Scan barcode
lexreading1997's review against another edition
challenging
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really love the concept of this, found the character very jarring until her back story was explained but felt like I was screening at the book... Interested to see the series
jennyluwho's review against another edition
2.0
I don’t know. So many comparisons to Bridget Jones...and it’s been a good decade since I read it, but if memory serves she had no real problems. On the other hand, Queenie has a troubled past, anxiety issues and a life rife with racists...something about all this made the comparisons seem borderline offensive.
sarahmhall's review against another edition
4.0
Things I liked:
- I thought it was a good story about things just falling apart in your 20s and how family/friends can support a person through that
- I liked that Queenie actively sought support whether it was from friends, the clinic, or a therapist. I think a lot of the story highlights her immaturity, but her ability to ask for help shows she is mature in some ways.
- I liked the family dynamic between Queenie, her cousin, her grandparents & her aunt. Her grandad's little talk with her towards the end was too cute.
- It felt like the book was an example of breaking through generational trauma & I really liked that. I also liked that it clearly wasn't easy for Queenie to go through this, it felt realistic because breaking generational curses really does suck.
Things I didn't like
- It felt like the author was trying to make a critique of race relations without fully committing to it. It felt like the interracial friendships/dating, BLM, work dynamics, etc. could've been fleshed out more
- I wish (and was expecting) the author would've gotten into Queenie's background more. We only saw a small glimpse into what happened during her childhood but the whole book alluded to the fact that her childhood really screwed up parts of her life. It didn't make sense to me that the actions we saw from Roy would have such an impact on the race of the men she dates, I wish that storyline would've been better explained.
- I hated the ending with Cassandra, it some ways it just highlighted that Queenie didn't really learn anything about standing up for herself.
- I thought it was a good story about things just falling apart in your 20s and how family/friends can support a person through that
- I liked that Queenie actively sought support whether it was from friends, the clinic, or a therapist. I think a lot of the story highlights her immaturity, but her ability to ask for help shows she is mature in some ways.
- I liked the family dynamic between Queenie, her cousin, her grandparents & her aunt. Her grandad's little talk with her towards the end was too cute.
- It felt like the book was an example of breaking through generational trauma & I really liked that. I also liked that it clearly wasn't easy for Queenie to go through this, it felt realistic because breaking generational curses really does suck.
Things I didn't like
- It felt like the author was trying to make a critique of race relations without fully committing to it. It felt like the interracial friendships/dating, BLM, work dynamics, etc. could've been fleshed out more
- I wish (and was expecting) the author would've gotten into Queenie's background more. We only saw a small glimpse into what happened during her childhood but the whole book alluded to the fact that her childhood really screwed up parts of her life. It didn't make sense to me that the actions we saw from Roy would have such an impact on the race of the men she dates, I wish that storyline would've been better explained.
- I hated the ending with Cassandra, it some ways it just highlighted that Queenie didn't really learn anything about standing up for herself.
minnietimperley's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-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
4.0
philosophicellie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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? Yes
5.0
helen_t_reads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
5.0
Queenie Jenkins, is a vibrant, but troubled 25-year-old British-Jamaican woman, living in south London, straddling Jamaican and British culture whilst slotting neatly into neither. She works at a national newspaper where she’s constantly forced to compare herself to her white, middle-class peers, and beg to write about Black Lives Matter. After a messy break up from her long-term white boyfriend, Queenie finds herself seeking comfort in all the wrong places.
She is a truly memorable character - fearless, feisty, fierce and funny, but her 'out there', larger than life attitude masks huge emotional vulnerability and a troubled interior life.
Queenie is a remarkable character creation, fully rounded and developed, totally relatable, and instantly taken to the reader's heart, despite her lack of judgement and poor life choices. She has been written with genuine understanding, and humanity, and whilst she has been described by some as a sort of 'Black Bridget Jones', that really does not do this novel justice.
This is a story that cleverly blends comedy, sadness, social commentary and politics, as it looks at the contrast between the modern , metropolitan world of work, renting, relationships, casual hook-ups and dating apps, and the more traditional values of the Windrush generation.
It's a novel that examines some really weighty and important issues: childhood trauma; domestic abuse; grief; loss and mental health. Self-destructive, self-sabotaging behaviour; low self-esteem.
Sexual politics and consent.
Learning to admit the need for help, and learning to let go.
The strength, support and love found in family and female friendship - recognising it, valuing it, taking strength from it, and appreciating that you deserve it.
The Black experience in a Britain rife with casual everyday racism as well as more endemic, systemic institutional racism.
The lip service paid to diversity in the workforce by big companies, with their quotas and tokenism.
How flaky men are - their emotional immaturity, selfishness, arrogance and sexually predatorial nature.
Really serious issues, really major themes, and it is unflinching in its honesty. And yet. For all this, the tone of the novel is humorous, bright and breezy with laugh out loud observations, comments and asides, and it is populated by a cast of unforgettable characters who are so very well drawn.
