'Nzingha, Warrior Queen of Matamba'

Author: Patricia McKissack
Genre: Historical/Fiction
Publisher: Scholastic
Series: The Royal Diaries

By now I'm sure you've figured it out: this is my favorite series.
This particular book, however, was definitely not my favorite of the series. The story itself was fine, full of political intrigue and cultural struggles as the Portuguese attempt to take over Angola and 'civilize' its people, but it didn't seem as well-developed and fleshed out as it could have been. I understand the reason for this, as historical information on Nzingha is difficult to find, but it still left the story feeling somewhat thin. The book itself was much shorter than most of the books in this series, so I didn't really feel like I got to know Nzingha on a deep level like I have with so many of the other historical women featured in the Royal Diaries series. Again, I understand that historical information on Nzingha and her life is not abundant. And, this book took me from having never heard of Nzingha to knowing who she was and the role she played in fighting the Portuguese exportation of slaves from Africa. So all is not lost.
On the whole, while this book isn't necessarily one I'll read again and again for sheer enjoyment, it still introduced me to a part of history I previously knew nothing about, so it was definitely worth my while.