Reviews tagging 'Fatphobia'

Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams

46 reviews

mina_m's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful 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

3.0

Oh, Queenie.

This took me quite some time to get through, which is why I can't really give it more than three stars. (Like, the first 250 pages took me over a month...). The structure just didn't do it for me. It's kind of messy, but it makes sense, because Queenie is kind of messy. She's an infuriating main character who just keeps on making bad decisions for herself and ends up in so many unfortunate situations, but I did root for her nevertheless. Her healing process for the last hundred pages or so (spoiler?) was what saved the book in my opinion. And, ultimately, Queenie is indeed a book "of the moment". I'm glad I read it.

Sidenote: I still cannot fathom that so many people have described this book as "funny"? I chuckled maybe twice, but for the most part it's sad and bleak, with so much self-destructive behaviour. (I lost track of the amount of times I mumbled "please go to therapy" into the pages). It covers a significant amount of very heavy themes (I literally added fourteen content warnings on the storygraph), so if you're looking for a light beach read, this is not it. Not every book should be easily digestible though. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Racism, and Mental illness

Moderate: Abandonment, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Miscarriage

sdunn13's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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: Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, and Sexual content

Moderate: Child abuse, Fatphobia, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Domestic abuse

mamagina's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful 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

4.0

Queenie is witty, honest, confused, pinballing through life at a breaking point. She is a character of multitudes and Candice Carty-Williams writes the diverse voices in her life with a deft hand. 

What we learn is to inhabit the mind and body of trauma, and more specifically, the trauma of a black woman in London, from the inside.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexism, Racism, and Rape

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Domestic abuse, and Fatphobia

Minor: Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Hate crime, and Gun violence

apaperbackgirl's review against another edition

challenging 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, and Sexual content

Moderate: Medical content, Miscarriage, Self harm, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, and Racial slurs

simonemaybe's review against another edition

The content of this book is very triggering and I was very surprised. CW: sexual assault, mental health neglect, family trauma, abusive relationships - I can go on. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Body shaming, Toxic relationship, Rape, Racial slurs, Panic attacks/disorders, Misogyny, Medical trauma, Medical content, Fatphobia, Eating disorder, and Bullying

camillou's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, and Violence

lilacsophie's review against another edition

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Rape, Misogyny, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Miscarriage, Grief, and Cursing

Minor: Police brutality, Eating disorder, Slavery, and Gun violence

naju's review against another edition

dark emotional tense 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

3.25

a while ago i wrote a review on letterboxd for the movie A Fantastic Woman that said: "painful from my head to my toes. i'm still uncertain as to if i think cinema making you This uncomfortable is productive or not... we'll see"

i feel almost the same about this book. there is a lot of suffering, suffering i know happens in real life. we do get some development after all, and it ends on a hopeful note, but my stomach is still turning. don't know how to feel about it yet.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Medical content, Miscarriage, and Misogyny

Minor: Physical abuse and Rape

jularcido's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad 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

4.5

I heard so much praise for this book (and a comparison to Bridget Jones??) so I HAD to read it. This story follows Queenie, a 20-something Jamaican Brit, and her life spiraling as she deals with heartbreak, a job that isn't what she dreamed it would be, a family who won't listen, and friends who don't know how to help her. All Queenie wants is to be seen, and to figure it all out.

•

The writing style and first-person narration really made me feel like I was listening to a friend. This made it all so much more frustrating when she kept making self-destructive decisions. These decisions were only some (not all) of the triggering content that made the story so raw and realistic. To me, this book wasn't as much a cute heartwarming read but more cathartic and relatable. Queenie's mental health issues were written well and I really liked her nonlinear path of recovery.

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All Queenie's interactions really showcased the different forms of racism and sexism a person can face simply dealing with work issues, talking with friends, and dating trash men. While I cannot speak for the Black experience, as a POC myself, I connected with many of the micro-aggressions (and straight up aggressions) that she had  to deal with, especially with men. The racial gaslighting that Queenie faced throughout the book really made my heart hurt. 😕

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Although the book dealt with a lot of heavy topics, I feel that I found a friend in Queenie, and maybe you will too. 💕

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexism, Self harm, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Infidelity, Fatphobia, and Body shaming

areadingstan's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad medium-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

5.0

This was a really beautiful story. Williams crafted the character of Queenie, her family and friends so well and managed to somehow find a balance between comedy and seriousness within Queenie's story, as she must traverse many changes, racism in every day life, generational differences in family, trials of friendship and dating, and her own mental health issues.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Grief, Medical content, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship