So Many African Books

The SMAB Blog

← All Posts

I was completely captivated by She Would Be King by Wayétu Moore.

She Would Be King cover

Book reviewed

She Would Be King

🇱🇷 Wayétu Moore · Liberia/US

18+ historical reimagining magical realism resistance settlers

Three uniquely gifted individuals protect the weak and navigate the tumultuous roots of a new colony in West Africa. This transcendent debut blends history and magical realism into a profound tale of humanity and resistance.

Title: She Would Be King

Author: Wayétu Moore

Publication Date: 1st July, 2019.

Publisher - ONE

Genre - Historical Fiction

Review

Mangos & Avocado

I love me some juicy fruits and my top favourites are avocados 🥑 & mangos 🥭 It’s quite fitting to the theme of this book where the majority took place in the forest.

How do I begin to type about She Would Be King, which was a wonder that unfolded as I read it?

Have you read this book? Was it a surprise to you? I think I let the book sit so long on my shelf I forgot all I had learnt about it, buried the words spoken in panels where Wayétu was a speaker and I was in attendance.

I am happy I forgot because finding out what the book held within is pages was completely captivating.

The writing style, the origin story of the main protagonist and the stories of the people we come across, was equally painful and beautiful to read as it’s a fictionalised historical story of how Liberia was birthed.

My heart was with Gbessa, Norman & June Dey from start to finish and when I read the last line, my heart became heavy because I had come to the end of a story I would have loved to go on reading.

I don’t like picking up books that deal with slavery because it’s so tragic and never fails to make me cry, but the strength of these characters filled me with something different and beautiful—I’ll end with read the book if you haven’t already.

Wayetu SIgnature

Wayétu thanked me for reading but I am the one that is thankful because she wrote this wonderful book.

Find your next read

Pick a mood. Get one recommendation. Discover African fiction.

Get a recommendation →