I'm a little late to the party with this one, but I thought it was an absolutely triumphant and gob-smackingly good novel and I absolutely loved it - I'm still marveling that it was a debut. If you haven't yet read Queenie I urge you to make her acquaintance immediately!
She is a truly memorable character - fearless, feisty, fierce and funny, but her 'out there', larger than life attitude masks huge emotional vulnerability and a troubled interior life.
Queenie is a remarkable character creation, fully rounded and developed, totally relatable, and instantly taken to the reader's heart, despite her lack of judgement and poor life choices. She has been written with genuine understanding, and humanity, and whilst she has been described by some as a sort of 'Black Bridget Jones', that really does not do this novel justice.
This is a story that cleverly blends comedy, sadness, social commentary and politics, as it looks at the contrast between the modern , metropolitan world of work, renting, relationships, casual hook-ups and dating apps, and the more traditional values of the Windrush generation.
It's a novel that examines some really weighty and important issues: childhood trauma; domestic abuse; grief; loss and mental health. Self-destructive, self-sabotaging behaviour; low self-esteem.
Sexual politics and consent.
Learning to admit the need for help, and learning to let go.
The strength, support and love found in family and female friendship - recognising it, valuing it, taking strength from it, and appreciating that you deserve it.
The Black experience in a Britain rife with casual everyday racism as well as more endemic, systemic institutional racism.
The lip service paid to diversity in the workforce by big companies, with their quotas and tokenism.
How flaky men are - their emotional immaturity, selfishness, arrogance and sexually predatorial nature.
Really serious issues, really major themes, and it is unflinching in its honesty. And yet. For all this, the tone of the novel is humorous, bright and breezy with laugh out loud observations, comments and asides, and it is populated by a cast of unforgettable characters who are so very well drawn.
I'm a little late to the party with this one, but I thought it was an absolutely triumphant and gob-smackingly good novel and I absolutely loved it - I'm still marveling that it was a debut. If you haven't yet read Queenie I urge you to make her acquaintance immediately!
smiley7245's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
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
2.75
Queenie was incredibly hard to like as a main character because you were watching her self destruct and there was nothing you could do about it. I just wanted to shake her and tell her to stop. But, at the same time she was hard to not like because she was so relatable. Now, I have never had to deal with the micro-aggressions or blatant racism that she faced, but I have spiraled because of a boy so I get it, to an extent. I HATED Cassandra. She was a bully and a taker. I liked it better for Queenie when they weren't speaking because she struggled enough with her doubts, she didn't need the extra negativity in her life. Her other two friends were great; they vocalized their worries for her, acknowledged the situation, and helped her. When she finally started therapy they were supportive. I liked that her grandfather was her biggest supporter about starting therapy; and that his support changed the minds of everyone else in her family. It was good to see Queenie grow, learn to use the therapy skills in life, and share them with her mother, which in turn helped her rebuild her relationship with her mother. I did not like her boss; but came around to her in the end with how she handled the letter from Ted and apologizing about the whole situation. I wanted more of a happy ending. This just ended; it felt unfinished. Queenie's story was not done with the end of this book, but it did not seem like there was a set up for a second book either. I would have liked it more if the ending felt more complete. Part of me wanted her to get back together with Tom. Yes, she had the big revelation where she deleted his number, but even that felt incomplete. I was glad she was able to go on the date, realize she didn't like him, and leave without sleeping with him. I wish she wouldn't have gone back to his place, but that wouldn't have been as impactful for her. I'm just not satisfied. Queenie had all of this growth, but her story doesn't feel complete.
charl0ttelucy's review against another edition
4.0
I didn’t love this book in the beginning, it was difficult to get into but as I carried on reading the greatness of this book creeped up on me. I’m grateful to read a book that doesn’t revolve around romantic relationships, instead it focuses on sexual relationships, friendships and mental health.
Queenie as a character is admirable, I found myself relating to her self destructive behaviours, and grew to love her. She educated readers and gave an insight into the lives of a traditional Jamaican family whilst also trying to steer away from this. It details her declining mental health, and follows her journey trying to combat this as well as all the other obstacles in her way; a failed relationship, one night stands, her job and her dysfunctional but loving circle of friends.
In the end I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I didn’t want it to end. It gets a solid 4.5/5 stars as it was gripping and I couldn’t put it down.
Queenie as a character is admirable, I found myself relating to her self destructive behaviours, and grew to love her. She educated readers and gave an insight into the lives of a traditional Jamaican family whilst also trying to steer away from this. It details her declining mental health, and follows her journey trying to combat this as well as all the other obstacles in her way; a failed relationship, one night stands, her job and her dysfunctional but loving circle of friends.
In the end I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I didn’t want it to end. It gets a solid 4.5/5 stars as it was gripping and I couldn’t put it down.
staceface75's review against another edition
4.0
Good book, funny. Sometimes it was hard to decipher the slang. Other than that, an easy read. Queenie is very likeable and I found myself constantly rooting for her. Her girlfriends are a great supporting cast.