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The Two Wings Saga #1
Two Wings to Fly Away
In 1856 Philadelphia, runaway slave Genie Oliver uses her dress shop as a front for her work with the Underground Railroad; and reluctant heiress Abby Read runs a rooming house not just because she hates the life of the idle rich society woman, but because she has no intention of ever marrying a man. When the daughter of Abby's free black servant is grabbed by rogue slave catchers, an unlikely group of people come together, first out of necessity, and then, gradually, in friendship. And in the case of Abby and Genie, something much more.
325 pages, Paperback
First published May 21, 2019
10 people are currently reading
405 people want to read
About the author
Penny Mickelbury
30 books60 followersMickelbury is a former newspaper, radio and television reporter based primarily in Washington, D.C. A native of Atlanta, Georgia, she lives in Los Angeles. The novelist and former journalist also is an accomplished playwright whose work has won awards. Two of her Mimi Patterson/Gianna Maglione novels are Lammy finalists. She is the recipient of the Audre Lorde Estate Grant, and she had a residency at the Hedgebrook Women Writers colony.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
July 17, 2020
The character work is deep in Two Wings to Fly Away, especially for Genie and Ezra. We get to know them very well and understand what makes them tick, while also getting a taste of what life would have been like for a runaway slave and a white person who would help to protect them. Crucial to the character development for Genie and some side characters are brief flashbacks into experiences that are foundational to who they are in the present day. These snippets themselves are like episodes of a spin-off show and are just as gripping as the rest of the book.
Full review: https://www.lambdaliterary.org/2019/0...
Full review: https://www.lambdaliterary.org/2019/0...
September 29, 2019
Penny Micklebury braids together the historic, romance, and thriller genres in a story about personal and racial relationships and found family in Philadelphia on the eve of the Civil War. Eugenia Oliver (who sometimes operates as Eugene) escaped slavery and navigated the complexities of establishing herself as a professional seamstress and supporting less fortunate community members while also participating in the Underground Railroad. Some of her priorities change when chance brings her together with Abigail Read, a wealthy woman who traded the expectations of high society to turn her family home into a boarding house. Initially, the two are allies in solving a mysterious disappearance, but then they fall in love and things get more complicated.
Micklebury depicts the free black community of Philadelphia in vivid detail, including the layered complications of navigating a society that isn’t as free as it pretends to be. (Note: Micklebury is black and specifically focuses on telling black women’s stories across the whole range of genres she writes in.) Her descriptive prose painted the setting so you could feel the cobblestones and the bite of the winter chill. Eugenia is a complex and engaging character and I look forward to reading more about her. (A sequel is evidently in the works.) The multiple layers of the plot kept the story moving forward (even when they didn’t quite connect with each other) without backgrounding the romantic thread.
There were a few aspects of the story that worked less well for me. The point of view was a bit erratic and I often had to re-read passages to be clear whose emotions we were feeling. The economic and social context of Abigail Read felt out of sync with my understanding of upper class white society of the time. (An unmarried woman who had enough wealth to be sought after as a wife probably wouldn’t need to convert her home into a boarding house to support herself.) And the romance between Eugenia and Abby felt rushed in the beginning, especially for two women experiencing their first same-sex attraction. But overall, this was a delightful read and adds some valuable diversity to the field of f/f historicals.
Micklebury depicts the free black community of Philadelphia in vivid detail, including the layered complications of navigating a society that isn’t as free as it pretends to be. (Note: Micklebury is black and specifically focuses on telling black women’s stories across the whole range of genres she writes in.) Her descriptive prose painted the setting so you could feel the cobblestones and the bite of the winter chill. Eugenia is a complex and engaging character and I look forward to reading more about her. (A sequel is evidently in the works.) The multiple layers of the plot kept the story moving forward (even when they didn’t quite connect with each other) without backgrounding the romantic thread.
