THE OTHER PRINCESS: A NOVEL OF QUEEN VICTORIA’S GODDAUGHTER by Denny S. Bryce is a captivating work of historical fiction that delves into the remarkable life of Sarah Forbes Bonetta. Born a Yoruba Princess, Bonetta faced adversity early on, losing her family and enduring captivity before a British naval captain rescued her. The novel skillfully navigates her journey from captivity to the glittering court of Queen Victoria, where she was raised in the public eye, encountering challenges, privilege, and the harsh realities of racism. Bryce's writing succeeds in bringing to life the fascinating story of Bonetta, making this novel an enlightening read.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

What I loved about this book:

1. It introduced me to a part of history that I had no previous knowledge of.
2. I enjoyed the perspective of Sarah and that the story was written from her point of view.

What I thought could be different:
1. I think the cover is featuring a "romance" theme and I didn't find it to be a romance novel.
2. The voice the novel starts in is appropriate for a child, but the voice doesn’t seem to age in a manner consistent with Sarah’s intellectual growth.

Thanks to William Morrow and Company and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my review.

A very special thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow publishing for this advance copy of The Other Princess, Denny S. Bryce's follow-up to last year's Wild Women and the Blues, one of the best historical fiction works I've read recently - this does not influence this review.

I was really excited to see approval for this one, as I was hoping lightning would strike twice, and I'm happy to report that this one is amazing - 4.5 stars. Denny S. Bryce has a fantastic way with words and character development, and I was immediately entranced with Sarah Forbes Bonetta (Princess Aina) and her journey from Africa into the hands of Queen Victoria's era. The author does such an amazing job of doing her research, which makes her works outstanding to read. One thing that sometimes gets a little dry with historical fiction works involves a lot of fact dumping, which is important to the story but gets a little hard to slog through - despite this, this one is one I'd highly recommend to any historical fiction fan.

Thank you again to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for this honest review. The Other Princess is available now!

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC. "The Other Princess" is another solid edition to William Morrow's growing number of female centric historical fiction novels. "The Other Princess" focuses on the "goddaughter" of Queen Victoria of England. Sarah Forbes Bonetta was an African princess forced from her homeland, held captive, and eventually "adopted" by British missionaries. I found this novel to be informative, but not didactic. I learned a lot about British colonialism in West Africa, but the story still moved at a solid pace. I have had my eye on Denny Bryce's other novels but now they will move up my never ending TBR.

I really enjoyed this historical fiction book. It takes the story of Sarah Forbes Bonetta, the African princess who becomes a ward of Queen Victoria, and makes it more accessible. To many people, Sarah is just a footnote in history. This book makes her come alive with her own feelings, motivations, and dreams.

I really enjoyed this look into Victorian England and Victorian Africa. I have to admit that I have never thought much about Africa in the Victorian era and this book definitely opened my eyes to this world. I highly enjoyed getting to know Sarah and her life and times.

If you enjoy historical fiction or retellings of historical events, this book is likely the perfect book for you.

I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley for
review consideration. This in no way affects my opinion of the title
nor the content of this review.

The story of Princess Sarah was wonderful. I loved reading about her life and how she dealt with her challenges. I have read many books of this time era, but had not heard of her before. This is a great opportunity to learn about an amazing woman.

A mesmerizing and well-told tale that travels from tribal African villages to Victorian England.
Aina is an African princess who witnesses the atrocities of war first hand, is imprisoned and then “rescued” and given as a “gift” to Queen Victoria.

Aina is haunted by the murders of her family and works to overcome her past and survive new challenges in a different world.

The detailed descriptions evoke all of the emotions and send you searching for the historical background of this unknown story.

This is a read that will stay with you and I definitely recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley for the complimentary eArc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Great story excellently told - a royal born African woman - based on a real woman - set in the time of Queen Victoria. Kidnapped and kept as the queen’s plaything it is a moving piece about home

I received an advanced copy of "The Other Princess" from the author and NetGalley in exchange for my candid thoughts.

Upon spotting this title available for review, I was instantly drawn in without a second's pause. My affection for historical fiction runs deep, especially when the narrative intertwines seamlessly with historical accuracy. "The Other Princess" fits this criteria, taking inspiration from the true story of Aina, who later was renamed Sarah Forbes Bonetta following her capture with the British. My own research during the reading process confirmed the novel's historical fidelity.

Aina, an African princess, endured heart-wrenching adversities at a young age, losing her entire family to a warring tribe. However, her life took an unforeseen turn when the British colonizers arrived. Recognizing her royal status, they spared her life, presenting her as a gift to Queen Victoria. Transported to England, Aina - now renamed Sarah (because Sarah is Christian name) - was coerced to renounce her native culture, religion, and language. She was immersed in English customs, introduced to the Bible, and converted to Christianity – all in anticipation of meeting Queen Victoria, who later officially became her godmother.

While Aina/Sarah's life was undeniably exceptional, it's essential to highlight the inherent issues of forced assimilation she underwent. "The Other Princess" offers insight on topics like White saviorism, mandatory cultural adaptations, and the effects of colonization.

