Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams

30 reviews

773victoria's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective relaxing sad fast-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Sexual violence, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Mental illness, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Racism, and Infidelity

Minor: Gun violence and Miscarriage

franksreads's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny sad fast-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Body shaming, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Mental illness, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Miscarriage

arleen's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Racism, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Toxic relationship, Violence, Miscarriage, and Sexual violence

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

kmsander4's review against another edition

emotional reflective fast-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

Queenie is lost, self-destructive, and relatable. When everything is going wrong and spinning out of control, she barely notices. Just continues down a deeply troubling path, until, well, she hits rock bottom.

And there is where anyone that's ever felt lost, confused, and alone realizes that she's just like us. Maybe you look different, speak different, live somewhere else. Maybe you've never slept your way through your pain or allowed yourself to be used by someone else. But  somewhere, in amongst all of Queenie's shit, you'll find yourself. Lord knows I did.

The best part of this book for me was the very end because it was honest. Life has not magically improved for Queenie. Therapy didn't fix everything. But, she's trying. She is a work in progress, like we all are. And, honestly, it was refreshing to see someone else struggle and not get to some make believe perfect place in the end because life isn't perfect. Never has been, never will be. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Racism, and Sexual violence

Minor: Violence

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, Sexism, Racism, Sexual content, and Violence

applesaucecreachur's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful 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

Yep, this one was a winner. 
I checked Queenie out thanks to a bookstagram account that claimed the audiobook version was a masterpiece. Niether the author, Candice Carty-Williams, nor the narrator, Shvorne Marks, disappointed. Non-speculative contemporary fiction isn't usually my vibe but the voice acting, humor, tragedy, and occasionally even the joy covered in this story lead me to devour the book in four days flat. The titular Queenie is a deeply flawed woman who makes questionable decisions and has skewed priorities. She is also a woman who's been forced to rise to the occasion time and again, and is physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted by it all. For every misstep Queenie makes, it is ten times more frustrating to watch the world respond to her mere existence.

The pool scene was one of the rawest and most devastating bits of fiction I've consumed in years. It gave a voice to how one person's, particularly one white woman's, casual action can crumble another human.

Also, Shvorne Marks? Talented. Her range of accents and unique voices for each character elevates this book even further. Queenie was everything I didn't know I needed from fiction. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Domestic abuse, Racism, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Violence and Toxic friendship

Minor: Fatphobia

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

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

Minor: Police brutality

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

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

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

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