Author: Edwidge DanticatSeries: The Royal Diaries
Genre: Historical, Fiction
Publisher: Scholastic
Within the context of the Royal Diaries series, this book was definitely a unique reading experience. Most of the books in the series are building up to either the main character's marriage or assumption of power, and end when one of those is achieved. This book actually carried through Anacaona's marriage to the chieftain of a neighboring territory and the first couple of years of their life together.
I loved the way it portrayed her loyalty to and love for her husband, and her devotion in both ruling and fighting beside him. That alone would have made the book a joy to read.
But in addition to that, it was a great look into the Haitian culture of the 1400s. Their perception and measurement of time were confusing and even a little frustrating, since they don't have the spring-summer-fall-winter season pattern that I'm used to, and their 'months' are all twenty days long and measured by the moon. But I learned to enjoy it, and the descriptions of the tropical climate, landscape, and lifestyle were beautiful and delightful.
A word of warning: Fans of Christopher Columbus either won't like this book, or won't be Christopher Columbus fans by the end... or possibly both. Just sayin'.
First, Anacaona was not black or mulatto. She was indian; therefore, the picture of the woman from the cover doesn't come even close to what indian women looked like.
ReplyDeleteSecond, Haitians have nothing to do with those Indians at all. By the time Haitian ancestor got to Hispaniola, those Indian were eliminated, but many were mixed with the Europeans, who controlled the island after 1492.