Waiting for the Queen: A Novel of Early America

by Joanna Higgins

"French aristocrats in Early America? Quaker carpenters and housemaids? Slaves in the Northeast? I never knew, but Joanna Higgins brings to life their story through three very different girls who grow into courage, wisdom, tolerance, and friendship. Their story is exciting, touching, and so real that I didn't want it to end, and neither will you."
—Karen Cushman

A surprising friendship develops between Eugenie, an escapee from the French Revolution, and Hannah, a Quaker girl, when they unite in the cause against slavery in this adventuresome tale of true nobility set amidst the rugged, eighteenth-century, Pennsylvania wilderness.

Fifteen-year-old Eugenie de La Roque and her family barely escape the French Revolution with their lives. Along with several other noble families, they sail to America, where French Azilium, as the area came to be known, is being carved out of the rugged wilderness of Pennsylvania. Hannah Kimbrell is a young Quaker who has been chosen to help prepare French Azilum for the arrival of the aristocrats. In this wild place away from home and the memories they hold dear, Eugenie and Hannah find more in common than they first realize. With much to learn from each other, the girls unite to help free several slaves from their tyrannical French owner, a dangerous scheme that requires personal sacrifice in exchange for the slaves' freedom.

A story of friendship against all odds, Waiting for the Queen is a loving portrait of the values of a young America, and a reminder that true nobility is more than a royal title.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Historical, Fiction, 18th Century, France, Middle Grade

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Joanna Higgins is the author of A Soldier's Book, Dead Center, and The Importance of High Places, a collection of short stories. She received her PhD from SUNY-Binghamton, where she studied under John Gardner. An adoptive mother of two children, Higgins lives with her family in upstate New York. Waiting for the Queen is her fist book for young readers.

Reviews

[QNPoohBear · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fifteen-year-old Eugenie La Roque has barely escaped the Reign of Terror in France and she and her parents, along with several other noble families, intend to make their new home in a place called Pennsylvania in America. Instead of the glorious town they were led to believe would be waiting for them, they discover a couple of small, rudimentary log cabins. There aren't enough cabins to go around and the locals who have been sent to wait on them are ignorant peasants who don't know anything. The weather is cold and wet and Eugenie just wants to go back to the way things were before. Her mother believes that they have to stick it out until the Queen arrives and then everything will be better. Her father is developing some alarming new ideas about liberty and equality. Hannah Kimbrell is a Quaker girl who, with her father and brother John, have come to the French settlement to build houses and cook and clean. Hannah can't understand why these nobles can't do for themselves. She also doesn't understand why they insist she curtsey to them at all times. Members of the Society of Friends don't believe in setting anyone up above anyone else; they don't use titles and they never curtsey or bow. Her faith is strong but she's tempted by the pretty clothes and music of the French. When she discovers her family's pay will be docked if they don't cooperate with the French class system, she's torn between doing what her father believes is right and earning money for her family. Yet, she can't help but feel growing sympathy for this girl she privately calls Jenny, as the noble girl struggles to find her way in the new land. Soon the two unite over a common cause: slaver. A Caribbean planter, M. Rouleau, has brought his slaves with him and treats them most cruelly. As Hannah and Eugenie get to know each other and Rouleau's slave Estelle, a girl their own age, they know something has to be done. How can two young girls who don't speak the same language and are governed by the laws of their respective countries do anything to help? They must find a way to work together or Estelle will die.

This is an absolutely fascinating story I knew nothing about. I've studied French, European history, American history and been to eastern Pennsylvania where my mom is from and still never heard this story. The plot moves a little slowly to begin with but I had a hard time putting it down. The story is told from both Eugenie and Hannah's points-of-view which makes for a more complete story. I loved the descriptions of the Pa. wilderness. The author has an incredible way with words. I liked the inclusion of French phrases and was pleased I could understand all of them. My French is rusty, but I am sure I noticed a few typos in the French phrases which bothered me, but someone without knowledge of French won't notice. The epilogue is a little too long and a bit forceful but it was necessary because I wanted to know what happened to the characters.

