that some description and detailing was left out while other things were detailed closely. Like, in the time out West, there wasn’t the opportunity to get to know the opposite side leaving them these vague hair-raising savages all lumped together.

All in all, I was glad to have read Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen, though it wasn’t light and I didn’t feel it was happy even in the end. I was awed by such a woman and hope more little known courageous people get their stories written. I would definitely recommend this to those who enjoy Historical Fiction set in mid-nineteenth century America.

Heavily fictionalized account of a former slave girl who is forced to join the Union Army and the somewhat swashbuckling account of her subsequent life. Since very little is known about her life, author Sarah Bird had wide latitude in creating this tale. Everything from the ascribed language to the supposed activities just seems ...off based on other tales of this era. I found the book at times uncomfortable and not because it meant to be. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

I love when I read fictional accounts of real people, as it encourages me to research them and learn something new. The fact that a former slave was the only woman to serve with the Buffalo Soldiers was inspirational enough, but I kept researching her life and couldn't believe how interesting she was. This fictional account had many true events in it, but it was also a well written novel

I have read like 50% of this book,it's ok but it to me is a drag out story. It's a view story of a slave after the War between the States,what she has gone through after she has been freed. I have not read all of it have finally gotten to the part where she joins the Buffalo Soldiers,but I'm not gonna finish the book,have struggled to get this far in the book. It may just be me but not going to use my time to finish,just say too slow!🐢🐢🐢

I don't think I can do this book justice in a review. This is the kind of historical fiction that is why I read historical fiction. The writing is beautiful, the dialogue realistic, the plot original, the characters vivid, and the history engrossing. This book was a BOOK, if you know what I mean. Bird's fictionalization of the life of Cathy Williams from what few records she left behind felt truly authentic, and I loved it. My main wish was that a little more time was spent on her later years, not necessarily how she lived but rather how she felt. But wonderful, wonderful book.

If you love historical fiction, you NEED to get your paws on Sarah Bird’s latest, “Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen”. Intelligently and emotionally told, this book follows Cathy Williams, a former slave and only woman to ever serve with the legendary Buffalo Soldiers.

This book is inspiring, compelling, poignant, and rich with feminism.

Born into slavery in Missouri, Cathy was told by her mother that she was a “daughter of a daughter of a queen”, and to never forget it. She manages to escape her miserable life of servitude, by means of Union General Phillip Henry “Smash ‘em Up” Sheriden who takes her into service. When she decides to disguise herself as a man and join the Buffalo Soliders, she’s forced to prove herself, fighting for survival, freedom, and ultimately the reunion with her loved ones. Cathy’s refusal to return to her life in bondage and subsequent adventures portray a character of pride, bravery, fearlessness, and grit.

Inspired by the unbelievable yet true story of Cathy Williams, Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen is so beautifully written, and left me feeling both emotionally drained and inspired.

It will be a long time before I forget about Cathy’s story.

Check out my full review on my blog.

Cathy Williams, a former slave, was the first woman to enlist in the US Army and the only one to ever serve with the Buffalo Soldiers from 1866-1868. There seems to be little factual information available about her beyond her army records, showing she enlisted as William Cathay. But, the author has written an engaging, imaginative account of what her military life could have been like. Making Cathy, the granddaughter of an African warrior queen of the legendary Dahomey Amazons, she is raised on stories of the brave line of females she descends from. At 5'9", Cathy can easily blend in as a man and choses to do so for her own protection when General Sheridan comes through and recruits her into his army to assist the camp cook. When the civil war ends, she has no home and the south is in ruins, so Cathy chooses to enlist in the Army as a Buffalo Soldier; seeing it as an opportunity to support herself. Living in disguise as a woman is no easy feat, especially in an army of men moving westward. Cathy binds herself, forgoes bathing and more when privacy is lacking. She has to perform hard labor in hot weather and does so in full uniform to remain concealed.It doesn't take long for her fellow soldiers to be suspicious and bully her, thinking she's overly modest with something to hide. Living among men hardened by war also exposes her to their crude ways and speech. She is always afraid that if her identity is discovered, her fellow soldiers will turn on her and abuse her.