There were a few aspects of the story that worked less well for me. The point of view was a bit erratic and I often had to re-read passages to be clear whose emotions we were feeling. The economic and social context of Abigail Read felt out of sync with my understanding of upper class white society of the time. (An unmarried woman who had enough wealth to be sought after as a wife probably wouldn’t need to convert her home into a boarding house to support herself.) And the romance between Eugenia and Abby felt rushed in the beginning, especially for two women experiencing their first same-sex attraction. But overall, this was a delightful read and adds some valuable diversity to the field of f/f historicals.
June 17, 2022
Gripping, emotional, and suspenseful! This book features an endearing cast of characters centered around Genie, an escaped slave living in 1850's Philadelphia. Found family, the Underground Railroad, romance, and so much more!
December 21, 2019
The story is a triumph to show what can happen when we see the true character inside a person. Set in Philadelphia in the 1850s when slavery was still legal. Mickelbury introduces us to a cast of characters not to be forgotten. A talented seamstress who passes as a man when needed; a Scottish ex-Pinkerton agent; runaway slaves, abolitionists; and the blackmailers; slave catchers and owners they fight against. The book features forbidden romance, and offers us the true version of a chosen family. All told in Mickelbury's eloquent prose, the story immerses us the history and the culture of the time. I highly recommend it.
May 21, 2019
A brilliant novel!
California author Penny Mickelbury, a fifth Georgian formerly from Atlanta, Georgia, writes novels that are not only finely honed stories but also strike out at stereotypes of racism, feminism, homophobia and other evils we still face today. Her ability to write with a sense of reportage is likely secondary to her career experiences of serving as a newspaper, radio and television reporter. Her articles and books have resulted in multiple impressive awards - Lambda Literary Awards, Golden Pen Award of the National Black Writers Alliance, and many more. TWO WINGS TO FLY is her fifteen novel
The synopsis of this splendid novel is offered as follows: ’In 1856 Philadelphia, a cross-dressing runaway slave named Genie Oliver uses her dress shop as a front for her work with the Underground Railroad. Reluctant white heiress Abby Read runs a rooming house, not only because she rejects the life of an idle society woman, but because she has no intention ever to marry a man. After the young daughter of Abby’s free black servant, Maggie, is grabbed by rogue slave catchers and later recovered, Abby joins forces with Genie, a white Pinkerton’s agent, and an unlikely cast of characters from all walks of life. Together, this diverse cadre of people risks everything to join forces with the great abolitionist Harriet Tubman in a dangerous effort to guide escaped slaves to freedom in Philadelphia. While racial and economic tensions simmer and boil over throughout Philadelphia and across the country, Abby and Genie discover a profound friendship, a shared purpose….and the promise of something more.’
It would be difficult to summarize this impressive volume better. Of course the readers must immerse themselves in Penny’s writing to gain the riches contained there. Penny writes with such elegant prose that she stands as one of America’s more important literary artists of the day. She continues to have that magnetic ability to drawn the reader into her well sculpted story lines while at the same time creating a significant commentary on the issues she so rightly finds important, She is a powerful presence. Highly recommended.
California author Penny Mickelbury, a fifth Georgian formerly from Atlanta, Georgia, writes novels that are not only finely honed stories but also strike out at stereotypes of racism, feminism, homophobia and other evils we still face today. Her ability to write with a sense of reportage is likely secondary to her career experiences of serving as a newspaper, radio and television reporter. Her articles and books have resulted in multiple impressive awards - Lambda Literary Awards, Golden Pen Award of the National Black Writers Alliance, and many more. TWO WINGS TO FLY is her fifteen novel
The synopsis of this splendid novel is offered as follows: ’In 1856 Philadelphia, a cross-dressing runaway slave named Genie Oliver uses her dress shop as a front for her work with the Underground Railroad. Reluctant white heiress Abby Read runs a rooming house, not only because she rejects the life of an idle society woman, but because she has no intention ever to marry a man. After the young daughter of Abby’s free black servant, Maggie, is grabbed by rogue slave catchers and later recovered, Abby joins forces with Genie, a white Pinkerton’s agent, and an unlikely cast of characters from all walks of life. Together, this diverse cadre of people risks everything to join forces with the great abolitionist Harriet Tubman in a dangerous effort to guide escaped slaves to freedom in Philadelphia. While racial and economic tensions simmer and boil over throughout Philadelphia and across the country, Abby and Genie discover a profound friendship, a shared purpose….and the promise of something more.’
