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There are currently 30 member reviews
for Happy Land
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Margaret H. (Covina, CA)
Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Happy Land combines history and storytelling: a pleasure to read. All the characters - worthy, unworthy, kind, cruel - are fully-fleshed and believable.
The Kingdom of the Happy Land is created during Reconstruction, when ex-slaves discovered that their new right to vote did not guarantee independence. Forming separate, independent communities becomes one alternative to living under inequity. Through the inhabitants of Happy Land that we learn the difficulties and the triumphs of such efforts. There is a time jump to the modern-day heirs of the kingdom who, for the most part, do not know about the richness of their heritage.
The history component contains a warning to property owners and would-be property owners to check paperwork in case of legal loopholes concerning ownership. The author's notes make the story even more worthwhile.
I recommend this clever book to writing students for its skillful weaving of a compelling tale with a real-world backbone, and to history students for its research methodology.
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Angela W. (Shelby Twp, MI)
Historical Fiction - Appalachia - formerly enslaved people
In the 1870s, a group of formerly enslaved people settled in the mountains outside Hendersonville, North Carolina, and established the Kingdom of the Happy Land. This land was inspired by and thrived like the African kingdoms of their ancestors. Fast forward to the present day: the Kingdom is long forgotten, but a descendant remains who wants to preserve her family's legacy, and the land connected to it. She reminds herself—and all of us—that honoring and understanding our ancestors' past helps their descendants thrive.
This is a wonderfully written historical novel with complex characters who had me rooting for them from page one. I loved this book and highly recommend it.
I adore historical fiction based on real events, especially those like the Kingdom of the Happy Land, which would be lost to history without writers like Dolen Perkins-Valdez bringing these stories to life.
Thank you to BookBrowse and Berkley for an early read in exchange for a fair review.
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Jennie W. (Denver, CO)
Great Read
I love a good historical fiction book and Happy Land delivered. It is an emotional family drama told by two different generations of women. The present is told by Nikki, a woman reconnecting with her grandmother and by extension her ancestors back to post-civil war time. The past is told by Luella, a freed slave living in a self-sustaining kingdom built by a community of other free slaves. The two stories merge to an emotional, fitting conclusion.
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Theresa P. (Arkport, NY)
The power of family history
Another winner from Dolan Perkins-Valdez. A beautiful mix of historical fiction in a place in the USA I had never heard tales like this of. The power of family and the history families share was a wonderful bonus to her words.This book gave a powerful celebration of the success some former enslaved men and women worked for and triumphed with. A moving novel.
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Ilene M. (Longmont, CO)
Excellent book!
This is another great story told by the author of Take My Hand. Another historical fiction tale that had me completely engaged. The author's skilled writing made me feel that I was right there with her characters. Bravo!
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Rebecca M. (Gulfport, FL)
Always Learn Something From Historical Fiction
I love a great historical fiction book, especially when I learn a piece of history that I knew nothing about, especially with US history.
This story is told in alternating sections, one is current time with Nikki, as she heads to see her Grandmother, Mother Rita, who she has not seen in many years. Mother Rita has reached out to Nikki as she needs help with something but once Nikki gets there, Mother is not immediately forthcoming with what she needs help with. Nikki pieces things together during her visit & it has to do with multi generational history.
The other section of the story is told from the POV of Luella, a young woman during the Reconstruction era. Her family is now free & a group of them move on to land near the SC/NC border & they form their own "kingdom" called Happy Land.
The old history & new part of the story merge together over time.
There's current family turmoil- 4 generations of women, Mother Rita, her daughter who is Nikki's mom, Nikki & Nikki's daughter. Nikki's mom has never believed the story that has been passed down over generations about this kingdom with a King & Queen, called Happy Land. This causes a rift over many years & Nikki works to find the truth.
A great piece of history that I am sure many of us never heard of before.
Thank you Dolen Perkins-Valdez for researching this & writing this wonderful novel.
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Louise E. (Ocean View, DE)
Interesting story
I thoroughly enjoyed Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez. The story kept me interested in finding out how the different situations would be resolved in both stories and when both stories would intertwine. I don't usually like novels that have 2 interconnected stories from 2 different time periods, but I very much enjoyed this novel, and it was easy for me to follow. Learning about what some slaves did after The Emancipation and how this group banned together to protect themselves and take care of each other was amazing. The present day story was intriguing, but I kept wondering why they let their disagreements go on for so long. The legal aspects of real estate in this story was interesting as I didn't realize how intricate it could be. I will be recommending this book to my book club and will read other books by this author.
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