Healing or Hurtful? An informal review of ‘Queenie’

Tess Fang - Student Submission

“Queenie' by Candice Carty-Williams is a must-read for every 20-something woman, particularly those active in the 21st century dating world.

This novel, written in 2019, is a take on the problems the modern-day woman faces in her 20’s. Not only is Williams effective at presenting an enjoyable read, but she also helps to provide healing to those experiencing life in a similar way as the protagonist, Queenie.

Taking place in London, this novel follows Queenie on her journey through dating mainly white men as a 25-year-old black woman. Queenie’s choice in men is highly due to her past life experiences, and readers soon find why Queenie dates the men she does.

Although many seem to dislike the novel particularly because of Queenie’s character and her life choices, I found Queenie to be highly relatable. Queenie internalized her life experiences and found herself repeating patterns in her dating life.

While on the outside it may be frustrating to see Queenie continuously pursue men that only harm her both physically and emotionally, to some it may be freeing to know they are not alone in their traumas. It is possible

Queenie can only be profound to those who have experienced similar dating stories, although many themes can be representative of the human race as a whole.

Williams includes primary themes of trauma and misogyny, with underlying themes of self-worth and self-identity, which is portrayed through a serious yet humorous and relatable 328 page read. For this reason, I would not call Queenie a political piece – these are all-encompassing issues of the human existence, albeit specific to women in the novel. With a certain amount of empathy brought upon by experiences, people can find this piece to be healing, even if maybe in a strange way.

The flawed and damaged Queenie is only understood if you can empathize with feeling broken due to the way your identity is perceived in the world. For this reason, I found “Queenie” to be incredibly healing, to know I am not alone in my experiences. While this novel may not resonate with everyone, it has a tremendous impact on those who find solace in Queenie’s character.

I can understand why some might find this novel more hurtful rather than healing, and to those I say, please interpret Queenie with an open mind, all judgments aside. People are complex, we do not always understand why we do things.

I hope that Queenie is not held to a different pedestal simply because she is a fictional character. Do not start reading thinking about politics and race because that’s not what Queenie is. Queenie is a complex character discovering herself for the first time after many traumas, something I believe many can relate to if we set aside judgments.

Is ‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’ worth a watch?

Madeline Hicks - Student Submission

A good TV show is hard to come by, and everyone has their own idea of what a good one is. If you are like me, then what makes a show good is an element of mystery and a few ghosts. One show with both these things is “The Haunting of Bly Manor.”

This Netflix series falls under the genres of horror, mystery, drama, and a few other sub-genres. It tells an amazing story full of twists, turns, heartbreak and loss and does not fail to add a few chilling and sinister moments.

However, despite the theme of ghosts and tragedy that is well-presented in this series, my question is, should it fall under the category of a horror show, or is it simply a mysterious and dramatic ghost story?

“The Haunting of Bly Manor” follows the story of a young woman who moves to London and gets a job taking care of a boy and girl who’s only living relative is an often-unreachable uncle.

Right away you can tell that both the woman and uncle are each hiding something. After moving to Bly Manor the woman notices the strange surroundings of the house and its residents. The strange happenings along with the woman’s secret make for an interesting journey ahead.

But the story does not only follow the young woman. Different characters are introduced who all play a key role in the telling of the story and in the making of the tragedies the story builds on.

These characters also offer comical or intriguing dialogue that works to further bring us into this unnerving world. The actors are also well-chosen as they grasp their roles and bring them to life beautifully.

The show only has one season with nine episodes that are all under an hour. Despite this, a second is not wasted to tell you enough of each character’s story to bring you to the conclusion of the mysteries at this haunted estate.

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Going off the ratings alone, the show might not seem worth it. According to Google it has a 3.9 rating, which might not sound promising. But for me, it is all about what you are expecting the show to do for you.

If you are expecting to jump out of your seat from fright, then this might not be for you. However, if you are into biting your nails and wondering what is going to happen next, then this show is perfect.

Overall, “The Haunting of Bly Manor” is a must-watch show with its well-picked cast and complex story that leaves you wanting to know more. What the story lacks in horror, it makes up for with the mix of drama, mystery, and even some romance. And even though it will not leave you horrified; you certainly do not want to watch it alone at night in the dark.