It would be difficult to summarize this impressive volume better. Of course the readers must immerse themselves in Penny’s writing to gain the riches contained there. Penny writes with such elegant prose that she stands as one of America’s more important literary artists of the day. She continues to have that magnetic ability to drawn the reader into her well sculpted story lines while at the same time creating a significant commentary on the issues she so rightly finds important, She is a powerful presence. Highly recommended.
September 8, 2019
Two Wings to Fly Away is a fine historical novel about runaway formerly enslaved people living in Philadelphia in the 1850s. The story feels authentic and well-researched, and the writing flows beautifully. Mickelbury, an African American novelist and journalist, writes believable and exciting dialogue.
This is a lesbian novel, which I like, but I like even more that the lesbian feelings of two characters are portrayed subtly. Mickelbury eschews sex scenes, and I appreciate that. She makes a relationship real just by including what the characters say to each other when they wake up in the morning.
The main character, Genie Oliver, is an African American woman who sometimes passes for a man. She doesn't want to be a man -- she just wants to be safe in a society where African American women are always at risk. She has escaped from enslavement and become a force to reckon with in the African American part of Philadelphia.
Many other African American characters work secretly with Genie to help others escape from slavery and learn the skills they will need as free people.
Three white characters, one of them Abby, the woman who becomes Genie's lover, are decent human beings who are appalled by slavery and willing to work against it. There are also brutal characters who uphold slavery.
This is a compelling book that leaves me eager to read the sequel.
This is a lesbian novel, which I like, but I like even more that the lesbian feelings of two characters are portrayed subtly. Mickelbury eschews sex scenes, and I appreciate that. She makes a relationship real just by including what the characters say to each other when they wake up in the morning.
The main character, Genie Oliver, is an African American woman who sometimes passes for a man. She doesn't want to be a man -- she just wants to be safe in a society where African American women are always at risk. She has escaped from enslavement and become a force to reckon with in the African American part of Philadelphia.
Many other African American characters work secretly with Genie to help others escape from slavery and learn the skills they will need as free people.
Three white characters, one of them Abby, the woman who becomes Genie's lover, are decent human beings who are appalled by slavery and willing to work against it. There are also brutal characters who uphold slavery.
This is a compelling book that leaves me eager to read the sequel.
January 2, 2021
It’s a fast-paced story that had me almost glued to the pages. The writing style wasn’t entirely my thing, but that didn’t matter. It was a good story with a heavy subject, lots of positive extroverts and not enough gay moments.
January 30, 2020
Fabulous Historic Read.
Interesting characters and a period of history I am not familiar with. Learned so much, but it didn't feel that way. So glad to know a sequel is in the works.
Interesting characters and a period of history I am not familiar with. Learned so much, but it didn't feel that way. So glad to know a sequel is in the works.
October 31, 2022
I wish this had been a duology instead of a novel. There was a huge amount of material here: an action-packed historical setting, an interesting lead and a great collection of ideas. Unfortunately, most of the book felt rushed. New characters are introduced at a constant clip, often quite suddenly. Relationships develop just as quickly, evolving from a kind gesture to I-will-murder-anyone-who-hurts-you in the space of a few chapters. There was some Sapphic content, but you'll miss it if you blink. I really wanted to love this book, but in the end I struggled to connect with it.
