The Queen’s Spade

Gr 9 Up–Based off the incredible true story of Ina Sarah Forbes Bonetta, Raughley’s latest centers an African princess who was enslaved as a child, becomes the goddaughter of Queen Victoria, and must navigate the treacherous high society of London. In this highly fictionalized melodrama, Ina becomes an assassin, seeking revenge on those who brought her to England, and faces off against her archnemesis, Queen Victoria. Ina is a fascinating and worthy subject of literary investigation. The text incorporates historical letters written about her, offering testimony to her intelligence and the racism she faced, and draws attention to the continuation of slavery in Nigeria after its official abolishment. However, the novel replaces the complicated details of the historical Ina with a 21st-century revenge fantasy. Alongside murderous high jinks, Ina manipulates the Prince of Wales to give a racist speech for the Anti-Slavery Society and causes a riot. This did not happen, nullifying the core political act of the text. Lastly, Raughley’s Ina escapes her husband to pursue anonymous freedom. The historical Ina married, settled in Lagos, established a British-style girls’ school, and chose Queen Victoria to be her child’s godmother. More psychological nuance would help readers understand what it took for people like Ina to survive a fundamentally unjust system, but this book is a good first step.