I have a LOVE/HATE relationship with Queenie. I thought overall the book was well written and enjoyable. You’re sucked in within the first few pages. Queenie as a portrayal of a black woman however was quite cringy and frightening to say the least.
Immediately after starting the book I was very confused on why she was so devastated over Tom. She texted and called him so frequently at first I feel like I was almost at Chapter 2 before I realized they technically were supposed to be on a “break.” There’s flashbacks of their relationship in between present day which gives you glimpse of her dynamic not only with Tom but with his family as well and it was very unimpressive. I became even more confused when I realized one of their last so called fights began with his uncle calling her by a derogatory term. Tom not only didn’t defend her he could barely make eye contact with her after it happened and then when she got upset blamed the entire situation on her and told her she was overreacting. I have nothing against interracial dating if that’s your thing, love is love. However being with a man who clearly doesn’t seem to understand or can’t come to your defense in the face of blatant racism, even if that is his family, is just NOT IT. At some point I got the feeling she only wanted Tom because it felt comfortable.
One of my biggest issues with Queenie was she wouldn’t date black men but yet she let white men literally run through her and walk all over her. Ted honestly annoyed me and was way too persistent. At one point it just felt like harassment. Queenie kept telling him no but he couldn’t take no for an answer. And as soon as she gives in shit literally hit the fan🤦🏽‍♀️ Guy was basically using her as his personal sex doll. He wasn’t even gentle with her like at all. He talked to her like she literally didn’t matter. Even if a relationship is purely sexual for both parties there’s still a thing called common decency and respect. Which he had NONE! Guy was just the worst but she slept with a LOT of other people and didn’t even use protection. Like seriously WTF. Â
Also Queenie gives me a lot of low self-esteem vibes. I feel like she only goes for certain men simply because they give her attention, whether that attention may be negative or positive. She’s also a compulsive liar. I notice she lies a lot to her family and her friends. I get keeping some things close however she was really going through some stuff like the miscarriage and yet she didn’t tell anyone. She just shoved it to the back of her mind and never dealt with it. It also incredibly annoyed me that I felt like all her friends knew it was over between her and Tom and wouldn’t give her a reality check. At some point I was wondering are they even really friends? Queenie honestly seemed jealous of her friend’s happiness and if it wasn’t ALL about her she seemed less than enthused and almost negative in some instances. She didn’t lose out on Cassandra however. Her anger in that situation was completely misplaced and she knew damn well she was mad at the wrong person. Queenie didn’t deserve that treatment for someone she had been friends with for over a decade. I couldn’t believe that situation played out like that.
Queenie also seemed to lack ambition. She has been working for the newspaper for quite a few years yet hasn’t accomplished anything since being there which she even acknowledges herself. It’s like she has nothing motivating her or pushing her forward. Also why did it take for her to be at “rock bottom” after a breakup with Tom to even start considering putting more effort into something she claimed was her passion? When she first met Tom she told him she wanted to change the world. What the hell happened to that Queenie?!?!? It’s like she was comfortable just coasting through her mediocre life with her less than mediocre relationship. It’s depressing even thinking about it.
I feel like the author is SUPER talented and the story definitely sucks you in from the beginning. I personally couldn’t put it down. Even though Queenie ended up getting help and going to therapy at the end overall this story is a very damaging and a harmful narrative for the black woman.
Immediately after starting the book I was very confused on why she was so devastated over Tom. She texted and called him so frequently at first I feel like I was almost at Chapter 2 before I realized they technically were supposed to be on a “break.” There’s flashbacks of their relationship in between present day which gives you glimpse of her dynamic not only with Tom but with his family as well and it was very unimpressive. I became even more confused when I realized one of their last so called fights began with his uncle calling her by a derogatory term. Tom not only didn’t defend her he could barely make eye contact with her after it happened and then when she got upset blamed the entire situation on her and told her she was overreacting. I have nothing against interracial dating if that’s your thing, love is love. However being with a man who clearly doesn’t seem to understand or can’t come to your defense in the face of blatant racism, even if that is his family, is just NOT IT. At some point I got the feeling she only wanted Tom because it felt comfortable.
One of my biggest issues with Queenie was she wouldn’t date black men but yet she let white men literally run through her and walk all over her. Ted honestly annoyed me and was way too persistent. At one point it just felt like harassment. Queenie kept telling him no but he couldn’t take no for an answer. And as soon as she gives in shit literally hit the fan🤦🏽‍♀️ Guy was basically using her as his personal sex doll. He wasn’t even gentle with her like at all. He talked to her like she literally didn’t matter. Even if a relationship is purely sexual for both parties there’s still a thing called common decency and respect. Which he had NONE! Guy was just the worst but she slept with a LOT of other people and didn’t even use protection. Like seriously WTF. Â
Also Queenie gives me a lot of low self-esteem vibes. I feel like she only goes for certain men simply because they give her attention, whether that attention may be negative or positive. She’s also a compulsive liar. I notice she lies a lot to her family and her friends. I get keeping some things close however she was really going through some stuff like the miscarriage and yet she didn’t tell anyone. She just shoved it to the back of her mind and never dealt with it. It also incredibly annoyed me that I felt like all her friends knew it was over between her and Tom and wouldn’t give her a reality check. At some point I was wondering are they even really friends? Queenie honestly seemed jealous of her friend’s happiness and if it wasn’t ALL about her she seemed less than enthused and almost negative in some instances. She didn’t lose out on Cassandra however. Her anger in that situation was completely misplaced and she knew damn well she was mad at the wrong person. Queenie didn’t deserve that treatment for someone she had been friends with for over a decade. I couldn’t believe that situation played out like that.
Queenie also seemed to lack ambition. She has been working for the newspaper for quite a few years yet hasn’t accomplished anything since being there which she even acknowledges herself. It’s like she has nothing motivating her or pushing her forward. Also why did it take for her to be at “rock bottom” after a breakup with Tom to even start considering putting more effort into something she claimed was her passion? When she first met Tom she told him she wanted to change the world. What the hell happened to that Queenie?!?!? It’s like she was comfortable just coasting through her mediocre life with her less than mediocre relationship. It’s depressing even thinking about it.
I feel like the author is SUPER talented and the story definitely sucks you in from the beginning. I personally couldn’t put it down. Even though Queenie ended up getting help and going to therapy at the end overall this story is a very damaging and a harmful narrative for the black woman.