ISLAND QUEEN

Narrator Adjoa Andoh's versatile voice is the perfect match for this novel based on the life of Caribbean tycoon Dorothy "Doll" Kirwan Thomas. Born into slavery on Montserrat in the mid-1700s, Doll is determined to purchase freedom for herself and her family. Andoh's portrayals of Doll's parents, lovers, children, and racist antagonists provide a diverse sensory experience for the listener, who feels the agony of enslavement in one chapter and tastes tamarind and tea in the next. Pursued by powerful men like the future King William IV, Doll ultimately rejects being a concubine, knowing that true power comes from freedom and fortune. She achieves both by building a mercantile/hotel empire throughout the islands. Andoh's strong interpretation of this tenacious woman is the jewel in the crown for the listener. E.S.B. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2021]