Reviews

The Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis

Only show reviews with written explanations

sohalol's review against another edition

inspiring tense slow-paced

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

3.5

Hatte die Serie dazu geguckt und wollte das Buch mal lesen und ich bin nicht enttäuscht. Die Serie ist fast 1 zu 1 aus dem Buch übernommen worden und das zeigt irgendwie wie gut Tevis Schreibstil ist. Beth ist echt komplex und interessant. Leider hatte ich am Ende des Buches wie am Anfang immernoch keine Ahnung wie sie so genau tickt, aber vllt soll es so sein. Ein Genie verstehen Normalos nicht so einfach I guess und sie ist ein Charakter mit vielen Schichten. Die Beschreibung der Schachspiele hab ich auch null verstanden, aber Respekt, dass Tevis es geschafft hat jedes der vielen Spiele so zu schreiben das man trotzdem weiterlesen will.

dserogina's review against another edition

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challenging reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes

4.5

Loved the show, so decided to pick up the book to see if there is any additional content or more reflections from Beth’s side. Was insanely surprised how detailed Netflix adapted the book into the show, the book is just the same as the show.

So consequently, loved the book, got me out of my reading slump.

Was a bit too detailed in regards of describing all the movements within the games, but it did not affect my impression of the book.

heather_boo's review against another edition

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4.0

Most people know this title from the recently successful Netflix series by the same name. She is generally unsmiling and serious for her age, and that may result from circumstance: a car accident losing her parents, the orphanage, and standard bullies. Elizabeth or Beth Harmon is a stoic girl who we follow through adolescence. She has an unerring love of chess that simply happens after she chances upon the school janitor playing alone in the basement. We never learn what causes the cataclysmic connection, but from that moment she will dedicate herself to the game beyond anything else, possibly as an avenue for emotions which would otherwise remain repressed.

kim_j_dare's review against another edition

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4.0

I haven’t seen the Netflix series yet, although now I’d like to watch it to see how it brings the book to life. I greatly enjoyed the novel. Walter Tevis’s depiction of Beth, an orphaned, lonely, addiction-prone chess prodigy, was stronger than I expected it to be. Watching Beth navigate the adult world into which she was thrust— not always successfully— made this a mesmerizing read. I had a rudimentary knowledge of chess going into this. Readers with no chess knowledge might not enjoy the story as much.

svenvnl's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.25

cecilyroseceillam's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative 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

As someone who plays chess and has knowledge of the game, I very much enjoyed the Queen’s gambit, I loved the way it empowered woman in chess and showed Beth breaking a lot of stereotypes and a lot of glass ceilings down, I also enjoyed seeing a woman actually have a career in such an old book and given actual development and a voice. I think the book surprisingly actually dealt with racism and addiction quite well and it was extremely refreshing to see a black character not saved by the white characters but her own hard work and determination. It was also nice to see such an old book openly criticising racism and sexist ideology and stereotypes. I also enjoyed the games being played too and how the writer clearly had knowledge of chess as they are actual games that anyone could play today. I also throughly enjoyed seeing Beth go through addiction and beat it and how it connected to the plot, it added a hopeful positive message in what otherwise could’ve been very dark. I also liked that the prose and writing felt extremely disconnected from Beth when she was in her worse times but when she’s playing chess and in a happier space it connects more to her, it added a very lyrical and chess move prose style that felt like a knight or queen attacking a piece. Overall I highly enjoyed and would definitely recommend for people who have an interest in chess but haven’t played and the complete opposite.

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