August 27, 2023
Rep: Black sapphic mc, sapphic li, Black side characters
CWs: period typical racism, racial slurs, violence, descriptions of past slavery
CWs: period typical racism, racial slurs, violence, descriptions of past slavery
August 22, 2019
3.5: I had no idea what to expect when I found this at the library, but I was intrigued by the back cover description of a “cross-dressing runaway slave,” “a white heiress,” and “an unlikely cast of characters from all walks of life” joining together in pre-Civil War Philadelphia. I thought I was picking up a f/f romance, but it’s mostly historical fiction with a little bit of adventure—it can best be described as slice of life. The book follows Genie & Abby, the aforementioned runaway slave & heiress respectively, and the people they meet. As a historical fiction book, I’d recommend it. It deals with hard topics, but it gives its characters room to be people & not subjects of history, with lots of space for nuance and family and friendship.
The beginning felt very slow to me, I think partly because I was expecting more of an adventure/romance book. But once I settled into Mickelbury’s observational writing style, the pacing seemed to improve. It still lagged at places, and I think it could have used tighter editing for details/situations that didn’t move the plot along. (But that was also part of its charm, so I’m not sure. ) The true gem of the book is the character and their friendships. There are quite a lot of characters for a 240 page book, but they each feel distinct and very real. I loved that none of them were perfect, even when they were all (trying to be) good. I really grew to care for the characters & their stories.
As for the romance, it’s very, very background. I wish it had been explored more because it felt very rushed. Plus Mickelbury doesn’t really go into what it would look like for a white woman and a black woman to be together. Obviously there were lesbian & queer women back then, but this is an interracial relationship, so I think some acknowledgement of how that relationship was going to be presented to the outside world was necessary for me. And that’s not just for queer relationships, but I think for any relationship in any book that exists outside of “acceptable” has to be somewhat explained or else it just feels like a figment of the authors imagination. Even a brief one sentence aside would do, especially in a book like this where the romance is not central.
Bottom line: recommended if looking for slice-of-life historical fiction set in pre-Civil War Philadelphia with f/f relationship.
The beginning felt very slow to me, I think partly because I was expecting more of an adventure/romance book. But once I settled into Mickelbury’s observational writing style, the pacing seemed to improve. It still lagged at places, and I think it could have used tighter editing for details/situations that didn’t move the plot along. (But that was also part of its charm, so I’m not sure. ) The true gem of the book is the character and their friendships. There are quite a lot of characters for a 240 page book, but they each feel distinct and very real. I loved that none of them were perfect, even when they were all (trying to be) good. I really grew to care for the characters & their stories.
As for the romance, it’s very, very background. I wish it had been explored more because it felt very rushed. Plus Mickelbury doesn’t really go into what it would look like for a white woman and a black woman to be together. Obviously there were lesbian & queer women back then, but this is an interracial relationship, so I think some acknowledgement of how that relationship was going to be presented to the outside world was necessary for me. And that’s not just for queer relationships, but I think for any relationship in any book that exists outside of “acceptable” has to be somewhat explained or else it just feels like a figment of the authors imagination. Even a brief one sentence aside would do, especially in a book like this where the romance is not central.
Bottom line: recommended if looking for slice-of-life historical fiction set in pre-Civil War Philadelphia with f/f relationship.
December 5, 2023
Harrowing and uplifting
Two Wings to Fly Away is a harrowing story set in pre Civil war Philadelphia where racism is shown in its full horror and ugliness, not holding back on the language, attitudes and behaviors of those who believed Blacks to be less than human. It's a dark portrayal of what life was like for those once enslaved and now 'free' (to whatever degree) living among those born free, helping each other to survive and buck the unjust system in various ways. The main characters with their chosen family and network of friends work under the radar using their skills as the true embodiment of actual superheroes who don't wear capes. Stakes are high and real, literal life or death, for these characters if they get caught and anyone connected to them. At times a difficult read - because of the subject matter and not the quality of writing - it's also a hopeful story where you can't help but have favorite characters you root for and bad guys you wish ill.
