Book Club Discussion Questions for 'Queenie' by Candice Carty-Williams

In America, we have access to a lot of literature about the black experience in the US (although, still, not nearly enough!), however the body of work concerning the black experience in other countries isn’t as easy to come by. Queenie is one such book, which provides a look at being black and female in modern day England. She’s Jamaican-British, and doesn’t fit into either label, and this informs so much of the story and her actions. The story hurtles along at an incredible pace, following Queenie as she faces misfortune after misfortune, and makes a series of increasingly questionable choices.

There are myriad layers to uncover in the book. Her relationship with her traditional, fractured immigrant family, her close female friends, her own decimated self-esteem, her rapidly worsening mental health, her dead end career and her never-ending search for where she belongs and a sense of sanity and stability, to reach a point where she doesn’t so thoroughly hate herself. Carty-Williams doesn’t mince words when it comes to the thorny issues inherent to interracial relationships (platonic, romantic and professional), and what happens when they aren’t addressed. Neither does she shield the reader from the seamy underbelly of love, sex and intimacy and how they can sometimes spiral into something entirely different and damaging.

Ultimately, Queenie is a profoundly human protagonist. She’s not easy to love at times, and many readers will find themselves exasperated with her, but her trials are so very real and relatable. This is so much more than the “black Bridget Jones”; it may have a similar style of comedy, but beyond that, it’s a sharp commentary on what it’s like to be a young black woman in the UK. At the same time, it’s also just a reference on what it’s like to be a woman with insecurities, issues, trauma and concerns that we can all, on some level at least, relate.

DISCUSSION GUIDE

How do you think Queenie’s relationship with race changes throughout the story? Why is it so hard for her to discuss it and stand up to micro and macroaggressions so many times? How is her approach to race different than her friend Kyazike’s, and why do you think that is?
How do you think the themes of power, race and gender play out in the story? How do they impact Queenie’s world, the people in it, and her relationships to them?
Do you think her girlfriends are a good support system? Why do you feel the way you do? As a friend, what advice would you have given her? What do you think they could have done differently? Which of her friends do you think you most relate to in your friend circle?
Is Queenie a character you want to root for? And if not, why is that? Are there certain moments you want to root for her more than others? What traits do you think make her a relatable character?
“Our people don’t do therapy” – do you think mental health in the immigrant community is accurately portrayed here? Why do you think mental health is such a taboo topic in so many communities? What are the reasons you think it took Queenie so long to come to terms with needing therapy, and accepting that it had something to offer her?
Queenie seems to live her life craving validation from people around her, not standing up for herself, putting others before her and allowing people to treat her horribly. What are the instances in the book when you think she chose herself? And why do you think she did so in those moments?
Why do you think it’s so hard for Queenie to admit that she’s a victim of assault?
How do you think her relationship with Sylvie impacts her self-esteem? How does it impact her choices?
Do you think Queenie and her family approach race issues differently? How do you think their experiences of being black in the UK are different from each other’s?
What do you make of Queenie’s relationship with her younger cousin Diana? They aren’t that far apart in age, yet, they both approach the world so differently. How do you think their relationship evolves?
How do you think class impacts Queenie’s relationships, and her outlook on life? How does it show up in her workplace, and amongst her friends and family?
Do you think, as Queenie changes throughout the novel, some of the peripheral characters also change and grow? If so, why, and in what ways?
How does the final scene leave you feeling? Would you have ended the story differently? What do you think the future holds for Queenie?