I really liked the characters in this story. At first I hated Eugenie because she was such a horrible brat, but her character development is excellent. The pacing of her story is great. It allows for a gradual evolution based on her own observations and experiences so it doesn't really hit you over the head. She asks a lot of good questions and doesn't really have all the answers. Hannah is a little less developed than Eugenie, but she too struggles to find herself and questions what she's been brought up to believe. She questions the laws of the new country and struggles to come to reconcile federal vs. state law and her family's beliefs. The way the characters become friends is entirely natural and never feels forced. Eugenie's Papa is also an excellent character. He goes through a change too, much like his daughter. He's an admirable character.

The villains are a little two-dimensional, especially M. Rouleau. He's needed in the story though to show the history of slavery in this country and how Americans grappled with the fugitive slave question long before the Civil War. Eurgenie's Maman is also rather stereotypical but I could sort of empathize with her for awhile, but then at the end, I decided I couldn't like her.

I highly recommend this book for ages 11+. It's a chapter of American history that has gone untold. I'd love a sequel or companion novel, especially if it involves John.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like historical novels in which I learn of a little-known event, and this was one of those.

[Elizabeth Felt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eugenie de la Roque is fifteen when she and her parents leave France, the revolutionaries having burned their grand maison and killed some of their servants. With several other French aristocrats, Eugenie’s family tries to create a new Versailles in the American wilderness, believing that Marie Antoinette will soon join them. Spoiled Eugenie throws a tantrum when she sees the rustic log houses where they will live. She is offended when a servant girl dares to speak to her. Thirteen-year-old Hannah Kimbrell is one of the Americans hired to work for the French. Hannah is assigned to two families, including the de la Roques. She cooks and cleans and learns some French, but, as a Quaker, will not bow down to the French nobility.

The story covers the end of 1793 and the beginning of 1794, a cold and difficult winter. The first-person narrative alternates between Eugenie and Hannah; in the beginning their voices couldn’t be more different, but by the end, one sees how close they have become, as friends and as people. Eugenie’s transformation from arrogant and helpless noble to selfless and caring human being is the heart of the story. Hannah grows as well, understanding that her father’s strict Quaker ways do not always accomplish good. Although the reader understands the thoughts, actions and beliefs of the two girls, the motivations of other characters are sometimes confusing. The resolution at the end of the story had elements that were unclear to me. Still, I enjoyed this story, which is based on the French nobles and American workers who built Azilum in northeastern Pennsylvania. Higgins’ descriptive writing is delicious: “Cold penetrates wool and velvet and settles upon my shoulders like stones.” A thoughtful coming-of-age story.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did you know that French aristocrats fled to Pennsylvania during the French Revolution? I didn't. A small colony of French aristocrats was started in Pennsylvania in the 1790s and came to be known as French Arcadia or French Asylum. They hoped to wait out the revolution there and then return to France. This book imagines what that may have been like, both for the French and for the Americans who were hired to build their houses and act as their servants. Given what actually happened with most of these French exiles, I think the author overestimates the power the American ideal/myth had on them, but it was nonetheless a very interesting read about a little known event in American history.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Waiting for the Queen opened the door to a piece of early American history I had never heard of before.
Eugenie was difficult to like at first—spoiled, snobbish, and clinging to her aristocratic world. But watching her slowly change through her friendship with Hannah became the heart of the story. Despite language and cultural barriers, they formed a bond rooted in shared courage.
Their attempt to help free Estelle and her brother, enslaved by a cruel master, gave the novel real moral weight. That struggle is where Eugenie’s growth truly shines.
By the end, her transformation felt earned and deeply satisfying. A thoughtful historical novel about friendship, injustice, and what true nobility really means.

[Kerry]

I may have enjoyed this work of historic fiction by Joanna Higgins more than my kids to whom I read. The idea intrigued. It never occurred to me that the aristocrats who fled Madam Guillotine during the French Revolution might end up in a valley along the Susquehanna river in Pennsylvania, but as presented by the author, a group of refugees did just that. Their experience is told from the POV of a young aristocrat who learns to embrace progressive ideas of the fledgling United States. Further, an equally young Quaker gal offers her perspective through alternating chapters in the book. Interesting details lent credibility to an engaging bit of history.

