A powerful historical novel about friendship, activism, and the courage to resist injustice.
Set against the pogroms of the Russian Empire and the turbulent decades of twentieth-century American history, The Queen of New York follows two women—Esther Garry and her great-aunt Sera, a queer artist and lifelong activist—whose lives are shaped by political struggle, forbidden love, and the search for redemption.
When Esther flees to Greenwich Village just before her high school graduation, she begins recording Sera’s life story. What begins as a writing project becomes a journey into family secrets, political resistance, and the moral choices that define a life. From revolutionary Russia to New York’s garment strikes, from McCarthy-era fear to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, Esther and Sera must decide what they are willing to risk for justice—and whether courage can overcome fear and regret.
Sweeping, intimate, and deeply human, The Queen of New York will appeal to readers who enjoy historical fiction about strong women, political activism, found family, and the enduring power of friendship.
"Freed-Thall offers an intricate historical novel that touches on themes of intergenerational political rebellion and personal identity... Over the course of Freed-Thall’s novel, Sera and Esther’s alternating life stories effectively act as mirrors to each other, demonstrating that while the two women grew up in different times and places, their struggles are similar at heart... An inspirational and sometimes heartbreaking tale of two women’s resilience in the face of hardships."
- Kirkus Reviews
