review of QUEENIE BY CANDICE CARTY-WILLIAMS
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What a book! I wasn't even 100 pages in before I started telling my friends that they had to read this one! I rarely get to read a good coming of age novel these days, that focuses on the main character growing rather than her finding a new romance. This book was hilarious, heartbreaking, cringeworthy, and beautiful all wrapped into one great story. The way Carty-Williams starts this book is at once hysterical and then a little sad. It's like that for most of the novel humor covering up the realness. This story is about identity, race, gentrification, change, growth, and mental health. Also, the major theme of the novel is MEN ARE THE WORSE. Something I really liked about this was the subtle (sometimes not completely subtle) racism through the novel. If you are a black person in this world you have probably experienced one if not more moments that Queenie experienced.
Our main character is the lovely Queenie Jenkins, a woman who is at that point in her life where everything seems to be infinite and finite all at the same time. The novel begins with her moving out of her boyfriend's apartment for a break and then tumbles into what I can only describe as a slow-moving car accident. Everything starts to fall apart for Queenie, but it all stems from her own decisions and actions. After a series of terrible no good men, she falls apart completely. But with the help of her tribe of family and friends, Queenie will learn to heal from her past and hopefully find a new normal.
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Stand out quote:
"But that's me. I'm an option for a man to fuck, but not an option to love." p 276
Some questions to ponder
- Do you think Queenie was in control of her self-destruction?
- How long would you wait for Tom (or someone like Tom) to get in contact with you?
- What are your views on Therapy?
- On page 275, "That's how it is..." , Queenie breaks down what life is like for her as a black woman, what are your thoughts on what she says?
Thanks for stopping by!
-MDB
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