[Miss Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

gr 4-6 235pgs


1793, Pennsylvania. 15 year old Eugenie along with some of her aristocratic friends and family have escaped France and the Revolution. Promised a new home just like the ones they left behind in France, Eugenie and the other members of the group are horrified at the simple living conditions. How can they survive?! Hannah and her family, Quakers, have come to work as servants for the displaced French aristocrats and immediately encounter a culture clash.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little slice of history (early American/ French revolution 1973-1974) that I hadn't thought of before. The author explores the question of true royalty. Is it a birthright or an inner sense of integrity? "A reminder that true nobility is more than a royal title. Nobility includes the virtues of kindness, forgiveness, patience, long suffering, service and humility."

[Kyri Freeman · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF (sentence-level writing... too stilted). I didn't realize this was meant to be for young readers, and the distant, overly formal first-person narrative definitely would not draw in a younger reader any more than it did me.

[Trudy Chara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice story. It raised questions for me about how nobles made the transition to having to work for a living.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very quick read, fascinating history, expected plot

[Grace Masciarelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

A charming and interesting book about early America. Enjoyed it!

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. Waiting for the Queen explores a little-known slice of early American history. When a small group of refugees from France arrives at their new home in rural Pennsylvania, they are dismayed to find only a rudimentary village with rough log cabins--a far cry from their former home in Versailles. Higgins alternates viewpoints of a young French aristocrat and her family's Quaker servant. A thoughtful book, with much character growth.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eugenie and her parents believe that some people are inherently better than others, which is why they have to run for their lives from the chaos of the French Revolution. When they and other nobility arrive in America with the promise of a safe and luxurious new life, they are alarmed to find that their village has not been built. Perhaps, they think, everything will be better once Queen Marie Antoinette arrives.

Local Quaker families, including Hannah and her father and brother, have moved to the area to help build and to assist the French nobles. They believe that all people are equal, no matter how much money or status they have, no matter what color their skin is.

Through the cold, inhospitable northeastern winter, Eugenie and Hannah deal with illness and suffering in the village. They also realize that despite having been raised with very different ideas about how to treat other people, they both abhor the brutality the marquis shows to his black slaves.

The two girls find a way to cross the language barrier and cook up a plan to free the marquis’ slaves. But when the time comes to take action, will their boldness and courage be enough to overcome centuries of belief about inequality?

This is top-notch historical fiction. If you’re a Karen Cushman fan or if you like to find out about nearly-forgotten slivers of history, pick this one up.

Grown-up portion of review:

Echoes of Waiting for Godot, anyone? Half the cast is waiting earnestly for the arrival of Marie Antoinette to change everything, but in the meantime they themselves are changing.

Including a glossary of French terms would help kids get a bit more of a nuanced understanding of what the nobles are saying; the context clues weren't always quite enough.

[Ann Woodbury Moore · Rating 2 out of 5]

"School Library Journal" sent me the uncorrected proof of this book to review but after all my work said it wasn't actually intended for me! (They've had a lot of annoying glitches since they switched to a new computer system a year ago.) The book is coming out in September. Here's my review:

for grades 6-9

In 1793, a group of nobles fleeing the terrors of the French Revolution arrive in the new settlement of Azilum, Pennsylvania. The narrative, describing the aristocrats’ difficult adjustment to life on the American frontier, switches between spoiled teen Eugenie de La Roque and her Quaker servant Hannah Kimbrell. One subplot involves Caribbean slaves; another, the hopes--eventually dashed--that Marie Antoinette herself will find refuge among them. This retelling of a little-known episode of U.S. history has immense potential. However, it is marred by false and grating “period” dialogue and superficial characters. Eugenie's journey to courage and humility is far more interesting (even if unrealistic) than ultra-responsible, hardworking Hannah's trials. Other individuals appear and disappear seemingly at the girls' convenience, or are mere ciphers (particularly Hannah's brother--and Eugenie's crush--John). Higgins suggests Anderson's "Fever 1793" (Simon & Schuster 2002), a story about the Philadelphia yellow fever epidemic, in her bibliography; this title is outstanding, and vastly superior to Higgins' work in all respects.