I thought the author did a great job at imagining Cathy's experience. Though uneducated, Cathy is shrewd, discerning, and very likable. Its easy to appreciate her spunk and practical manner despite the hard life she's been dealt. Some may find the dialogue can be abrasive to our modern sensibilities. I know I cringed at times Though the novel is 399 pages, it does move along quickly, and I really wasn't ready for the ending. I felt like I wanted to follow Cathy's story further, but as the author's note explains, historical facts do not give us alot of later information on Cathy. Though this is mostly fictional, it does bring attention to an amazing woman that might otherwise continue to be an obscure part of history.

Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen is wonderful historical fiction; so richly written that it is easy to put yourself in the time period right beside the complex, focused, brave and inspirational heroine Cathy Williams.

Set during the Civil War, and afterwards, when Buffalo Soldiers helped the U.S. army make the move west safe for settlers, this story is broad in both scope and history. I had never heard about Cathy Williams, who was born a slave, and chosen by General Sheridan to be his cook's assistant. The General assumed the tall girl dressed in shirt and pants was a boy, and so she passed at one for years, at constant danger to herself. Sarah Bird does an excellent job of creating the essence of the era as well as in creating fully developed, believable characters who bring this saga to life!

Now known as William Cathay, Cathy goes on to serve in the U.S. Army after the end of the Civil War as there were not many options for freed slaves. Her dream of being a Buffalo Soldier in the calvary was attained, and she won a medal as the best marksman in her unit.

I highly recommend this book. There were times it seemed over-long, which kept me from giving it 5 stars, but I'm so glad I didn't pass this one by!

Many thanks to St.Martin's Press for giving me a copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen by Sarah Bird does so many things that I love about historical fiction. It introduces me to a history – the story of Cathy Williams – that I did not know. It presents a readable story although that story is likely more fiction than history. It motivates me to research the actual history for I always remember the wide gap between actual history and historical fiction.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2018/09/daughter-of-daughter-of-queen.html

Reviewed for NetGalley

A fascinating work of historical fiction that explores the life of Cathy Williams. Born the daughter of a slave and the granddaughter of a queen, this fierce protagonist takes on the identity of a man to join the Buffalo soldiers. What follows is a captivating tale.

I admit, aside from having to memorize and perform Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address in junior year English class (for which I got an A), I know almost nothing about the American Civil War. It’s always been a point of interest though, so when I got an email asking if I’d want to read an advanced copy of a book set at the tail-end of the civil war featuring a woman, a freed slave, who disguised herself as a man to join the army, I immediately said yes.
And I’m totally giving myself a good job pat on my shoulder for making that decision.
Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen is an engaging novel, vividly re-imagining historical figures and events. I totally fell in love with this story. It has everything I could ever ask for – captivating writing, interesting and nuanced supporting characters, action, and romance.
But, as important as those elements are, where Sarah Bird really excelled is at writing her main character.
From the get-go, I was compelled by Cathy Williams’ character. She’s strong and feisty and proud. Having been raised by strong, proud women – her mother and grandmother – Cathy’s will remain unbroken even through years of bondage and servitude. She’s still sarcastically witty, gutsy, and resilient, and I admired her more for it. The things she has gone through, I can only imagine just how hard it had been for her, but still, she pushes and comes through in the end.

As is the case with historical fiction, this book is a mix of researched facts and the authors creative leeway. Sometimes a book may be bogged down by these creative add-ons, but Bird managed to balance it, taking what bits of history there is about Cathy Williams and weaving it into a story of her own making while tackling racial issues that are still very much relevant today.
This was an almost flawless book for me. What kept it from getting a five-star rating is its slow pacing down the middle parts and the nonmention of Lincoln’s assassination (whereas Andrew Jackson was brought up).
Overall, Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen is a great, important read. Whether you’re a historical fiction lover or not, I believe this is one book you’ll enjoy and treasure. I definitely recommend this book.

I really enjoyed this book! It took a bit to get started, a little awkward at first, but I loved the strong heroine and her backstory. Learning about someone historical that I never knew existed was even better, though it is too bad we don't know a lot about her, particularly after she left the Buffalo Soldiers.

I enjoyed the aspects of the story taking place in remote areas of Texas, a nod to the author being from Texas, but from my reading it appears Cathy was never posted in Texas.

Overall, I highly enjoyed this bit of historical fiction, with the well-researched background information to put together a story about a heroine we should all know more about. Hopefully some intrepid historical researchers can come up with what happened to her post 1892.

This is a fictionalized account of Cathy Williams, a young slave woman who was taken as 'contraband' by General Philip H. Sheridan during the Civil War, traveled with his army working as a cook, and then disguised herself as a man to join the Buffalo Soldiers after the war, where she served for two years (1866-1868).

