Kianna Alexander

Carolina Built by Kianna Alexander is a 2022 Gallery Books publication.

This book is a fictionalized account of the life of real estate magnate Josephine Leary, who was born into slavery, but freed at the age of nine.

The primary focus, though, is on Josephine’s personal life, beginning with her marriage to 'Sweety' Leary. The couple owned a barbershop together, but Josephine faced tough challenges because her ambition was not the expected behavior men were accustomed to in those days.

She endured a continuous back and forth with her husband, who couldn’t understand why Jo could not be content to just be his wife and a mother to their children.

Her work, money, and wisdom not only kept their business in shape, but also brought them much success they wouldn’t have enjoyed otherwise.

Still, she was expected to bear the brunt of the child rearing, and the household duties, while working to achieve her goals, and hold down a full-time job. Sound familiar?

While I liked the message Kianna Alexander sent by taking this approach, I would have enjoyed seeing more of Josephine’s business acumen at play.

The pacing was slow, and didn’t always keep my rapt attention- And...

Although I've long since given up on my continuous harping about authentic dialogue in historical fiction- it will be hard to ignore the modern vernacular in this novel.

I think this might have been quite an ambitious undertaking, and the approach,though well intentioned, missed the mark a little bit.

That said, the book should at least get an A for effort, as Josephine Leary certainly deserves to be remembered, and her legacy should be honored.

This book did prompt me to do a few Google searches and I was pleased to find that some wonderful material, photographs, and actual documents were available for public viewing on several websites. I’d be interested in checking out a complete non-fictional biography of Josephine’s life someday.

Overall, this is an interesting take on Leary’s life- a woman well ahead of her time, and an inspiration for the modern woman, who can certainly relate to the challenge’s Josephine faced, and take note of her strong will and determination to never allow her ambitions to be stifled.

3 stars… (mais)

Josephine N. Leary was born slave in 1800s North Carolina. A few years later, the newly married woman buys her first property. Determined to build a life of her own, care for her family and pursue her real estate aspirations, Josephine teaches herself everything about being a businesswoman, managing her finances, and making smart investments in the local market.

Inspired by the real life of Josephine N. Leary, an African American woman who lived in Edenton, North Carolina, in the 1800s, Carolina Built is an historical fiction with a very interesting plot and a strong main protagonist. I love how Kianna Alexander included photographs and documents that belonged to Josephine N. Leary at the end of her book. Josephine is definitely a strong and inspiring woman. With ideas far ahead of her time, the heroine follows her dreams, despises an insecure husband and an omnipresent racism.

The novel is written from her point of view, but also sometimes from the one of her husband, Sweety. We follow Josephine’s everyday life, from a young child to an accomplished woman. The author describes her success, but also every burden. Mother of two children, the lead character must navigate between a jealous husband, an intolerant society and her personal ambitions.

Carolina Built is overall an interesting well-written historical novel and I enjoyed learning about Josephine N. Leary, a forgotten historical local figure.… (mais)

I love historical fiction featuring figures I've not encountered before and that is definitely the case with this novel focused on Josephine Napoleon Leary. Born into slavery in North Carolina, she became a skilled investor in real estate and managed to create a small fortune for herself and her family. She struggled with the racism of late nineteenth-century America and tension with a husband who was less successful professionally than she. Overall, this novel makes for a compelling read and I hope to see more written about this remarkable woman.… (mais)