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libbyxreads's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
tellsbooks's review
4.0
I wanted to read this book as soon as I seen the cover months ago and I can say that representation is everything and Queenie has got it in droves!
Queenie is your real world black girl in her twenties and as I stated before, it's so beautiful to have this representation in print. Queenie and her friends are legit all me and my friends, taking turns switching and fitting into each character in this novel. Queenie, Darcy, Kyzaike (Chess-key) and Cassandra are so many things — young, fun, outgoing, depressed, self-conscious, self-aware, hard working, lazy, crazy, delusional, all of the above, battling their way through their loves and lives!
I would give the book five stars alone for its accurate portrayal of it being a late-stage, coming of age novel in the vein of the film — Frances Ha.
Where Queenie loses some of its power for me is in its handling of interracial dating. None of the situations in this novel sit well with me. Not the begging back of the boyfriend. Not Ted. Not the abusive Guy. Not Adi. etc etc.. not that the situations arent an accurate af reflection of what black women actually endure dating interracially because they totally are. It's just that the way that Queenie allows herself to be treated in this novel, I don't feel like that's an accurate reflection of our women as a composite, especially at age 26. Maybe 19-22, but 26!? The writer, Candice Carty-Williams, strips away most of our self-worth and scrappy nature in dating and leaves us as this docile sort of begging to be loved, overly sexual, inherently second choice type of woman; that's a trope in the culture that we can never escape. My guess: Carty-Williams didn't want to lean towards the strong i-dont-need-a-man trope as well, but is there no common, working-on-the-self, non-begging middle ground? I definitely feel that 26, moving into our first or second stable jobs is when most of the friends I know and most of the women I meet (and I meet a lot of women, in my life working as a woman's advocate in particular), 26 is about the time where we're standing firm in our not about the fuckshit, just say no to racist/sexist/hotep men phase. To have Queenie, just sliding around being played out by herself just seems backwards. But I do realize this book is about an awakening to this realization that she's worth more, and she has to go through it, so it's whatever, but it still bothers me.
Chapter 25 when she's talking to the psychotherapist got me teary and in my feelings cause I felt that shit. There has to be a better way for us tho. Queenie is a beautiful plus-sized Jamaican-British girl is dating and letting all these basic fucking white dudes use and abuse her to fill the hole inside of her left by parental neglect and the emotional destruction caused by the breakup of her relationship with her boyfriend of 3 years. I'm not going to say that her mutually using white men for sex and having them use her for sex is not realistic, but it reinforces such a negative trope about Carribean women, that I just can't overlook. There were so many moments where I was cringing due to Queenie's aloof nature. I loved her friend Kayzike the most, she kept it real and she reminded me of my girl Stephanie. A real one and consummate professional who will still set it off. She reminded me of myself as well. I didn't find her stereotypical at all.
Anyway, I enjoyed the novel. It's uplifting, unique and more than a little eyebrow-raising. I recommend it based on it's representational aspects!
Queenie is your real world black girl in her twenties and as I stated before, it's so beautiful to have this representation in print. Queenie and her friends are legit all me and my friends, taking turns switching and fitting into each character in this novel. Queenie, Darcy, Kyzaike (Chess-key) and Cassandra are so many things — young, fun, outgoing, depressed, self-conscious, self-aware, hard working, lazy, crazy, delusional, all of the above, battling their way through their loves and lives!
I would give the book five stars alone for its accurate portrayal of it being a late-stage, coming of age novel in the vein of the film — Frances Ha.
Where Queenie loses some of its power for me is in its handling of interracial dating. None of the situations in this novel sit well with me. Not the begging back of the boyfriend. Not Ted. Not the abusive Guy. Not Adi. etc etc.. not that the situations arent an accurate af reflection of what black women actually endure dating interracially because they totally are. It's just that the way that Queenie allows herself to be treated in this novel, I don't feel like that's an accurate reflection of our women as a composite, especially at age 26. Maybe 19-22, but 26!? The writer, Candice Carty-Williams, strips away most of our self-worth and scrappy nature in dating and leaves us as this docile sort of begging to be loved, overly sexual, inherently second choice type of woman; that's a trope in the culture that we can never escape. My guess: Carty-Williams didn't want to lean towards the strong i-dont-need-a-man trope as well, but is there no common, working-on-the-self, non-begging middle ground? I definitely feel that 26, moving into our first or second stable jobs is when most of the friends I know and most of the women I meet (and I meet a lot of women, in my life working as a woman's advocate in particular), 26 is about the time where we're standing firm in our not about the fuckshit, just say no to racist/sexist/hotep men phase. To have Queenie, just sliding around being played out by herself just seems backwards. But I do realize this book is about an awakening to this realization that she's worth more, and she has to go through it, so it's whatever, but it still bothers me.
Chapter 25 when she's talking to the psychotherapist got me teary and in my feelings cause I felt that shit. There has to be a better way for us tho. Queenie is a beautiful plus-sized Jamaican-British girl is dating and letting all these basic fucking white dudes use and abuse her to fill the hole inside of her left by parental neglect and the emotional destruction caused by the breakup of her relationship with her boyfriend of 3 years. I'm not going to say that her mutually using white men for sex and having them use her for sex is not realistic, but it reinforces such a negative trope about Carribean women, that I just can't overlook. There were so many moments where I was cringing due to Queenie's aloof nature. I loved her friend Kayzike the most, she kept it real and she reminded me of my girl Stephanie. A real one and consummate professional who will still set it off. She reminded me of myself as well. I didn't find her stereotypical at all.
Anyway, I enjoyed the novel. It's uplifting, unique and more than a little eyebrow-raising. I recommend it based on it's representational aspects!
heidilreads's review against another edition
4.0
I've seen comments that it's a Jamaican version of Bridget Jones... I think that's a very loose description. It is a 20ish year old trying her way in the world... With all of the usual mistakes and lessons, but the added component of being one of a few non-white people. That isn't the main storyline, but it's part of her story.
jalehrter's review against another edition
4.0
I was slightly apprehensive to start this as again it’s had SO much hype, there is a lot that I liked about the book however, such as the ending that isn’t about finding a man to save her etc. I love the honesty in which Queenie was portrayed, even if I didn’t necessarily ‘like’ her all the time, and the themes explored make it a very real and current novel.
rauditore142's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Sexual assault
bandwagon_jumper's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
lorraine78's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
charris0903's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
louisadassow's review against another edition
4.0
A fantastic book. A great insight into the stereotypes and issues that are perpetually thrust upon black women, set against the backdrop of modern London. Lovingly relatable as a character, her every interaction with a white male drips with the weird and harmful social opinions on black bodies. Skin crawling sexism and racism, yet Queenie is beloved. The story is a wonderful and encouraging read.
antoniakatic's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0