Queenie

Hilarious, compelling, painful, enlightening, honest. I loved it. – Dolly AldertonQueenie is a masterclass in how to write accessible political fiction about race and gender. Funny, relatable, sad, and hopeful; Candice Carty-Williams is a writer to watch. – Christie WatsonBrilliant, timely, funny, heartbreaking – Jojo MoyesFunny, wise and of the moment, this book and this writer are the ones to watch – Kit de WaalQueenie has all the things you want in a debut novel - a startlingly fresh voice, characters you fall in love with from the very first page, and a joyous turn of phrase that makes this book almost impossible to put down. In turns hilariously funny and quietly devastating, Queenie is an important, timely story. – Louise O’NeillAdorable, funny, heartbreakingQueenie is the sort of novel you just can’t stop talking about and want everyone you know to read. Snort your tea out funny one moment and utterly heart-breaking the next … I absolutely loved itHilarious and off the wall and tenderCandice gives so generously with her joy, pain and humour … a beautiful and compelling bookI ate this up in one greedy, joyous gulp. I loved Queenie and was cheering her on all the wayI was engrossed and loved Queenie - her humour, her pain, her politics, her friends, her family!A really special book with much to say about black female identity, sexual politics, group chats & emotional becoming in a way that feels totally unforced. Filthy, funny & profoundQueenie is the best mate we all want - funny, sharp and more than a little vulnerable. I loved climbing inside her mind and wish I could have stayed longer. I adored this novelCandice Carty Williams is my new favourite writer and she will be yours, too…I needed this book in my early twenties. I have never felt so seen in fiction. My heart is full.I enjoyed Queenie a lot; sharp, relatable, and incredibly evocativeThis smart, funny, and tender debut embraces a modern woman’s messiness. * Booklist *A black Bridget Jones, perfectly of the moment. * Kirkus *One of the buzziest debuts of 2019 * THE GUARDIAN *This year welcomes Candice Carty-Williams to the literary scene. In 2016, best-selling author Jojo Moyes offered the use of her rural cottage to a wannabe novelist trying to finish a book; she selected Candice from more than 600 applicants. * GRAZIA *perfect for anyone who loved Fleabag * MAIL ON SUNDAY *Incredibly funny, this is the book that everyone will be talking about. * CLOSER *This debut is original, heart-breaking, funny and clever, and also carries many important messages… [this] book blew my mind in all the best ways. I’m still rooting for Queenie long after turning the final page. * DAILY MAIL *We are irresistibly drawn into Queenie’s world by a romcom which is wry and often hilarious. * DAILY MIRROR *A candid and funny, no-holds-barred exploration of a young black Woman’s life… Carty- Williams is a talented writer with a fresh perspective that the publishing industry desperately needs. Joyous, memorable and necessary. * EVENING STANDARD *This is an important, timely and disarming novel, thirst-quenching and long overdue: one that will be treasured by “any type of black girl” and hordes of other readers besides. * GUARDIAN *A blistering blend of funny, filthy, frank and dark, this is the mark of a true voice at work. * HEAT *A delight from start to finish… a little bit of Fleabag but less double-barrelled and more relatable * I *[A] smart and breezy comic debut * OBSERVER *Honest and heartfelt * PSYCHOLOGIES *Smart, thoughtful and funny * RED *We are irresistibly drawn into Queenie’s world by this fresh romcom which is wry and often hilarious, even when it goes to some dark places. * SUNDAY EXPRESS *Filled with raw emotion tempered with wry humour, this debut is bitter-sweet. * SUNDAY MIRROR *This topical, timely debut’s bracing frankness has a blazing purpose… vital and often funny * SUNDAY TIMES *This is a funny, clever, heartbreaking lightning bolt of a first novel, by a writer bristling with talent. * THE TIMES *The plot spoke to my soul…Queenie’s journey as a millennial is relatable on so many levels. I’m so besotted with [Queenie] that I’m heavily delaying finding out how this enchanting tale ends. It’ll be a bittersweet day when it finally arrives. * Refinery29` *This is an amazing novel about what it means to be a black girl whose world is falling apart and needs to find the strength to put it back together

Candice Carty-Williams is a novelist, showrunner, and culture writer, born and raised in south London, with Jamaican heritage. She is the author of the Sunday Times bestselling novels Queenie (which won Book of the Year Award) and People Person, as well as the young adult novella Empress and Aniya.

In 2024, Candice adapted Queenie for Channel 4 and Hulu. She also wrote and showran the original drama Champion for Netflix and BBC One, which aired in 2023 to critical acclaim, receiving five stars across the board.

In 2016, Candice created and launched the Guardian and 4th Estate 4thWrite Prize, the first inclusive initiative of its kind in book publishing, designed to support underrepresented writers. She is also the former Guardian Review books columnist and has written for numerous publications, including i-D, Vogue, The Face, the Sunday Times, BEAT Magazine, and Black Ballad.

Queenie received global acclaim, being described as vital, disarmingly honest, and boldly political.

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