Queenie

Queenie

Adult fiction
"'It's not putting black lives on a pedestal, I don't even know
what that means,' I said, my heart beating fast. 'It's saying that
black lives, at this point, and historically, do not, and have not
mattered, and that they should.' I looked first at Gina, then around
the room to see if anyone was going to back me up. Instead, I was met
with what I'd been trying to pretend hadn't been a room full of white
not-quite liberals whose opinions, like their money, had been
inherited."
Everywhere she goes Queenie, protagonist of Candice Carty-
Williams' novel of the same name, quoted above, is the only Black
person. She also has to deal with regular microaggressions. Even
total strangers touch her hair. While men approach her White friends
on the basis of mutual interests, guys want only one thing from her.
In those and other ways she's constantly reminded that her humanity
doesn't matter to many other people.
Then there are all these police officers killing unarmed Blacks
(and getting away with it) across the ocean. Queenie wants to cover
Black Lives Matter for the newspaper she writes for. Her editor tries
to talk her into writing something more "palatable" and accused of
having "a combatitive attitude." When she describes her idea at a
pitch meeting she's reminded that "All lives matter" and accused of
just putting some lives on a pedestal.
Race issues are not Queenie's only problems. Her long term
(White) boyfriend has decided that they need three months apart and
kicked her out of their shared apartment. She can only afford a far
from optimal living situation. Her self esteem is seriously damaged.
She starts making a series of really bad decisions that have her being
tested for sexually transmitted diseases on a regular basis.
Counseling doesn't seem to be an option. Her family sees getting
psychological help as an unforgivable weakness.
How can she break out of her seemingly unstoppable downward
spiral? You'll want to read the book to see. Queenie is an
unforgettable character it would be hard not to root for.
On a purrrsonal note, I thought I'd have a purely work weekend. I was
right about Saturday. Sunday Eugene and I ran some errands. He got
me the scientific calculator I need for statistics class and the
research I'll be doing the rest of my life with any luck. YES!!! We
had a nice visit with his brother. I wore my mask. We had a Burger
King picnic for lunch. Our last stop was Goodwill where I got three
books for my second peak library and a Halloween costume for Amber's
outside early Halloween party which is scheduled for next Saturday,
weather permitting.
The weather is getting more autumnal. I'm wearing jeans part of the
time. Leaves have started turning.
I'm working on rebuilding my reading speed. There are so many books I
need to review for you readers and never enough time. (Jules)
We had a nice weekend--my hoomans and me. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to Eugene.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway


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