mj001's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-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
What a ride this read has been. Initially, Queenie was grating on my nerves and I low key hated her but as the plot unraveled and her feelings and background became clear, it felt very real, emotional and relatable (at least for me the mental health part). I was positively surprised by this book, especially with how triggering I found Queenie initially.
menniemenace's review against another edition
2.0
Might've given it a 2.5/5 if it was possible, but definitely not a 3.
I was so excited to read this, and some people said it's an even better version of Bridget Jones, which I've never read -tried 2 times but didn't go through with it- but really loved the movie.
It wasn't a better version of BJ. It's far more serious and kind of traumatic in a sense. Queenie goes through a relationship break, in which she dives head first into a series of awful decisions and really terrible one night stands. It gets ugly in both physical and emotional sense, and ends up almost costing her her job and a horrible friend. (I hated that friend so much.)
The book talks about racism, bad childhoods, and messy breakups. Queenie isn't perfect, she almost always does bad stuff that brings her no joy and hurt her so bad, she goes with whatever her casual hookups want her to do no matter how much she hates it. It got hard to sympathize with her more times than I can count. I really had a hard time finishing this book.
I don't think I'll go through similar scenario in my own life for a variety of reasons, but I do let people hurt me and don't speak up for myself most of the time, so I felt for her on that part.
The audio was amazing, the narrator's accent was so lovely and I've never heard Jamaican accent before. The cover was beautiful, if Queenie's hair really looked like this I would've totally fell for her, and Kyazike was awesome in more ways than one. Thoese are my favorite things about this book.
I was so excited to read this, and some people said it's an even better version of Bridget Jones, which I've never read -tried 2 times but didn't go through with it- but really loved the movie.
It wasn't a better version of BJ. It's far more serious and kind of traumatic in a sense. Queenie goes through a relationship break, in which she dives head first into a series of awful decisions and really terrible one night stands. It gets ugly in both physical and emotional sense, and ends up almost costing her her job and a horrible friend. (I hated that friend so much.)
The book talks about racism, bad childhoods, and messy breakups. Queenie isn't perfect, she almost always does bad stuff that brings her no joy and hurt her so bad, she goes with whatever her casual hookups want her to do no matter how much she hates it. It got hard to sympathize with her more times than I can count. I really had a hard time finishing this book.
I don't think I'll go through similar scenario in my own life for a variety of reasons, but I do let people hurt me and don't speak up for myself most of the time, so I felt for her on that part.
The audio was amazing, the narrator's accent was so lovely and I've never heard Jamaican accent before. The cover was beautiful, if Queenie's hair really looked like this I would've totally fell for her, and Kyazike was awesome in more ways than one. Thoese are my favorite things about this book.
dansore's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
rubywarhol's review against another edition
2.0
First off, trigger warning for sexual assault, miscarriage, domestic abuse, etc. I'm honestly a bit disappointed the trigger warning wasn't on the first page of the book because there is a LOT of sexual assault, and it even includes "grey area of consent" incidents, giving the message that it's still not okay; which is a pretty progressive attitude. I just feel like there could've been a hint in the beginning that it was going to happen every couple of pages.
Anyway. I liked the narrative voice, it was very self-aware with raw, refreshingly honest confessions, even mentioning things that you wouldn't usually admit to yourself, let alone others, in real life.
Queenie is a classic example of a naive young girl with internalised racism, misogyny, and low self-esteem, thinking she doesn't deserve any better. She's addicted to attention from men and gets her temporary confidence from sex with literally anyone, and she's not pretending like she doesn't need it.
On top of this, she blames herself for being too sensitive and speaking up every once in a while. Her idiot boyfriend plays a big part in this, but she doesn't seem to see this at all. He is clearly problematic and gaslighting her into thinking she's too dramatic when she has every reason to complain, but all she does is cry about how much she misses him. She is openly dependent, needy, and apologises for things that are not her fault. Then, at some point, she suddenly decides to change. This change didn't seem very organic to me, and the main issue - her idolisation of her boyfriend and inability to see his flaws - is never properly resolved.
Sometimes the plot was a little TOO close to reality, to the point that nothing interesting was really happening and it was just random rambles and repetition. I also thought the ending was a bit weak - without spoiling it, I just don't think this is how mental illness works. I related to a lot of her struggles but at some point I had to ask myself if someone can really be THAT gullible and blind to what's really going on. It was pretty clear for me (and everyone else in the story, as they were saying constantly!) to see what the problem was and why she was stuck in these toxic patterns, but she refused to acknowledge there was a problem in the first place. I get that this was the whole point of her character, but I just found it hard to believe that at her age she wouldn't have already made these connections a long time ago.
Overall, there were some funny, sad, and interesting moments, and a fair bit of intersectional feminist issues were raised. But I also had to force myself to keep reading a lot of the time - either because the plot was dragging or because I was triggered by the events and had to take a break. So it's definitely not for everyone.
Anyway. I liked the narrative voice, it was very self-aware with raw, refreshingly honest confessions, even mentioning things that you wouldn't usually admit to yourself, let alone others, in real life.
