THE UNEXPECTED DIVA by Tiffany L. Warren

This review was published in the February 2025 issue of Historical Novels Review

An extraordinary tale of Eliza Taylor Greenfield’s rise, in the years before the Civil War, from a plantation in Natchez to international stardom as the “Black Swan.” When Eliza’s family is freed from slavery, her parents and sisters return to Africa, but she is sent to live with Miss Lizbeth, a well-to-do matron in Philadelphia, who educates Eliza and nurtures her astounding singing voice. But when Miss Lizbeth passes, Eliza’s future is called into question, so she must find a reservoir of inner strength to pursue a professional singing career. Her three-octave voice captivates listeners, and her fame grows.

This fictional rendering of Eliza’s journey unfolds from her first-person point of view, through a voice that memorably conveys her resolve and perception of societal forces. Eliza’s internal narrative is layered and nuanced as she grapples with pressures to marry and raise a family, as well as with her ability to use her fame as a platform to promote social justice. Interesting detail on singing techniques and voice qualities brings Eliza’s performances alive. Scenes are richly set, putting the reader in a seat in the gas lamp-lit auditorium as Eliza’s lovely arias and ballads drift over the audience. The heartbeat of the story is Eliza’s incredible voice, with less focus on the racial prejudices and injustices she, her family, and her collaborators surely endured. A polished and powerfully enlightening tale of a 19th-century musical giant who should have a far more prominent place in American musical appreciation and history.