Cathy always claims to be the daughter of a daughter of an African queen, one of the Amazons, and as such, I think I would have liked her to be portrayed as a little more wild at heart, perhaps a little more viscous when seeking revenge.

A lot of this story concerned prejudice. The Civil War was fought and African-Americans freed from slavery, but that didn't mean they were received into American society with open arms. Out on the Western frontier, one of the Buffalo Soldiers says, "Why do they need the black man? To kill the red man so they can steal his land for other white men." Harsh but true.

Cathy falls in love with her commander, a man who wants his squad to be the best group of soldiers ever, a man with lofty ideals, hopes and dreams of justice. But soon he is forced to admit, "Army can make a white man salute the uniform, but it can't make him give a man the respect that goes with it."

Just how could Cathy have fooled everyone for two years, you wonder? Never bathing with the men, never urinating in their presence, and how about 'the monthly visitor?' Did she walk the walk, talk the talk? Sarah Bird cooks up some interesting ideas and deftly places the reader in this situation and makes one squirm along with Cathy.

Her characters have walked off the pages of history--the usual mix of good and bad people. General Sheridan is particularly interesting and there's even a visit or two from the foppish George Armstrong Custer.

The pace of the story lags at times but is rescued towards the end with more action. This Is a very interesting bit of our American history that the reader may not know much about.

Just a note: I had to wonder why the assassination of President Lincoln was never mentioned, but the bad handling of the Reconstruction by President Andrew Johnson was brought up. Curious. I'm sure these soldiers would have mourned the loss of the Great Emancipator.
I received an arc of this work of historical fiction from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

The American Civil War sets the backdrop for this book. In Missouri General Philip Sheridan is setting fire to a tobacco farm when he gives the order to take one of the slaves back with him as a cook's assistant. Cathy Williams, dressed in buckskins and looking like a young boy, is then removed from her mother's arms and led away. She is no ordinary girl, she is the daughter of a daughter of a queen. African royalty, a girl that has royal blood running through her veins, a girl whose grandmother was a queen! But those who kidnapped her and sold her into bondage, were not concerned about her heritage.

Much to her dismay, Cathy winds up in the Union Army under General Sheridan's command to become the cook's assistant, Solomon. She is feisty, she cannot hold her thoughts or her tongue, resenting the fact that she is indeed where she is. But over time, learning the hard way, Cathy amends her attitude.

April 9, 1865 Lee surrenders and the war is over. The word "freedom" is now a fact but now reality sets in. Where will the former slaves go, what will they do? For Cathy Williams the choice was the army. She enlisted in the all black unit of the U.S. Army with a new name, William Cathay, disguised as a man. She is now a Buffalo Soldier and will be sent out west to fight the Indians. With that decision a new group of problems sets in. There are those who have the air of superiority in this unit, those who prey on the vulnerable and she was more than vulnerable. Binding her breasts flat and cutting her hair, she passes as a male. However, finding that she will be living with the men together in the barracks, as opposed to a white tent and alone, she had to be one step ahead of her fellow soldiers to maintain the deception. For two years Cathy kept her secret, in spite of bullying by others, she never let her guard down. With 8 months to go before she had served her time in the Army, she deserted. Due to circumstances beyond her control, she had no choice. Would history ever record what Cathy/Cathay and the ex-slaves had done as soldiers? Would these brave people ever be acknowledged or would history erase them?

There is little written about Cathy Williams, no place in the annals of history that record her story. It would seem she just disappeared. Ms. Bird has given us a remarkable story, written it with empathy and I would have to say written with respect. I have learned more from this piece of fiction than I have learned from history books in school. When I received this book, I had no idea that the protagonist was a real person, that she once existed. Ms. Bird gave her "flesh and blood", not only giving her a life, but she gave the reader a gift. A gift about a real life person who deserves the acknowledgment that history has overlooked. Her details of all the characters portrayed in this book as well as the details of the landscape, set images in your mind as you read along. If you read nothing else this year, read this. You won't be able to put it down.

My thanks to NetGalley for providing this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
5 Stars

About the Author

Sarah Bird's previous novel, Above the East China Sea, was long-listed for the Dublin International Literary Award. Sarah has been selected for the Meryl Streep Screenwriting Lab, the B&N Discover Great Writers program, NPR's Moth Radio series, the Texas Literary Hall of Fame, and New York Libraries Books to Remember list. She first heard Cathy Williams' story in the late seventies while researching African-American rodeos.