Queenie is a classic example of a naive young girl with internalised racism, misogyny, and low self-esteem, thinking she doesn't deserve any better. She's addicted to attention from men and gets her temporary confidence from sex with literally anyone, and she's not pretending like she doesn't need it.
On top of this, she blames herself for being too sensitive and speaking up every once in a while. Her idiot boyfriend plays a big part in this, but she doesn't seem to see this at all. He is clearly problematic and gaslighting her into thinking she's too dramatic when she has every reason to complain, but all she does is cry about how much she misses him. She is openly dependent, needy, and apologises for things that are not her fault. Then, at some point, she suddenly decides to change. This change didn't seem very organic to me, and the main issue - her idolisation of her boyfriend and inability to see his flaws - is never properly resolved.
Sometimes the plot was a little TOO close to reality, to the point that nothing interesting was really happening and it was just random rambles and repetition. I also thought the ending was a bit weak - without spoiling it, I just don't think this is how mental illness works. I related to a lot of her struggles but at some point I had to ask myself if someone can really be THAT gullible and blind to what's really going on. It was pretty clear for me (and everyone else in the story, as they were saying constantly!) to see what the problem was and why she was stuck in these toxic patterns, but she refused to acknowledge there was a problem in the first place. I get that this was the whole point of her character, but I just found it hard to believe that at her age she wouldn't have already made these connections a long time ago.
Overall, there were some funny, sad, and interesting moments, and a fair bit of intersectional feminist issues were raised. But I also had to force myself to keep reading a lot of the time - either because the plot was dragging or because I was triggered by the events and had to take a break. So it's definitely not for everyone.
jarichan's review against another edition
3.0
Eindeutig kein Buch für mich, aber da es viele wichtige Themen anspricht, verdient es dennoch drei Sterne.
Es war deshalb nichts für mich, weil es einfach zu viel ist des Männergeschwafels. Ja, Carty-Williams spricht auch andere soziale Themen an, aber alles dreht sich dennoch um Dating, Sex und Männergeschichten. Wer schläft mit wem, wieso, weshalb.
Die meisten von Queenies Problemen scheinen sich auch auf dieses Thema zu fokussieren. Das ist natürlich so gewollt, aber für mich einfach nichts. Als die weiteren Bezugspunkte zur Sprache kamen, hatte das Buch mich längst schon verloren und stets, wenn ich hoffte, ich könnte doch noch ein wenig in die Handlung reinkommen, palaverten die Mädels wieder über Männerthemen. Lästig.
Ja, Queenie tat mir oft Leid. Und ich war vielmals geschockt darüber, was sie alles erlebt. Im London des 21. Jahrhunderts. Es ist einfach unglaublich! Vor allem, weil ich davon ausgehe, dass diese Erlebnisse keineswegs an den Haaren herbeigezogen sind, sondern vielen Menschen tatsächlich so zustossen. Fürchterlich!
Trotz diesen Gefühlen konnte ich weiterhin nichts mit Queenie und dem Buch selber anfangen. Queenie war für mich wie eine Kollegin aus einem anderen Stockwerk. Man sieht sich im Lift, grüsst sich und das wars. Wenn man Klatsch hört, dass es der entsprechenden Person nicht gut geht, schenkt man ihr morgens vielleicht ein Lächeln mehr, aber für einen gemeinsamen Kaffee reicht es leider nicht...
Es war deshalb nichts für mich, weil es einfach zu viel ist des Männergeschwafels. Ja, Carty-Williams spricht auch andere soziale Themen an, aber alles dreht sich dennoch um Dating, Sex und Männergeschichten. Wer schläft mit wem, wieso, weshalb.
Die meisten von Queenies Problemen scheinen sich auch auf dieses Thema zu fokussieren. Das ist natürlich so gewollt, aber für mich einfach nichts. Als die weiteren Bezugspunkte zur Sprache kamen, hatte das Buch mich längst schon verloren und stets, wenn ich hoffte, ich könnte doch noch ein wenig in die Handlung reinkommen, palaverten die Mädels wieder über Männerthemen. Lästig.
Ja, Queenie tat mir oft Leid. Und ich war vielmals geschockt darüber, was sie alles erlebt. Im London des 21. Jahrhunderts. Es ist einfach unglaublich! Vor allem, weil ich davon ausgehe, dass diese Erlebnisse keineswegs an den Haaren herbeigezogen sind, sondern vielen Menschen tatsächlich so zustossen. Fürchterlich!
Trotz diesen Gefühlen konnte ich weiterhin nichts mit Queenie und dem Buch selber anfangen. Queenie war für mich wie eine Kollegin aus einem anderen Stockwerk. Man sieht sich im Lift, grüsst sich und das wars. Wenn man Klatsch hört, dass es der entsprechenden Person nicht gut geht, schenkt man ihr morgens vielleicht ein Lächeln mehr, aber für einen gemeinsamen Kaffee reicht es leider nicht...
apennyforyourplots's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
4.5
heyvero's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
grangerdor's review against another edition
emotional
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
3.5
pj_'s review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
green_pasta's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
3.75
Quite good actually, bit hard to get into. Very relatable in certain aspects, eye opening in others. Not a beach read tho.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Racism
Moderate: Miscarriage and Eating disorder