A review by laurensalisbury
Queenie, by Candice Carty-Williams
2.0
I was so disappointed by this book. Queenie is an incredibly frustrating protagonist: not because she is unlikeable, not because she never seems to grow, and not because she repeatedly makes life choices that made me want to throw the book across the room. Queenie is frustrating because she is like the shadow of what I hoped she would be. Bits of her personality and character development are thrown in seemingly without care and definitely without resolution. Her repeated pitches to her boss and interest in BLM are sprinkled in but never go anywhere. Despite her interest in these issues and her rightful anger when she is faced with micro- and macroagressions by her boyfriend, friends, and coworkers, she never actually acknowledges that these relationships might be toxic.
The biggest sticking point was, as others have mentioned in community reviews, her inability to see how terrible of a boyfriend and partner Tom was. Even by the conclusion of the book she refuses to notice that he was a racist-apologist who refused to stand up for her, who negged her throughout their relationship, and whose only interest in her was some sort of "achievement unlocked: dated a black girl" voyeuristic stream of bullshit. It's safe to say that Tom sucks.
Other never concluded bits of information include: her relationship with her grandparents; what exactly happened to make her so afraid of black men; and her life goals outside of dating an endless line of worthless white dudes.
The writing style and Carty-Williams voice is wonderful -- I would probably read her next book -- but Queenie did not live up to the hype or my hopes.
The biggest sticking point was, as others have mentioned in community reviews, her inability to see how terrible of a boyfriend and partner Tom was. Even by the conclusion of the book she refuses to notice that he was a racist-apologist who refused to stand up for her, who negged her throughout their relationship, and whose only interest in her was some sort of "achievement unlocked: dated a black girl" voyeuristic stream of bullshit. It's safe to say that Tom sucks.
Other never concluded bits of information include: her relationship with her grandparents; what exactly happened to make her so afraid of black men; and her life goals outside of dating an endless line of worthless white dudes.
The writing style and Carty-Williams voice is wonderful -- I would probably read her next book -- but Queenie did not live up to the hype or my hopes.