Book Review: The Queen of Sugar Hill by ReShonda Tate

📖 Quick Summary

The Queen of Sugar Hill tells the story of Hattie McDaniel, the first Black woman to win an Academy Award, in a deeply human, moving, and often heart-wrenching fictional portrait. Set against the backdrop of the Harlem Renaissance and the rigid racism of Old Hollywood, ReShonda Tate brings Hattie’s voice to life as she battles prejudice, public criticism, and her own complicated relationship with fame and Black respectability.

From humble beginnings as a maid and singer to the national spotlight for her role in Gone with the Wind, Hattie’s journey is filled with personal sacrifice, public scrutiny, and moments of quiet triumph. Through rich historical detail and emotional depth, Tate reclaims the narrative of a woman often misjudged by history—and reminds us why her story still matters today.

📝 My Review

I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars for its immersive storytelling and powerful reclamation of a voice history often left out or oversimplified. While some pacing slowed in the middle, the emotional impact and historical richness more than made up for it.

ReShonda Tate doesn’t romanticize Hattie—she renders her real. Hattie is flawed, complicated, proud, and deeply shaped by the world she was forced to navigate. I appreciated how the novel explored her loneliness, her strength, and her legacy—not just in Hollywood, but in the hearts of women who were told to sit down and smile while pushing through unspoken battles.

This is a must-read for lovers of biographical fiction and Black historical narratives.

🎨 My Scrapbook Spread

For this spread, I leaned into the image of Hattie McDaniel. I was able to find an apron to fit over the sticker of a woman that represented her being typecasted into only playing maid roles, despite her immense talent. Throughout the book, Hattie hosted lavish gatherings, sipped wine and tea with her closest friends, and embraced the joy and heartbreak that came with her fame.

Though she earned millions, she died nearly penniless—something I reflected by contrasting a grand Sugar Hill home with a modest house, representing the betrayal by her last husband. The image of the American flag captures her complicated relationship with the country—celebrated in some regions and scorned in others. I also included a train, symbolizing her travels during a segregated era, and a pair of dogs in honor of her beloved companions. Lastly, a picture of a couple marks her four marriages and the search for stability she never quite found.

🎥 Watch the Review

Catch the full scrapbook review and reflection on YouTube—where I dive deeper into Hattie’s legacy, what surprised me most in the novel, and how I used paper and ink to honor her story.