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hayleighreid's review against another edition
3.5
Really enjoyed this even though I'm not interested in chess. Loved Elizabeth, I wish there was a larger focus on her rather than chess play by plays. It was interesting to see how her life played out and the relationships she acquired along the way. I found myself really routing for her.
Would have been rated higher but I didn't love how Jolene was stereotyped, and they were both sexualised. The whole scene in the home felt extremely odd, and especially so learning it was a male author.
Would have been rated higher but I didn't love how Jolene was stereotyped, and they were both sexualised. The whole scene in the home felt extremely odd, and especially so learning it was a male author.
magnolia4039's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
3.75
kat7890erina's review against another edition
4.0
I came to the book via the TV series, and I enjoyed them both immensely.
aleksandra08's review against another edition
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
hyunc456's review against another edition
3.0
“Chess isn’t always competitive. Chess can also be beautiful.”
The Queen’s Gambit by Walter Tevis follows the story of a prodigious girl as she explores the world of chess and gradually loses herself to addiction. It is an analytical and fast-paced novel that wraps itself around Elizabeth Harmon’s competitive nature and the mesmerizing methods in how she approaches chess.
I found the fast-paced action gripping and superbly interesting. It was definitely an experience to peer into the mind of what you would call a young, lone prodigy. However, one thing about this book that irked me from the beginning was the unnecessary sexualization of girls, especially with Jolene, a 13-year-old orphan that Elizabeth befriended in the orphanage. There were times when the book mentioned her breasts and edged on topics such as masturbation and grooming. This did not contribute to the major plotline at all and only served as something that just happened.
Another thing about this book was that it was so supremely focused on chess that it felt like Elizabeth’s experiences came second to it. Whatever problems she had, it was overcome pretty quickly. This resulted in the narrative seeming somewhat detached from Elizabeth. Even after her mother died, it was just a bit of realization for a few pages and was not mentioned except for the house ownership. If anything, Elizabeth’s sexual desires trumped the rest of her emotions for the majority of the novel. Characters that Elizabeth once longed for and thought about, such as Harry Beltik and Townes, came and went very sparsely. I felt that this was also the case with Benny Watts–his timing of entering back into Elizabeth’s life felt far from coincidental and way too forced.
The Queen’s Gambit by Walter Tevis follows the story of a prodigious girl as she explores the world of chess and gradually loses herself to addiction. It is an analytical and fast-paced novel that wraps itself around Elizabeth Harmon’s competitive nature and the mesmerizing methods in how she approaches chess.
I found the fast-paced action gripping and superbly interesting. It was definitely an experience to peer into the mind of what you would call a young, lone prodigy. However, one thing about this book that irked me from the beginning was the unnecessary sexualization of girls, especially with Jolene, a 13-year-old orphan that Elizabeth befriended in the orphanage. There were times when the book mentioned her breasts and edged on topics such as masturbation and grooming. This did not contribute to the major plotline at all and only served as something that just happened.
Another thing about this book was that it was so supremely focused on chess that it felt like Elizabeth’s experiences came second to it. Whatever problems she had, it was overcome pretty quickly. This resulted in the narrative seeming somewhat detached from Elizabeth. Even after her mother died, it was just a bit of realization for a few pages and was not mentioned except for the house ownership. If anything, Elizabeth’s sexual desires trumped the rest of her emotions for the majority of the novel. Characters that Elizabeth once longed for and thought about, such as Harry Beltik and Townes, came and went very sparsely. I felt that this was also the case with Benny Watts–his timing of entering back into Elizabeth’s life felt far from coincidental and way too forced.
larissa_4444's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
cinnakuri's review against another edition
challenging
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
erks's review against another edition
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75