Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams

68 reviews

jminap's review against another edition

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

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Sexism, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Racism, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

itsharrietrj's review against another edition

challenging informative 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

---

Content Warnings

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

tessalexandra's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Eating disorder, and Antisemitism

janetteb12's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense slow-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 had a very difficult time getting into this book. I finished it because I was curious to see how the conflict would be resolved, but I didn’t really care either way. There were some good moments, especially near the end, where you’ll root for the main character. But a couple moments at the end wasn’t enough to salvage this reading experience for me.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual violence, and Toxic friendship

josieruby1's review against another edition

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

lindiwe's review against another edition

emotional 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

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Racism, Sexual content, Racial slurs, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

memorable's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Body shaming, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Miscarriage

jademrosas's review against another edition

funny hopeful inspiring 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? N/A

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence and Racism

Moderate: Police brutality, Toxic friendship, and Domestic abuse

mfrabbiele's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Cursing, and Mental illness

Minor: Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Pregnancy, and Racial slurs

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. 

---

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