The Davenports

 

My Thoughts:

This escapist historical fiction takes place in 1910 Chicago and is inspired by the real daughters of automobile magnate C.R. Patterson. C.R. Patterson and Sons was a black owned American automotive company active from 1893 to 1939, primarily in Ohio. Like the Davenports, the Pattersons started as a carriage company. 

The Davenports are one of the few Black families of immense wealth in a changing America. The patriarch of the family, William,  was a former slave that used his freedom as a catalyst to build his company from the ground up. He still carries the scars from his youth as a slave. The Davenport children are still stared at grudgingly by the  white Chicagoans, but their extreme wealth is a buffer for their children. The scene starts off in a department store, where older sister Olivia is being talked down to by a white salesgirl who balks at Olivia's taste in expensive items. In anger Olivia buys several items that probably cost more than the sales girl makes. One of the other saleswomen who recognizes Olivia as a Davenport quickly dismisses the sales girl and help Olivia. This is just the hin that although this is an escapist novel, the history of attitudes towards black families in America have not disappeared. 

As a way to shield their young adult children, the Davenports have created a black culture that mirrors the elite white culture with balls, servants, coming out seasons for marital matches and escorted courtship dates. This is very much like Bridgerton where the parents are looking for equal social status matches and the young adults are looking for love. 

The buzz worthy element of this first novel is definitely the romance, but I like the secrets. If you love Bridgerton, or even Jane Austen, you will love this. Besides the secrets, the complexity of a changing America set on creating laws and policies to continue to enslave black people (Jim Crow laws) create the kind of tension that contrasts with the parties, new dresses and picnics at the park. The next book will come out in November of 2024.

What I love about this book most, though, is that Ms. Marquis started this draft during a NaNoWriMo Challenge. If nothing else, find out about NaNoWriMo and see how you can incorporate this into your classroom. 

From the Publisher:

In 1910, the Davenports are one of the few Black families of immense wealth and status in a changing United States, their fortune made through the entrepreneurship of William Davenport, a formerly enslaved man who founded the Davenport Carriage Company years ago. Now the Davenports live surrounded by servants, crystal chandeliers, and endless parties, finding their way and finding love—even where they're not supposed to.

There is Olivia, the beautiful elder Davenport daughter, ready to do her duty by getting married. . . until she meets the charismatic civil rights leader Washington DeWight and sparks fly. The younger daughter, Helen, is more interested in fixing cars than falling in love—unless it's with her sister's suitor. Amy-Rose, the childhood friend turned maid to the Davenport sisters, dreams of opening her own business—and marrying the one man she could never be with, Olivia and Helen's brother, John. But Olivia's best friend, Ruby, also has her sights set on John Davenport, though she can't seem to keep his interest . . . until family pressure has her scheming to win his heart, just as someone else wins hers.

The first book in a breathless new series, The Davenports offers a glimpse into a period of African American history often overlooked, while delivering a totally escapist, swoon-worthy read. Inspired by the real-life story of C.R. Patterson and his family, it's the tale of four determined and passionate young Black women discovering the courage to steer their own path in life—and love

Publication Information:

Author: Krystal Marquis

Publisher: Dial Books (January 31, 2023)

Print length: 384 pages