Though I took pleasure in diving into this book, a few elements stopped me from deeming it a five-star read. My regular readers are well aware that a three or 3.5-star rating from me is far from a negative critique – a three-star book still stands out in its own right. As a voracious consumer of historical fiction, I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was missing. While the book masterfully traces Aina/Sarah's journey, it often skimmed the surface. I longed for a richer depth. The narrative touches upon themes of racial discrimination and rights, yet I craved more profound commentary. If I had read this book earlier in my racial equity journey, I might have overlooked these subtleties. I ponder whether the author purposefully chose to spotlight Aina/Sarah's life, rather than delve into broader socio-political themes.

I enthusiastically urge readers to not only delve into this novel but to also explore the fascinating life of the real Aina/Sarah Forbes Bonetta.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC. This book was so good! I had no idea this person existed and I was riveted by her entire story! From beginning to end i was enthralled. A must read

I was happy to receive an advance copy of this historical fiction story and I loved it so much ! The Other Princess was a gritty, soul crushing story through the hearts of readers .... I absolutely enjoyed being in the middle of the pov.

This is a fictional account of young African princess who was imprisoned at a young age so that she could be sold off as a slave. She lost her entire family, yet somehow had the gumption to survive, and even thrive. I found this part of the story particularly riveting as I knew so little of Africa and learned so much.

The African princess eventually came to the attention of Queen Victoria, and she travelled to England where she mingled with royalty. I so appreciate knowing the life story of this woman. She was an fascinating character, and this was a fantastic read.

The Other Princess tells the story of Sarah Forbes Bonetta, an African princess who becomes the ward of Queen Victoria. I had never heard of Sarah before, and the story was very interesting! This was the first book of Denny S. Bryce’s I have read, and I look forward to reading more! Thank you, NetGalley and William Morrow for the advance reader copy of this book.

I loved this book of women empowerment so much!!!!!!!!!!! This story shows us that we as women can get through all life throws us.

What a wonderful story. This one grabbed me right from the beginning and just didn't let me go! This book follows the life of Aina who, after the brutal murder of her family and two years of enslavement, becomes the goddaughter of the queen of England and is renamed Sarah Forbes Bonetta. This is based on her real life and it is a fascinating one. Sarah is a character who is not always easy to like, but you can see how her actions and reactions are colored by her past and the fact that for much of her life, she does not have any choices about how she lives. The story is well crafted. My one complaint is that the beginning of the book feels very intense and descriptive, while the end feels somewhat rushed. I wished it was just a little more balanced. Recommended read for sure, especially for historical fiction lovers.

This story captured my attention from page one. She is only five and we get a glimpse of her place as the youngest among her sisters and brothers. Her name is Princess Aina. Her father is the king of Okeadon and his enemies attack and leave her an Orphan. Aina is captured and enslaved. Her story spans from 1849-1880 from West Africa to England.
Aina fights for survival. She always finds friends and protectors, but just as with her family, experiences unfathomable loss of those she loves along the way.
The most fascinating part of the story is her being taken in by Queen Victoria. She was very intelligent and gifted in music and language. I loved getting the inside view of royal life as she became friends with the Queens daughter and frequented Windsor Castle.
She became Princess Sarah Fobes Bonetta. Although she lived as a "royal" the loss of home and people she'd loved haunted her. Even with the Royal blessing, she fought to be seen as equal and for control of her life. Her story was, exciting, suspenseful, heartbreaking and joyful.

This was an extremely interesting book. I'm a fan of PBS Victoria and the Queen's goddaughter was in one of the storylines. I found it interesting and this well researched book provided an interesting background. Thank you #NetGalley #WilliamMarrow

Loved this story. I can tel there was a lot of research that was put into this. I never knew anything about Princess Sarah and I’m glad I read this. The beginning pulls you into the story and the writing keeps you turning the pages.

Some books are so good, it takes me longer than I would like to do the review because I don't want to spoil how much I enjoyed the book. This was one of those books. I'm no stranger to the author's writing and she knocked it out of the park with this book. The way this story took on so many surprises and twists and turns that had me wanting to slow down because I didn't want it to end, but also me wanting to hurry up because I really wanted to know what happened next. This was such an emotional read and an important part of black history that for the most part has been forgotten. The fact that it was also based on a true person made this book all the more enjoyable. This was such a phenomenal story and we need more like these written by marginalized authors. The story will be one of those that will forever be etched in my memory.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for The Other Princess by Denny S. Bryce. This is historical fiction inspired by the life of an African princess named Aina who loses her family (TW), gets kidnapped by the invaders, and is then gifted to the Queen of England and becomes her unofficial goddaughter.

Aina is renamed Sarah Forbes Bonetta, and the Queen makes all decisions about the care of Sarah. Sarah struggles with her identity as a proper English woman and as an African princess. Sarah is an amazing girl and then grows into an even more phenomenal woman— so strong, intelligent, and charming despite what she lived through in Africa and in England.

Bryce is a very skilled author, and I am glad she is sharing the story of the life of Aina with the world.

Thank you to the author, William Morrow and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.