This is a biography of Sarah Forbes Bonetta, an African princess rescued from certain death. Her benefactor was Queen Victoria of England.

Sarah’s village had been destroyed by enemy warriors. Her parents murdered in front of her. At age 7 she was rescued by Captain Forbes and brought to England. He was able to save her by telling the chief of the warrior tribe she would be a gift to the Queen.

It is an interesting story of the life and times in Victoria’s era. Sarah was raised as an English child with some of the privileges of royalty. Her education was of the top drawer for a girl. The basis of the book came from letters written by Sarah telling of what her life was like. She didn’t live at court, but was raised by white families. She also was sent back to Africa, for a bit, to learn about the culture and world she came from.

An unusual and interesting read. ( )

Excellent telling of this fascinating story!

I first heard of her story when watching the series "Victoria" on Amazon Prime and found the book an easy and quick read packed with historical facts, documents, and images that support the story. ( )

A great book about the resilience of a young girl who survived loss of family and native country as she makes her way through life with the help of a very influencial woman - Queen Victoria. ( )

My nine-year-old daughter and I read this together and very much enjoyed this story of a young girl orphaned in tribal violence and then, essentially, gifted to England's Queen Victoria. I think we were both drawn to the narrative of a child traveling without family to a foreign land and then trying to find a home there.

I appreciated that Myers included excerpts from the primary sources that he used, not only because they help my daughter see how to weave material from primary documents into a narrative but also because I enjoy hearing the story in the words of those who lived it. As Myers mentions in the epilogue, there are many questions left unanswered about Sarah Forbes Bonetta's life, particularly how she felt and what she thought about her circumstances. We can make guesses from her letters to loved ones, but throughout the book, I wondered about the woman behind those words.

Reading about Sarah Forbes Bonetta reminded me of how I felt when I learned about Native Americans who had been taken to England in the 17th century, either as captives or as curiosities. Much as I wonder what it was like in England for Squanto or Pocahontas, I wonder how Sarah Forbes Bonetta experienced England. She lived her life among the English and made her home primarily in England, but did she feel accepted in English society? Did she feel at home? Her choices seemed limited, but were they more limited than the choices any woman in Victorian England would have had?

This book exposed my daughter and me to a different side of England in the 19th century, and we enjoyed it despite (or maybe because of) the unanswered questions. It prompted discussion not only about the historical and cultural context of Bonetta's life, but also about what makes a family and what makes a place "home." ( )

This is a very interesting tale based on the true story of an English captain who rescued an African princess from sure death via sacrifice by a brutal African King of Dahome. Attacking and killing members of villages, the King of Dahome, kept some members, bringing them back to Dahome to hold in pens until his ritual of sacrifice was held.

When Captain Frederick Forbes is meeting with the King, he is told that a sacrificial ceremony is about to occur. Watching in horror, he notes a small five year old girl about to be killed. Asking the King to give the girl to him as a present for Queen Victoria, he then rescues the girl, bringing her back to England, naming her Sarah Forbes Bonetta.

The Queen is smitten with Sarah and from then on provides funding for her upkeep. Frequent visits to the palace set Sarah apart from others and she is held in great esteem.

Befriended by Queen Victoria's children, Sarah forms a bond that lasts a lifetime. Sharp, sensitive and very intelligent, Sarah adapts to her life and, while she dies at a young time in her life, she marries, has two children and is forever grateful to her rescuer. ( )