History is vibrant here, the storytelling rich in detail that challenges the minds of modern day readers to re-evaluate assumptions about slavery and its abolition being clean cut in any way. This book takes a large amount of historical information and spins it into a wholly readable and engaging experience that will haunt you after you finish reading. I look forward to reading the next book to see how the story continues. The sequel Two Wings to Hide My Face is already published so the full story can be read without having to wait for the next book to drop.
If you want a book that brings history to life, will likely educate you in numerous ways as well as uplift, that has plenty of drama, a sweet atypical romance and many memorable characters give this a read. If the subject matter gives you pause consider reading it anyway; it's important history with echoes in present day and the lighter moments between characters help to counterbalance the darker parts of the book.
I'm new to Penny Mickelbury's work but want to read more of it in the future.
Two Wings to Fly Away is a harrowing story set in pre Civil war Philadelphia where racism is shown in its full horror and ugliness, not holding back on the language, attitudes and behaviors of those who believed Blacks to be less than human. It's a dark portrayal of what life was like for those once enslaved and now 'free' (to whatever degree) living among those born free, helping each other to survive and buck the unjust system in various ways. The main characters with their chosen family and network of friends work under the radar using their skills as the true embodiment of actual superheroes who don't wear capes. Stakes are high and real, literal life or death, for these characters if they get caught and anyone connected to them. At times a difficult read - because of the subject matter and not the quality of writing - it's also a hopeful story where you can't help but have favorite characters you root for and bad guys you wish ill.
History is vibrant here, the storytelling rich in detail that challenges the minds of modern day readers to re-evaluate assumptions about slavery and its abolition being clean cut in any way. This book takes a large amount of historical information and spins it into a wholly readable and engaging experience that will haunt you after you finish reading. I look forward to reading the next book to see how the story continues. The sequel Two Wings to Hide My Face is already published so the full story can be read without having to wait for the next book to drop.
If you want a book that brings history to life, will likely educate you in numerous ways as well as uplift, that has plenty of drama, a sweet atypical romance and many memorable characters give this a read. If the subject matter gives you pause consider reading it anyway; it's important history with echoes in present day and the lighter moments between characters help to counterbalance the darker parts of the book.
I'm new to Penny Mickelbury's work but want to read more of it in the future.
December 23, 2023
3.5 Stars
Books like this are really good reminder of how far....or not so far ,society has "improved" when it comes to racism. Having read Harriet Jacobs's Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, I had a preconceived notion that this book might be similar. I'm glad I continued reading because I was so very wrong. Obviously, this one is categorised as fiction but the fear, anger and vileness of the times were very real. The author conveyed the constant apprehension the characters felt in the book and it made for a good page turner.
This book is one of high calibre in theme and writing. However, the number of characters packed into the story made it quite unsteady in some areas. There were too many things happening at once and that made the flow a bit rushed in some areas of the story. I do appreciate that one of the main characters being of African descent, a woman and very capable of defending her friends and family physically and emotionally. Strong characters such as Genie is such a breath of fresh air.
Books like this are really good reminder of how far....or not so far ,society has "improved" when it comes to racism. Having read Harriet Jacobs's Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, I had a preconceived notion that this book might be similar. I'm glad I continued reading because I was so very wrong. Obviously, this one is categorised as fiction but the fear, anger and vileness of the times were very real. The author conveyed the constant apprehension the characters felt in the book and it made for a good page turner.
This book is one of high calibre in theme and writing. However, the number of characters packed into the story made it quite unsteady in some areas. There were too many things happening at once and that made the flow a bit rushed in some areas of the story. I do appreciate that one of the main characters being of African descent, a woman and very capable of defending her friends and family physically and emotionally. Strong characters such as Genie is such a breath of fresh air.
April 14, 2021
Penny Mickelbury is a storyteller who can take complex issues and throw light on them in a way that educates, entertains and makes you think. In this story she sheds light on what life was like for African American persons both free born, slave and ex-slave in the tense period before the American Civil War. This was a thoroughly engaging read and I enjoyed it immensely. The characters multi-layered and well defined. The story full of hooks making me want to read to the end to see what happens. The words will stay with me and I look forward to the sequel promised.