[Katharine Ott · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Waiting for the Queen" - written by Joanna Higgins and published in 2013 by Milkweed Editions. Envision a cleared area of wilderness in northeastern Pennsylvania in the 1790s where several dwellings are being built by experienced joiners. As the harsh winter approaches, several longboats deposit their passengers who are bewildered and appalled at their new situation. They are French nobility and are the vanguard for sanctuary for their Queen, Marie Antoinette. This was a fascinating imagining of a true story - how a contingent of French families, accompanied by several slaves, fled the horrors of the French Revolution and interacted with Americans who had been hired to help them establish this community. The story focuses on two young girls, one from each camp, and explores the wide gulf between nobles accustomed to having others serve them and Quakers with their strong sense of equality. "Clearly this is a savage land, one that we must civilize." The clashes between the two cultures are thoughtfully portrayed and the setting comes alive with well-researched details. This book illuminates a fragment of the French Revolution that actually occurred on our soil and was well worth the read.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the perfect book for a middle school or advanced elementary school reader. Higgins is an experienced historical fiction writer, but this was her first attempt at a book for young readers and she did admirably. While most historical fiction I recall reading as a child was set around major historical events — think the "Dear America" series that had installments about the voyage of the Mayflower, the American Revolution, the Pioneer era, etc. — this book takes place after America has won its independence, but as it is still growing as a nation. Focusing on the french Asylum, when a community in Pennsylvania helped house French refugees, is a completely original and refreshing topic.

I think the use of two heroines, a Quaker American and a French immigrant, sets the novel apart from others of its kind. The novel is paced well, especially its portrayal of the growing friendship between Eugenie and Hannah. There is no one event that solidifies their bond, as Higgins wisely avoids over-simplifying these characters despite their young age and the age of the intended audience.

Any girls who were fans of the American Girl or Dear America series will love this book.

[Elise · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Waiting for the Queen: A Novel of Early America" is an excellent book! I wouldn't be surprised if it was also used for educational purposes in schools.

Joanna Higgins brings the reader through the struggles of French aristocrats who have fled France due to the upheaval of the French Revolution. Upon arriving in America, everything that they hold dear and believe to be true is challenged and tested. Young Eugenie learns that slavery is not right, as she begins to contemplate the meaning of self-evident truths. She and her new Quaker American friend, Hannah, begin to encourage those around them to see slavery for what it actually is- an abomination (to use their words). I was really impressed by this book and will recommend it to kids looking for historical fiction.

[Naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read my full review:http://bit.ly/1mhSxb6

My opinion: I found this story behind the story to be unique and interesting to the middle school reader. I felt there was something that was off about it in its dialog and presentation. I did find this to be a clean read that is appropriate for the age level it is written for. Furthermore, I love books at that age that teach a lesson. Ms. Higgin's book is perfect for this.

[Julia Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This YA novel about two girls in northeastern Pennsylvania in the 1780's, brings to life a small bit of history. Hannah, a Quaker, works with her brother and father to earn money by caring for a group of French nobles who fled their own country's revolution.
Eugenie knows only the life of luxury and slowly sees the pride in learning to do for herself.
At times the characters seemed too predictable but overall, it's a good read.

[Cindy Noonan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned a lot from this well-written story that defines the cultural struggle that took place between the French nobility who were refugees in America and the Quaker Americans who built their homes and met their needs. Joanna Higgins writes convincingly from the viewpoint of Eugenie, a young French nobleman, Hannah, a Quaker servant, and Estelle, an African-American slave. I grew to love Eugenie who changed from a spoiled aristocrat to a selfless person more interested in helping her friends.

[Elaine · Rating 1 out of 5]

I won this book through a Goodreads contest. Usually I like historical fiction book, but I just wasn't a fan of this one. The two points of view were interesting, but I did not like the characters very much, and found the story to be overall a bit dull.

[Iantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Noteworthy for its subject matter. I had never heard of this episode in history, and it is a great topic for a YA novel. Characters are likeable, but slightly unrealistic and predictable. I highly doubt that French nobles would have been impressed by Hannah's cooking.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book--I didn't really ever hear about French aristocrats fleeting to America during the French Revolution so I found this fictional account of one young girl and her family learning to survive in very different surroundings really intriguing.

[Mary Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not usually my kind of read but I enjoyed the two points of view. It is also a good example how young people are not always as corrupted as their elders. It holds some great history and a good role model for young adults.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

French aristocrats flee to America during the French Revolution. The book reads from two different perspectives: a young mademoiselle and a young American girl who serves her.

[Polly]

YA BOOK TOUR #27