Reviews with content warning for Sexual violence - Queenie

Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams

271 reviews

suzynotsontag's review against another edition

tense fast-paced

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

3.0

It was a little shallow for me, which I think is why it was such a breeze to read. There weren’t many times I had to put the book down to process what I’d just read, but that may be because I’m already well versed in the subject matter. More than anything it was infuriating and triggering as a black person that has lived experience as a woman. At times it felt like

it was just completely pointless, like there wouldn’t be any development on Queenie’s part. That’s why the ending felt rushed, with her going to therapy and getting her act together. Also just the fact that absolutely everyone she encountered was just a massive dick with absolutely no positives seemed a bit unrealistic. I’m also very very salty that Cassandra got back into her life, she was a toxic presence since the very beginning.

All in all, I don’t regret reading it because there were quite a few instances that made me laugh and I cried twice. Can’t say I’d eagerly recommend it to anyone though

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quinn12_'s review against another edition

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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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ruth_power's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative 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

Hilarious! So many emotions! This book is a really honest portrayal of recovery and it discusses serious issues in a sensitive way. Shvorne Marks is a fantastic narrator too!

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buffy87's review

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emotional hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I disliked the main character and didn't care for her until 75% the way through. Even then, I struggled to gain sympathy for her. It was frustrating to read and it felt like reading the self absorbed dusty of a 12 year old. I only felt pity and disdain for Queenie which sucked for me as a reader. In fact, I didn't like any of the characters... except maybe Kyazike.

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marissab's review against another edition

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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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serpina's review against another edition

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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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marysaou's review against another edition

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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

3.25

I can appreciate a flawed main character who goes through a transformation during the course of a novel. However, Queenie's self-destructive cycles and struggle with crippling anxiety were tough for me to read. My heart broke for her again and again, as someone who has personally experienced panic attacks and overwhelming anxiety. With all that, it was hard to enjoy this book. However, I look forward to reading more by this author, as this was her debut novel!

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