Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams

112 reviews

angelbabe_cj's review

challenging emotional hopeful tense 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

3.75

The writing here is absolutely excellent, just the story wasn't as much for me. Even if the arc overall was both satisfying and something I enjoyed. The early parts of the story were pretty off putting for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Body shaming, and Racism

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Domestic abuse

Minor: Fatphobia, Alcohol, Racial slurs, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicide

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

beetandbaguette's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Alcohol, Drug use, Medical content, Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Racism, and Sexual violence

zara89's review against another edition

emotional 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Mental illness, and Infidelity

Minor: Suicide

tetedump's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful sad 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Body shaming, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Miscarriage, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, and Sexual assault

stephmcoakley's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Cursing, Toxic friendship, Body shaming, Cultural appropriation, Racism, Religious bigotry, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Grief, Infidelity, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Stalking

brianareads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Toxic friendship, and Racism

pamxramirez's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

i found the first half quite difficult to read, but once I understood the author's intentions (and noticed the bookis in the Fleabag genre), everything settled into place. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual harassment, Racism, Racial slurs, Misogyny, and Mental illness

Moderate: Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, and Self harm

Minor: Toxic friendship, Miscarriage, Classism, Fatphobia, Body shaming, and Alcoholism

applesaucecreachur's review

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

martamae77's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Racism, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, and Toxic friendship