In 2019, Candice Carty-Williams’ hugely popular debut novel, Queenie, had readers trying to grapple with the complex heroine, the novel’s titular protagonist. Some were perplexed, some enamoured, some deeply uncomfortable. Now, with Channel 4 and Hulu’s TV adaptation, Queenie Jenkins is reaching new audiences wanting to unpack her, in all her glorious messiness.
Queenie tells the story of a 25-year-old Black British Jamaican woman from south London trying to navigate a quarter-life crisis. Like many women, Queenie (Dionne Brown) finds her twenties challenging. She’s estranged from her mother, working in an unsatisfying journalism job where she’s unable to tell the stories she wants about her community, and has just suffered a miscarriage. To make matters worse, her long-term boyfriend Tom (Jon Pointing) requests a break, so she moves out of their shared home into a less-than-ideal flat share. Here, Queenie searches for solace in alcohol and casual hookups that ultimately leave her feeling disempowered.
Candice Carty-Williams and ‘Queenie’ cast on bringing the novel to TV
Queenie’s story tackles themes of self-worth, domestic abuse, childhood trauma, and misogyny. Both the book and the series encourage empathy towards these experiences, a request for reflection that can become uncomfortable for viewers. But it’s the series finale that proves how valuable such representation can be.
Support authors and subscribe to content
This is premium stuff. Subscribe to read the entire article.