Book Review: The Renegade Queen

GENRE: Historical fiction

BLURB:

 So controversial she was erased from history. She was the first women to run for President; campaigning before women could vote. So feared by the powerful, she was thrown in jail on Election Day.  Her social revolution attracted the outcasts who were left out of the new wealth in New York; the immigrants, the freed slaves, the prostitutes, and the radicals. Who was she? This is the true story of Victoria Woodhull.

Excerpt:

 I was conceived in a whore’s tent at a Methodist revival. I know this because my father recounted the story often and with some pride. In those days, a meeting was not in a big tent but rather in an empty field surrounded by small tents. Prostitutes, hawkers, and every unsavory fool who had something to sell to the downtrodden camped out in tents, perching themselves like hawks ready to scoop up feeble mice. The preacher man encouraged them to stay, wanting to turn each one into a tick mark indicating a saved soul. Mama, who would weep uncontrollably for the world’s sins and dry her tears with the most stomachchurning stream of never-ending underworld profanity, begged Father to attend the revivals. Once Father realized that fancy ladies would be surrounding the meeting, Mama didn’t have to beg no more. He always said both the preacher and the whores had a way of saving men. The preacher kept a tally in his Bible, and the whore kept a tally by counting the cash in her hand. Father, a smooth talker who could convince Saint Peter to open his gates for the devil, always made friends with the whores. Without the money to make a tent of their own, Father wormed his way into the whores’ hearts, all the while keeping his eye on the prized dirty canvas. It didn’t take long before a boyish wink won the tent, if only for an hour.

 My review:

“The Renegade queen” is an amazing story about a woman’s struggles in a world of men. Showing a glimpse into American history, the book covers some real facts,  the author managing to combine a real event with a touch of fiction. While struggling to understand the first pages, as I initially considered the beginning to be a bit dull, I came to understand why our heroine acted the way she did later in the book and from where came her resolution to change something for the women.

I do believe this book is not for the ones not willing to go beyond our current days. It may be difficult to understand why women were so willing to submit themselves to rough treatments and humiliation. Myself being one, I felt enraged even. Still, going back in time, in a world in which only men were powerful, smart, able to think and do business, when a woman decides to take actions into her own hands it shifts the balance of power.

I do believe that even if the man was the strong image of that time and a woman starts to gain courage and power, the book’s message is that only standing together as equals we can make our lives easier. This is not about who’s the smart one or about a female’s charm. This is about a fight fo equity and place in society.

Very interesting, with a very good message. Loved it and recommend it – if you are looking of an intelligent book.

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Eva was raised on bedtime stories of feminists (the tooth fairy even brought Susan B. Anthony dollars) and daytime lessons on American politics. On one fateful day she discovered two paragraphs about Victoria Woodhull in the WXYZ volume of the World Book Encyclopedia. When she realized that neither of her brilliant parents (a political science professor and a feminist) had never heard of her, it was the beginning of a lifelong fascination not only with Victoria Woodhull but in discovering the stories that the history books do not tell.

Eva was born and raised in Tennessee, earned her B.A. in Political Science from DePauw in Greencastle, Indiana and still lives in Indiana. Eva enjoys reading, classic movies, and travelling. She loves to hear from readers, you may reach her at eva@rebellioustimes.com.

Website: www.rebellioustimes.com

Twitter: @evaflyn

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EvaFlynnAuthor/

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Renegade-Queen-Rebellious-Times-Book-ebook/dp/B018TOPIH8/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=wwwwilltownco-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=3LOXFTOZMU6EVPBF&creativeASIN=B018TOPIH8

Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/The+Renegade+Queen?_requestid=323299