Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams

66 reviews

ank3's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny inspiring reflective 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

4.5

I picked this book up with no idea what would come. The misogynoir way (white) men handle Queenie and her body is devastating. The book shows how it feels to be lusted after by misogynistic, racist men who crave the exotic black female body. The accumulation of all these interactions keep building up on Queenie's already traumatised life experiences and low self esteem until eventually she gets knocked down by it all.

The first half of the book is heart wrenching. The ending warmed my heart. Queenie shows great strength in this world where she is mistreated repeatedly. She picks herself up by accepting therapy which is not accepted in her culture. She slowly recovers with the help from her realistically imperfect friends and family.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

beetandbaguette's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Medical content, Medical trauma, Stalking, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

culown's review against another edition

fast-paced

4.0

Petition to have Queenie stop dating men 🤢

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, and Violence

jaywithwhiskey's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful 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

4.5

Although it did feel kind of long at times, I really enjoyed this book. The theme of mental health care is really important and done in such a genuine and heartbreaking way. We follow Queenie after a breakup through self-destruction and a long road to recovery afterwards. Overall this book is hard to read sometimes due to having to watch the characters go through some hard times, but ultimately it makes you feel warm and it's hilarious and you fall in love with Queenie and her friends and family.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Colonisation

Minor: Police brutality

boxofcats's review

emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Minor: Abandonment

Heartbreaking and wonderful at the same time, especially if you've experienced any similar situations. Queenie felt like a best friend at a difficult time.

quinn12_'s review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad fast-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

marissab's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Rape, Gaslighting, and Dysphoria

Minor: Cursing, Drug use, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, and Classism

serpina's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

3.0

How to review this book... 
I do think it's a good book with a good message. Queenie is a 25 years old woman, who loses her boyfriend, job, one of her best girl friends and her dignity in a very short amount of time. Her life sucks, men are using her, she has to move back into her grandparent's house and all of this is coated with a thick layer of racism on top. 
This is a good story, relatable in some parts and uncomfortably unrelatable in other parts (I'm a white woman). So why do I only give three stars? Because I hate contemporary stories. I dislike the genre and don't enjoy spending my time reading about normal people with normal problems. 
If your job is bad, you better be a reaper. If your family is dysfunctional, your parents better be Lillith and the Archangel Gabriel. If your partner sucks, they better be a vampire, or at least a fae. 
If I read books without any fantasy elements, they're usually at least some cozy mysteries. 

But Queenie was a gift some Christmases ago and a) I plan to reduce my physical TBR this year significantly and b) in honor of Black History Month, I wanted to read it and I finished it, because I think the story deserves to be read, even though I don't like it much. I skimmed roughly two thirds of the book, but I followed the plot and the development. And if you like contemporary stories, I would recommend the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Infidelity and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Miscarriage

teh_niarr's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment

georgie_mb's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-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

5.0

For me, this lived up to the hype that I’d heard about this. 

Queenie is a modern flawed woman who I came to love through this audiobook (highly recommend listening as Tamara Lawrence is just FAB).She is going through everything from the breakdown of long-term relationships, a miscarriage, casual sex, systematic racism, workplace romances, childhood trauma and mental health issues and I just found her journey from beginning to end to inspiring. 

I was truly gripped from start to finish and was rooting for Queenie like she was a real person! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship