An emotional rollercoaster. Funny, Depressing, Realistic. Queenie is a book not to be missed!
True Rating: 4.5/5 stars
This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. As soon as I saw the cover and read the synopsis, I was hooked. I used my BookishFirst points to claim a copy and I'm so glad I did!
Now, I'm not going to lie. At first, Queenie got on my nerves. Her actions were so irresponsible that I couldn't bring myself to like her. But that all quickly changed once I realized what was happening. It clicked in my head: #IAmQueenie
Let's rewind a little bit. Twenty-five year old Queenie and her boyfriend, Tom, have decided to take a break (or at least she believes) and reevaluate their relationship in a few months' time. During that period, Queenie's life begins to unravel. She engages in unsafe sexual encounters with awful men, puts her job and career at risk, and ultimately has a breakdown causing her to move in with her grandparents.
Yeah, a lot is going on in Queenie's life and she knows something is wrong with her mentally but doesn't really do anything to help herself until it all gets to be a bit much. I found this aspect to be completely relatable. Because, hello! I had a mental breakdown around the same age and wound up in the hospital diagnosed with an anxiety order and depression. All of Queenie's physical symptoms? Yeah, I experienced those too. Breathing exercises, color counting? Yup, done those too.
Queenie has this incredible strength though. She has a great group of friends (the Corgis) and family willing to support her. Going on this journey with her was an experience. At times I wanted to slap her and yell "what are you doing"?! But at the end of the day, I understand her. She didn't breakdown because of the breakup. That was her triggering point. It was the culmination of many things over the years that broke her.
This book is about a great many things. Black Lives Matter. Body positivity. Mental Illness. The list goes on. Yet, the book is never preachy. Queenie would never do that. She is real about her world. Honest about her life and experiences. She is trying to figure out who she is in a society that doesn't always accept her. On some level, we are all Queenie.
This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. As soon as I saw the cover and read the synopsis, I was hooked. I used my BookishFirst points to claim a copy and I'm so glad I did!
Now, I'm not going to lie. At first, Queenie got on my nerves. Her actions were so irresponsible that I couldn't bring myself to like her. But that all quickly changed once I realized what was happening. It clicked in my head: #IAmQueenie
Let's rewind a little bit. Twenty-five year old Queenie and her boyfriend, Tom, have decided to take a break (or at least she believes) and reevaluate their relationship in a few months' time. During that period, Queenie's life begins to unravel. She engages in unsafe sexual encounters with awful men, puts her job and career at risk, and ultimately has a breakdown causing her to move in with her grandparents.
Yeah, a lot is going on in Queenie's life and she knows something is wrong with her mentally but doesn't really do anything to help herself until it all gets to be a bit much. I found this aspect to be completely relatable. Because, hello! I had a mental breakdown around the same age and wound up in the hospital diagnosed with an anxiety order and depression. All of Queenie's physical symptoms? Yeah, I experienced those too. Breathing exercises, color counting? Yup, done those too.
Queenie has this incredible strength though. She has a great group of friends (the Corgis) and family willing to support her. Going on this journey with her was an experience. At times I wanted to slap her and yell "what are you doing"?! But at the end of the day, I understand her. She didn't breakdown because of the breakup. That was her triggering point. It was the culmination of many things over the years that broke her.
This book is about a great many things. Black Lives Matter. Body positivity. Mental Illness. The list goes on. Yet, the book is never preachy. Queenie would never do that. She is real about her world. Honest about her life and experiences. She is trying to figure out who she is in a society that doesn't always accept her. On some level, we are all Queenie.