The American Queen

By: Vanessa Miller

Narrated by: Angel Pean

AS SEEN ON GOOD MORNING AMERICA: GMA 15 New Books to Read | 2024 American Fiction Award WINNER for African American Fiction AND Historical Fiction

"Miller brings to enthralling life a hidden gem in American history." --Publishers Weekly

There is only one known queen who truly ruled a kingdom on American soil. Meet the queen of Happy Land.

Transformative and breathtakingly honest, The American Queen is based on actual events that occurred between 1865 - 1889 and shares the unsung history of a Black woman who built a kingdom in Appalachia as a refuge for the courageous people who dared to dream of a different way of life.

Over the twenty-four years she was enslaved on the Montgomery Plantation, Louella learned to feel one thing: hate. Hate for the man who sold her mother. Hate for the overseer who left her daddy to hang from a noose. Hate so powerful there's no room in her heart for love, not even for the honorable Reverend William, whom she likes and respects enough to marry.

But when William finally listens to Louella's pleas and leads the formerly enslaved people off the plantation, Louella begins to replace her hate with hope. Hope that they will find a place where they can live free from fear. Hope that despite her many unanswered prayers, she can learn to trust for new miracles.

Soon, William and Louella become the appointed king and queen of their self-proclaimed Kingdom of the Happy Land. And though they are still surrounded by opposition, they continue to share a message of joy and goodness--and fight for the freedom and dignity of all.

The American Queen weaves together themes of love, hate, hope, trust, and resilience in the face of great turmoil. As you listen, you will be transported to a pivotal period in American history, where oppressed people become extraordinary heroes.

©2024 Vanessa Miller (P)2024 Thomas Nelson

Critic reviews

'The American Queen brings to light another hidden triumph in Black American history. Queen Louella is frankly a woman that everyone should know. Filled with bravery and cultural beauty, this marvel of a novel transported me while educating me on the sheer determination of an emancipated community to not only survive but to also thrive.' —Sadeqa Johnson, New York Times bestselling author of The House of Eve

'The American Queen is beautifully told, a story rife with struggle, intrigue, and the indomitable spirit of a woman strong enough to carry the weight of a community, bold enough to dream the impossible, and determined enough to fashion dreams into reality. Louella Montgomery is a woman for the ages. I loved traveling alongside her and meeting the people of The Happy Land.' —Lisa Wingate #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Lost Friends

The life of the Queen

I enjoyed this book so much, I found it hard to put down I wanted to keep reading it! The readers voice was excellent for this story! My only disappoint was with the singing. Many of the songs were well known Negro spiritual’s and she wasn’t singing them in the rhythm or tune of the song, that was distracting. Other than that, I was transported to the time period and truly enjoyed the journey! Highly recommend reading this.

The American Queen

I loved this book, it was a good story I enjoyed the characters so much in the story, then finding out it was true made it even better. I never knew any of this, so much of our history we don’t know. I want to know ow more. Thank you

Great storytelling!

What an incredible story! I was completely captivated and couldn't put it down. The storytelling was masterful, and the character development was exceptional. It held my attention from start to finish!

The American Queen

I loved that this author explained that the story was actual people and events this were true. And the methods that she took to verify the story. We need to have more stories such as this one to educate our people and others that we come from a long line of Kings and Queens.

Bringing our history to life

The realness of the portal of the people and their everyday lives brings this part of our history to life. Thank you for writing such an important story.

Painfully beautiful story of strength and determination!

This was as close to a happy place as one enslaved and freed with limitations could imagine.

I was there

While listening to this amazing book I felt as though I was there. It was a joy to read this book during the month of February for Black History Month.

Perfect mixture of fiction & non-fiction

This book is well written and well researched. It left me wanting more. I enjoyed how the writer commingled fiction in where she could not find history notes to accurately complete her story. It all went well together, making it a great book.

A story of unwavering faith and resilience. Everyone should read!

I loved listening to this beautiful story of strength, resilience and healing. Narration was perfect. The protagonist, Luella, born in to slavery - comes of age at the end of the civil war during a time her family remained on the plantation of her former slave owners land as share croppers in return for housing and a small wage. She is full of heartache and disdain for the losses she has suffered as a slave. She marries Reverend William, and when his brother gets in to some trouble - their family is forced to leave all they know in search of a life they can call their own, and they set off with anyone that that wants to go with them.

I love that this story is about real people, and based on true facts that were extremely well researched by the author. I felt the sorrow, the yearning, hopelessness and also the growth, the strength, love, compassion and sense of responsibility that Luella carried.

Heartbreaking and Heartwarming Tale You Probably Never Heard

As the saying goes, those who refuse to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. The formerly enslaved people who traveled out of Mississippi to eventually found Happy Land were determined to not let their history repeat itself despite living in a world that did not see their value as human beings. They were led by Louella and her husband William, later named King and Queen of the place they all built together.

This historical novel is at once heartwarming and heartbreaking, telling an important true story of the human spirit and the desire to build something wonderful out of a trail of terrible events. It was so hard at times reading the injustices and knowing that many of them exist to this day - but seeing what people will endure and persevere was a triumph.

The author skillfully weaves a strong story that utilizes all known historical details while filling the gaps seamlessly - even admitting to adding a few things that were not known but that she wished had happened but ultimately had no impact on the story.

You cannot leave a book like this untouched - it is a reminder of everything great and shameful about this country, and also that we are fortunate that while history is captured by the oppressors, sometimes stories like this are maintained over time. I am thankful to be touched by this one.