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5 brave stars to Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen!

Happy Publication Day to this beauty! Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen is historical fiction at its finest and is firmly on my Favorites Shelf!

My Thoughts:

I wavered back and forth between four and five stars for this gem, and the more I thought about it, I felt five stars fits. The deciding factor that pushed it over the edge: based on the true story of Cathy Williams, the only woman to have served with the Buffalo Soldiers in the Civil War, she was a force to be reckoned with, and I crave reads where women are depicted with fierce and inspiring tenacity. Cathy Williams is a legend, and the perfect main character to depict in a book.

Born a slave in Missouri, Cathy did not consider herself as such. Her grandmother was previously a queen in Africa, and a warrior queen at that. Her mother told her she was simply held captive until she could escape.

Her escape comes in the form of Union General Phillip Henry Sheridan who, along with his men, pillages the plantation on which she lives. Sheridan deems her worthy of his service, and she is separated from her mother and sister and thrown in a wagon until she arrives at the army camp where she serves as assistant to Sheridan’s cook.

Cathy is surrounded by men, and at times is confused for one and/or passes as a male. She uses this to her advantage for safety and transforms into Private Williams, a true American hero. I get chills when I think about her story, and I’m not sure I’ll ever forget the inspiration.

Sarah Bird weaves a beautifully-told adventure. Characterization, setting, and plot are all on point. I found the story immersive and all-consuming. If you enjoy historical fiction, this is a book you will not want to miss. Books like this are why we read historical fiction. And if you are a fan of strong female characters, you can’t miss Cathy’s story, even if this genre is not in your wheelhouse. It is epic, exciting, and inciting. I loved every minute I spent with Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own.

My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com

Cathy Williams was a slave born of a slave and a freeman on a Missouri tobacco plantation. He mother was the daughter of an African queen and never let Cathy forget the fact. Cathy’s father, a freedman and tailor, taught her proper English and math. Thus, Cathy was no ordinary slave. When General Phillip Henry Sheridan liberates her from the plantation, she joins his staff as an assistant for his cook, Solomon. Solomon teaches Cathy many life lessons to better her as well. As the war comes to a close, Cathy gains a taste of freedom and does not want to give it up.

At the war’s end, Cathy choses to disguise herself as a man and join the new regiments known as the Buffalo Soldiers. These all-black troops would serve out West where it was thought they could be free of racism. Not only do they learn this is not the case, the soldiers must also tackle a lazy commanding officer and numerous building projects. Cathy personally struggles to hide who she is from the men who believe her to be a “sodomite” and often takes brutal teasing. How will she handle this? How does it affect her relationships with others she serves with? What will happen if her true self is discovered? Read and find out.

If one was expecting biographical of historical fiction with this novel, the reader will be disappointed. While aspects of both were included, Bird mainly focused on the fictional Cathy’s very real and very vivid struggles, including freedom, the desire to love, and hiding her true self. With that in mind, this was more of a coming of age novel. The segment of the novel set after Cathy joins the Buffalo soldiers reads much like a western, so lovers of that genre would enjoy that part of the novel. Cathy’s mooning over her sergeant,though, brings in elements of a romance. In terms of historical facts, several were included but the timeline of much was simplified and shifted as to not match the real Cathy Williams’ life. Throughout, the language is a little rough, so this is not a clean read. Even when blank lines were used to represent the worst words, it was still easy from the context to figure out which was meant. As a whole, this novel was one where I liked bits and pieces, but, as a whole was not quite what I was expecting.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy. I will add a link to my blog once the review has been posted there.

It's a 4.5 for me.

I had my doubts about loving this because I don't really like history books that don't have anything to do with highlanders but when I opened this, I was surprised with how easy it was to sink into it. And then I was reading it and enjoying Private Cathy Williams and everything she was. Her heartaches, her accomplishments, even a love story was in this! I don't usually read this genre so I'm not sure what is expected of a book like this, but I loved it. I cried a few times with what happened, I legit cared about Cathy and everything that happened to her. And the ending!

It's a recommend read. Cathy Williams is what heroines are based off of; strong-willed and dedicated to a cause, I hope you at least look this woman up to see what she did in her life before it was legal for women to serve in the military.

I was intrigued by the blurb of Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen by Sarah Bird. A woman determined not to let her circumstances define her and defying all the odds in a man’s world, what is not to love! I do not usually read historical books, however, this one drew me in from the very start.