If you like historical novels and enjoy seeing history through a point of view missing up till now you should definitely give this a read.
If you like historical novels and enjoy seeing history through a point of view missing up till now you should definitely give this a read.
March 20, 2025
The book is not especially well written but the topic is so fascinating, that you are drawn in and compelled to see what happens. Everyone is written as reserved, which makes sense, seeing the horrors in their backgrounds. I knew very little about the situation of escaped slaves and born free 'colored folk' (as the book refers to them) in the late 1850's, early 1860's as the groundswell for and against slavery grew into a civil war. As a vignette to those times, well worth getting. The relationships are all abit underwritten and the plot is essentially just history, but history worth knowing and remembering!
July 4, 2022
Well written and enjoyable read. I am a big fan of historical novels and have found this one very entertaining.
The descriptions are great, I can still feel the cold through my bones!
I just missed a little more context between Genie and Abby's relationship, their relationship is quite subtle and at first, it doesn't make much sense. But since you end up loving the characters, you are able just to forget those details and just assume that things are like they are.
I look forward to a sequel!
The descriptions are great, I can still feel the cold through my bones!
I just missed a little more context between Genie and Abby's relationship, their relationship is quite subtle and at first, it doesn't make much sense. But since you end up loving the characters, you are able just to forget those details and just assume that things are like they are.
I look forward to a sequel!
October 11, 2020
The DC Lez Reads group is having the author present at the next meeting about this book! I loved it for the author's gentle presentation of tough topics. We meet the amazing Genie Oliver when she's dressed as her alter ego Eugene in men's clothing so she can more safely walk the streets of Philadelphia in the 1850s. We learn she escaped slavery in Maine and forged her new life and becomes a community leader and she's only in her early 20s. She befriends a white ally who helps with her many endeavors including serving the Underground Railroad. She meets a white woman who runs a boarding house and they develop a quiet love affair that their circle of friends supports. The characters are rich and the tale is a well told.
October 6, 2020
Wonderful telling of a time in history that we continue to relive
Ms. Micklebury weaves you into a time that many Americans learn about but never truly understand. Her characters are thought provoking , surviving and some even thriving in extraordinary situations that were real.
Ms. Micklebury weaves you into a time that many Americans learn about but never truly understand. Her characters are thought provoking , surviving and some even thriving in extraordinary situations that were real.
March 3, 2021
More historical than romance
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September 29, 2021
Trigger & Content Warnings
Racism & racial slurs
Slavery mentioned
Racism & racial slurs
Slavery mentioned
February 14, 2023
A sweet book but all over the place
August 7, 2024
really good time period piece
I really enjoyed this book, though it is a departure for me. It gives a great historic context for the Dred Scott decision.
I really enjoyed this book, though it is a departure for me. It gives a great historic context for the Dred Scott decision.
Read
July 29, 2025i wish i could recommend this but i cannot
November 23, 2021
I’m enjoying the history but find the writing a bit stilted and some errors annoying. How could Ezra know Eugene is Miss Eugenia in the early pages of the book when he’s never met her as such?
Having seen the movie “Harriett” with its many scenes in Philadelphia adds to the visual imagining while reading this book. I’ll give it three stars for its subject and characters but was aggravated constantly by the writing style …repetitive, sometimes confusing. I will read the sequel she’s planning on writing to find out how they all fare because I did get attached to the characters and there will be more history.
I learned about this author through a diversity in crime fiction program presented by AACPL (Anne Arundel County Public Library, MD).
Having seen the movie “Harriett” with its many scenes in Philadelphia adds to the visual imagining while reading this book. I’ll give it three stars for its subject and characters but was aggravated constantly by the writing style …repetitive, sometimes confusing. I will read the sequel she’s planning on writing to find out how they all fare because I did get attached to the characters and there will be more history.
I learned about this author through a diversity in crime fiction program presented by AACPL (Anne Arundel County Public Library, MD).
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews