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A review by qveerinthenight
The Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis
adventurous
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I have never been one for chess. I used to try and play it as a child but ended up finding it very droll with the length of the games and very frustrating with how every move had to be planned to continue 32 moves in advance before even considering it as a fruitful move. I very quickly grew a disdain for the game and never went near it again. When The Queen's Gambit dropped on Netflix, I had originally decided against it for my said disdain for chest but when it became a name on everyone's lips, I decided to sit and give it a go - and I binged all episodes in one sitting, negating food and sleep to do so. Now, years later, I finally decided to sit down and give the book a go after having bought it after watching the show and never picking it up once I had put it on my shelf.
And wow. Wow.
Before reading this book, I was in a bit of a pickle with reading. I was struggling to sit and read 10 pages at a time in a 4 month period. Most books I was reading ended up haphazardly put back on my book shelf with limited capacity and want to read them at that given time. I was expecting an uphill battle to sit and read The Queen's Gambit, knowing how chess heavy it was - but this book had me in a chokehold. I devoured this, in much quicker time than I had planned to and it has reinvigorated my love for reading.
For one, I expected to be very confused with how much of the book was focused on chess and on games, with excruciating detail, however, the way it's written allows the reader to learn chess alongside Beth - whilst we may not ever have Beth's skill and precision with a chess board, we at least are amazed, stunned and enthralled with every wooden piece moving from B4 to Q4. Even if it gets a little too confusing, it's easy enough to skim the few sentences that make no sense and the descriptions of Beth's feelings and emotions give more than enough context to understand what is easily missed.
The detail that Tevis puts into the addiction side of this story is simply enthralling, tragic, haunting and an epitome of understanding - especially for a time such as 1983. I have seen many a person struggle with addiction of all kinds in my life and had a brief tango with the disease myself and the attention to detail, the harrowing paragraphs are as captivating as they are devastating. It isn't surprising to know that Tevis himself was an avid gambler, smoker and an alcoholic in his own right. This book stands the test of time for a inside look to the way addiction works, how things so easily and quickly occur and how things just happen with no reason nor rhyme.
Tevis is a master of writing, with the chess games all high stakes - often, I found myself holding my breath with my lips between my teeth as I devoured each page, feverently turning them to find out the next move and I very easily felt every one of Beth's own emotions. The text is simply masterfully written and I have not found myself so excited over a game/sports media form in a very long time (across books, films and television shows).
My only qualm is there is so much good content that should have also been included in the show! I feel like an extra one or two episodes would have absolutely expanded on the show and been a little more honest and true to text on Beth's life and the things that affected her in her premature, teen and adult life. Other than that, I have absolutely nothing I can even think to complain about.
This book absolutely blew me away and I had no expectation to enjoy it as much as I did. Giving this less than a 5/5 would be a travesty and I cannot wait to further go on to learn chess and re-read this in the future with an even greater understanding of what is going on in the story, with the characters, and the overarching plot of the politics of chess. Outstanding read, this one will be living on my book shelf for a very long time and I may very well end up buying the rest of Tevis' books.
And wow. Wow.
Before reading this book, I was in a bit of a pickle with reading. I was struggling to sit and read 10 pages at a time in a 4 month period. Most books I was reading ended up haphazardly put back on my book shelf with limited capacity and want to read them at that given time. I was expecting an uphill battle to sit and read The Queen's Gambit, knowing how chess heavy it was - but this book had me in a chokehold. I devoured this, in much quicker time than I had planned to and it has reinvigorated my love for reading.
For one, I expected to be very confused with how much of the book was focused on chess and on games, with excruciating detail, however, the way it's written allows the reader to learn chess alongside Beth - whilst we may not ever have Beth's skill and precision with a chess board, we at least are amazed, stunned and enthralled with every wooden piece moving from B4 to Q4. Even if it gets a little too confusing, it's easy enough to skim the few sentences that make no sense and the descriptions of Beth's feelings and emotions give more than enough context to understand what is easily missed.
The detail that Tevis puts into the addiction side of this story is simply enthralling, tragic, haunting and an epitome of understanding - especially for a time such as 1983. I have seen many a person struggle with addiction of all kinds in my life and had a brief tango with the disease myself and the attention to detail, the harrowing paragraphs are as captivating as they are devastating. It isn't surprising to know that Tevis himself was an avid gambler, smoker and an alcoholic in his own right. This book stands the test of time for a inside look to the way addiction works, how things so easily and quickly occur and how things just happen with no reason nor rhyme.
Tevis is a master of writing, with the chess games all high stakes - often, I found myself holding my breath with my lips between my teeth as I devoured each page, feverently turning them to find out the next move and I very easily felt every one of Beth's own emotions. The text is simply masterfully written and I have not found myself so excited over a game/sports media form in a very long time (across books, films and television shows).
My only qualm is there is so much good content that should have also been included in the show! I feel like an extra one or two episodes would have absolutely expanded on the show and been a little more honest and true to text on Beth's life and the things that affected her in her premature, teen and adult life. Other than that, I have absolutely nothing I can even think to complain about.
This book absolutely blew me away and I had no expectation to enjoy it as much as I did. Giving this less than a 5/5 would be a travesty and I cannot wait to further go on to learn chess and re-read this in the future with an even greater understanding of what is going on in the story, with the characters, and the overarching plot of the politics of chess. Outstanding read, this one will be living on my book shelf for a very long time and I may very well end up buying the rest of Tevis' books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse
Moderate: Death of parent, Abandonment
Minor: Child abuse, Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content