Cathy was born a slave but was shown by her mother that no one else defines who she is. Taken from her family, she is made a cook’s assistant, however, she is determined to one day be reunited with her family. Though Cathy does her job, she is never one afraid to speak out. After the war, she decides not to go back to be a slave and instead disguises herself as a man and joins the Calvary.

This story was Cathy’s journey and the many obstacles she faced as both a slave and a black woman. It was definitely an interesting read and showed her courage and determination to be more than what was deemed by others.

Happy reading!

Daughter of the Daughter of a Queen is a historical novel based on the life of a real-life figure, Cathy/Cathay Williams, a Missouri-born contraband slave pressed into service during the Civil War, who later enlisted in the Buffalo Soldiers of the US Army while posing as a man. Cathy Williams led an amazing life, and she was finally recognized with a bust in Leavenworth, Kansas in 2016 and a memorial bench at the National Infantry Museum in Columbus, Georgia in 2018. My chief problems with this novel are the liberties and embellishments that the author has taken with Williams' story that didn't enhance my appreciation of Williams' life and the tragedy of her death. (In failing health, Williams' was denied military benefits for her service during the war and in the Buffalo Soldiers, in spite of being diabetic and a multiple amputee at the time of her application for the benefits.)

Bird has created a backstory of Williams being descended from an African queen when the facts are that there is sadly no information about where Williams' maternal line actually descended from in Africa. She has also altered what appear to be the facts of Williams early life as a slave, including having her remain with her mother and sister until conscripted. Facts indicate that Cathy Williams was separated from her mother (her father was a free man) at a very early age, as shown by her own statements made in the St. Louis Daily Times article of 1876. (My reference for that is Cathy Williams: From Slave to Buffalo Solider which, while less than perfect, does have references for facts of her life.) While little is known about Williams' early life beyond her own statements and a few slim sources in the National Archives, as I read through the first quarter to a third of this novel, I began to feel the embellishments of this fearless woman's life were not necessary to engage the reader. I was puzzled even by the distortions of factual history about Sheridan versus Benton being the officer initially pressing Williams into service all to yield a fictional meeting with Sheridan in her later life. Williams did serve under Sheridan's command after conscription, but not until she was transferred to Washington DC. (Things like this left me feeling like I do after I go to a movie with a screenplay in which several figures have been made into a composite because they want to simplify things for the viewers of a two-hour movie. This is a book, and I expect many characters.) Then there is the fact that Bird invented a romantic relationship with a fellow soldier but completely ignores the fact that Cathy Williams suffered a disastrous marriage in Pueblo, Colorado after her discharge from service with the Buffalo Soldiers. Her husband stole her belongings, and she had to have him arrested. She moved not long after to Trinidad, Colorado, where she resided until her death around age fifty.

Additionally, while I understand that Bird is trying to give us the post-Civil War world through Williams' eye, the broad use of the racial term "Indian" with minimal differentiation between various tribes of Native Americans was troubling to me. Not all Native American tribes were out there scalping American colonizers, but the broad facts are that Native Americans were just about as badly treated as had been African American slaves, albeit in different ways. They were certainly vulnerable to being abused, killed without due process, and were ripped from their homes, territory, and family in much the same way, as well. The novel provides little context for the Indian Wars.

Bird wanted to her novel to tell the story of a great American woman, whose story was for a time lost in history. I know her intentions were good, but the way in which the book has been written was, to me, something of a disservice to Cathy Williams because so much of Willilams' life story has been fictionalized while facts that are known from Williams herself have been ignored. Sadly, the takeaway for some readers is likely to be that Bird is a white author making up aspects of the life of a great African American woman, ignoring some of her most poignant and relevant personal issues, all while glossing over and amplifying the disparaging words and prevailing views of Native Americans, without context.

I received a Digital Review Copy from St. Martin's Press along with a paper review copy, in exchange for an honest review.

This is an amazing story of a woman's courage, determination and fortitude and I was very much looking forward to reading this story that I knew nothing about.
I enjoyed Cathy's story and her sense of humor and, most importantly, her strength. Cathy is unbelievably brave and smart and definitely a part of history that everyone should learn about-especially young women.
What I didn’t like about this book was the fictionalized romance thrown in between her and a Union soldier, which is a major part of the novel. I wish that we could have a story about this brave young woman without reducing it to something she did because of a man but simply because she was amazing. 3