Friday, August 21, 2020

Queenie By Candice Carty-Williams



Queenie Jenkins is a twenty-five-year-old Jamaican British woman living in London,straddling two cultures and slotting neatly into neither. She works at a national newspaper, where she’s constantly forced to compare herself to her white middle class peers. After a messy break up from her long-term white boyfriend, Queenie seeks comfort in all the wrong places…including several hazardous men who do a good job of occupying brain space and a bad job of affirming self-worth.

As Queenie careens from one questionable decision to another, she finds herself wondering, “What are you doing? Why are you doing it? Who do you want to be?”—all of the questions today’s woman must face in a world trying to answer them for her.

Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams 

I’ve had Queenie sitting on my shelf since well before lockdown, and I can’t believe I didn’t read it sooner.  I went into this one thinking it would possibly be a light hearted read, but instead found it filled with sadness and heartache.

Poor Queenie, she seems like kind of girl I'd want to be friends with. She's so down to earth and friendly, but is so lonely since Tom left her. She finds solace in the comfort of other mens beds (not always beds actually) and they're always the wrong kind of men, a bunch of dicks (literally). I just wanted to reach into the book, grab her and hug her.

It wasn't all sad though, with a good handful of laugh out loud moments, a few inside giggles, and a brilliant Jamaican family around her, Queenie was actually still quite an uplifting book. 

Her best friend Kyazike sounded right up my street, the type of girl who takes no crap from anyone, and is always there when you need a friends. Queenie’s Grandma was one of my favourite characters though, a strong, old ways set Jamaican lady, who knew what she wanted and when she wanted it. It was really nice to learn new things about different backgrounds.

Queenie has thrown herself towards the top of my best books of 2020 (possibly ever) list. If you haven’t already read it, why the hell not?! 

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